By Fareed Zakaria
We are hearing a new concept these days in discussions about Iran - the zone of immunity. The idea, often explained by Ehud Barak, Israel’s defense minister, is that soon Iran will have enough nuclear capability that Israel would not be able to inflict a crippling blow to its program.
In fact, while the specifics are fresh, this is not a new strategic concept at all. Nations have often believed that they face a closing window to act, and almost always such thinking has led to disaster. The most famous example, of course, was Germany’s decision to start what became World War I. The German General Staff believed that Russia - its archenemy - was rearming on a scale that would soon nullify Germany’s superior military strength. The Germans believed that within two years - by 1916 - Russia would have a significant, and perhaps unbeatable, strategic advantage.
As a result, when turmoil began in the Balkans in June 1914, Germany decided to act while it had the advantage. To stop Russia from entering a “zone of immunity,” Germany invaded France (Russia’s main ally) and Belgium, which forced British entry into the war, thus setting in motion a two-front European war that lasted four years and resulted in more than 37 million casualties.
Now, I am not suggesting that an Israeli attack on Iran would have anything close to these consequences. But I am suggesting that it is profoundly shortsighted to base a major decision - to go to war - on narrow technical considerations like windows of vulnerability. Many in Washington in March 2003 insisted that we could not wait for nuclear inspectors to keep at their work in Iraq because we faced a closing window - the weather was going to get too hot by June and July to send in U.S. forces. As a result, we rushed into a badly planned military invasion and occupation in which soldiers had to endure combat in Iraq for nine long and very hot years.
Israeli officials explain that we Americans cannot understand their fears, that Iran is an existential threat to them. But in fact we can understand because we have gone through a very similar experience ourselves. After World War II, as the Soviet Union approached a nuclear capability, the United States was seized by a panic that lasted for years. Everything that Israel says about Iran now, we said about the Soviet Union. We saw it as a radical, revolutionary regime, opposed to every value we held dear, determined to overthrow the governments of the Western world in order to establish global communism. We saw Moscow as irrational, aggressive and utterly unconcerned with human life. After all, Joseph Stalin had just sacrificed a mind-boggling 26 million Soviet lives in his country’s struggle against Nazi Germany.
Just as Israel is openly considering preemptive strikes against Iran, many in the West urged such strikes against Moscow in the late 1940s. The calls came not just from hawks but even from lifelong pacifists such as the public intellectual Bertrand Russell.
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Deterrence a MAD doctrine with Iran is different, they believe we want to live more than they do so they keep taking liberties, pushing red lines. So with Cast Lead we wanted them to think we were crazy to restore calm in the south. With Iran we have to show them we are more willing to die than they are, that we value our lives less than they value theirs. The martyrs martyr if you like, if no one blinks first then it is WW3 and we all die, but given that the Jews are already walking corpses, what does it matter. What makes everyone else life worth more than an Israeli's. If we all die we all die, so be it. Given the facts that the Jews are already dead then they have noting to lose do they, the only way is up. I am serious, and that is why Meir Dagan spoke out about a strike, because I am prepared to take everyone with them. I will die too, I am prepared for death.
Let's get them to disarm and then attack them under the pretext they are still hiding them (after all logically you cannot prove you do NOT have WMDs) or we can funnel arms to proxies and egg them on for an uprising. Let's not get to the point of North Korea where they actually develop them and then we are forced to abandon these plans.
Why attack other country? The war is not a game is not a good thing.We don't have the right to attack anyone .
If you have a gun ,can you shoot someone just because try to get a gun also? Do you really belive that we are the good ones ,Israel is the goodones even if they got lotsof hided nuke, and everybody else are the bad ones? I think they are people just like we are! They may think just like us you know..good ones bad ones. But i don't think that God create all the good people and put them to live in the US and than created all bad people and told them go and live somewhereelse. WE ARE EVERYBODY!
Maybe the US should see them a nuke and then they can say they have one.
I meant sell them a nuke
israel WILL FIGHT IRAN BRAVELY TILL THE LAST american SOLDIER
Victor, You are absolutely right. good point
VIC WAKE UP ITS A BIG DIFFERENCE HERE IF THAT PERSON SAYS THAT U SHOULD NOT EXISTS IN THE WORLD WHO WANTS TO BUY THAT GUN ,THEN NO HE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BUY THAT GUN
The matter isn't the Iran will attack Israel or any other country but if they are intended to acquire nuclear technology then whats wrong with Israel? You are saying you are not afraid and don't value your life more than them but then question arouse why did you attacked Iraq to destroy their nuclear installations? Weren't you afraid then? Your each action is right because you have green signal from America for you cheap activities. Same technology when you were getting nobody questioned and was frustrated but whats a big deal for Iran? Do you only possess it so any other country is supposed to get permission by you? Don't we know when we Pakistanis were ready to test our nukes in 1998, Israel tried hard to stop us or destroy our installations like Iraq but your mission was aborted just few minutes ago when it was due? Same thing happened with us when India got this nobody shouted but when it was our turn whole world was crying us not to do so and warning us to face grave consequences and now its Iran who is facing pressure. But if its fair for U then why its not for us?
The difference is this: Benjamin Netaniyahu doesn't call for destruction of Iran. Mahmud Ahmadinejad does call for destruction of Israel. The situation is not symmetric, if you failed to notice.
The issue is this. Iran cannot be trusted. Their government, not their people promote and harbor terrorism. As long as they do this, and as long as they shun the rest of the world, they will always be seen as a threat. For me, an American, it does not bother me that another country has nuclear capabilities, the issue is weather or not they will use them in a manner that is appropriate. Because Iran has not proved itself to the international community, they should not have in their power, a weapon that can and will effect the rest of the world.
Wow Peter you must have missed Mossad posing as the CIA when recruiting Jundullaha, or when Israel threatens to arm the PKK a turkish terrorist group. NowPeter it looks like you have your blinders on and see the world through a distorted lens .
I will clear these issues, what is going on with Iran it is only media politics. US will not destroy Iran like Iraq, because they need them to stay in power to keep majority of Sunni busy against Iran and they always in need for US (market). On other hand, US will not like Iran developing nuclear weapons for Israel’s safety. As result US now is joggling with two hot balls.
Israel has not used proxies, such as Hezbulla and Hamas to send missles against civilians in another Country. Israel has never threarened to anhilate another country from the map. Israel has never threatened to use nuclear force against any country. That is the difference between Israel and Iran
The justification is very funny...the empty words from Ahmadnijad isn't a valid reason to go bomb Iran...Look and read history which country has been involved in almost every war in the world and which country used the first WMD and now think about it which should we be more afraid of using WMD on people. U guys are all brainwashed by media. Iran has the right to defend and protect itself just like any other country...stop the hypocrisy
I want to point out that when israel got nukes somewhere in the 60's, none of it's arab neighbors tried to aqiure nuclear technology for decades , but when iran started it's nuclear program all of it's neighbors in the arab world threatend a nuclear race and some started one, why? because iran unlike israel aspire for an aslamic hegemony. The guy who stated this is a high ranking nato officer.
@laila actually the first country to use a WMD (not a nuclear weapon) was Germany in WWI with the use of Mustard gas (chemical warfare) I am not a proponent of war even though I am in the American military, or maybe because of it is why i am not. I know too many husbands, wives sons and daughters that may not come back to their families. However one thing i have learned in my travels is that no matter what people thing there will always be conflict. Differences of opinions always occur. I personally will not sit on the side while someone who has their head stuck in the sand says that something in another country does not affect another one. Maybe that was true long ago before we started moving toward a much more global economy and society due to mass media and rapid international travel. A country;s laws do not really affect another, but trade, weapons military all do in some shape or fashion. As someone who has seen first hand the kind of antics Iran play in the strait of hormuz. I would not feel safe if they had WMD's of the nuclear variety.
Because they are ISLAMIC. (aka the brainwashed, midieval Borg of humanity.) That's why France, Israel, UK and USA can (indeed should) have nukes, and NO Islamic countries should have them – EVER.
if iran gets nukes, they will use it on isreal, most arab nations want them terminated, so i say isreal needs to get them now, cus they will do the same, thats a fact!!!
To Tomich: Liar!
Iran never said they want to destroy Israel it is a mis-translation done on purpose to do some propaganda. Iran president said they want to eliminate the regime of Israel. It was mis-translated into "destruction" on purpose! so Tomich please reda more about the real news and stop your propaganda or go elsewhere BIG LIAR!!
Mark, Jew for Peace
If Mexico called for the destruction of America and began enriching uranium, that country would fail to exist. If a bully at school tells you he is going to pound your @$$ when he gets a bat, you better make sure you beat @$$ his before he gets his bat.
I guess we all forgot about HITLER during WWII when they had a nuclear weapons programs in the name of the ARIAN RACE. The allies stop them before the could get a bomb. We knew what a mad man can do and would do. Now imagine a
religious ayatollah in the name of ISLAM would do in you did not want to convert? In history lesson are never learn only repeated.
I'm not!!
PS. Good luck!
The argument that Iranian nuclear weapons are not a threat to anyone, just a deterrent to Israel, is absolutely bogus. Iran has made the destruction of Israel public, very public policy. There is no reason to believe that Iran would not use a nuclear weapon on Israel. Should Iran calculate that Israeli nuclear weapons have little chance of hitting Tehran or its oil fields, they will persue their public policy of eliminating the State of Israel.
I'm NOT!
Thanks anyway!
Matt
if you want to die, just go for it, nobody would deter you.
Wow Matt you didnt get the message last time we need to put back in the rubber room. You are deranged mad and should be disarmed post haste.
An Israeli attack would cause disaster to themslves and others – http://bit.ly/xuf5Gy.
you sound like a terrorist. lets see how you like it when you are under investigation.
Sorry, but you sound like an ideological psychopath. Perhaps the Iran that you describe is yourself?
Everyone say to invade country X or country Y is different.
All excuse to invade another country.
iIran has the right to be a nuclear power country as other countries have done.Just like North Korea and maybe Israel.But the problem is its always looking for war with other country particularly Israel.
WAKE UP WHEN A COUNTRY SAYS THAT ISRAEL SHOULD BE WIPED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH, THAT COUNTRY SHOULD NOT HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS.ITS NOT LIKE ITS A PEACEFUL COUNTRY WAKE UP DUDE AND SMELL THE COFFEE
Iran has "right" to have nuclear weapons? What gives them that right? Do I have the same right? Do felons have the right to have guns? Do pedophiles have the right to live next door schools? My neighbor does not have the same rights as I do. He is blind. He no longer has the right to drive. Irans "right" has been restricted from them by the international community for very good reasons. Furthermore, no one has the "right" to produce nuclear weapons. Not even America. The nuclear weapons are supposed to be systematically disassembled (whether they are or not is another discussion). Enough with the liberal talk of political equallity.
Iran signed the NPT. Iran imported technology supporting their nuke program that they could only import because they signed the NPT. (Israel never signed the NPT and never imported such technology).
Because Iran signed the NPT, they do not have the right to develop nuke weapons. Because they imported that technology, they do not have the right to refuse the inspections that they have refused.
Iran is more responsible country in comparison to Israel and USA. Analysis and data suggests us.
Garbage!
Khameni is not Brezhnev but Hiter.
Are you retarded?
No, Fareed made a point! Israel has the right to worry about what Ahmadinejad said: "wipe Israel off the map"? Should we believe that he's really going to do it? He's stepping down in 2013, when his term of office comes to an end.
Yesterday Iran staged an elaborate ceremony to unveil new developments in its nuclear program, to show that it can load domestically-made nuclear fuel in a reactor for the first time.
The highlight of the display were the 3.000 efficient centrifuges for uranium enrichment. Theoretically these facilities are no evidence that Iran is building nuclear weapons.
Of course it is in a position to do so, if it chooses to. The question is, would it want to destroy the West?
"Wipe Israel off the map" is a widely used mistranslation. If you think about it, the expression is an English idiom and wouldn't even make sense in a different language.
Hey deep, I read the translation on the official Iranian news site. The mistranslation lie will not fly.
he never said wipe them off the map....Fox news did.
The President of Iran is nothing but the mouthpiece of the Ayatollas. He does what they want or he answers to them. He's nothing but a willing puppet.
He never did say that "isreal should be wiped off the map" ...these empty words are hardly any evidence to justify a war.
Ahmedinejad is a puppet to the grand ayatollah Khamenei. Ulimately it is the Ayatollah's that make the decisions. Unfortunately their end times eschatology forms the final decision to bring about an end to the world we know. Check out their radical beliefs and this may shed some light on this very dark issue!
I have little interest in defending Israel. I am an American, not an Israeli. Moreover, Ahmadeenijad was speaking in figurative, not literal, terms when he spoke of Israel being wiped off the map. He believes that Israel because of its policies has no future. Know what? I agree with him.
A-mean -a nut job is not the leader any way he is just a puppet
and israel will in time bomb iran we all know it we may not want to belive it but we know it
and iran has proven time and time again it can not be trusted
2013 may be too late. Indeed it may yet turn out to be a horrible disaster that the Pakis got nukes. IMO, NO ISLAMIC COUNTRY SHOULD HAVE THEM. They have midieval cultures, and clearly should not have nuclear weapons. Very big difference between Islamic cultures and the former USSR...
Actually it was Austria-Hungary that started WW1 by attacking tiny Serbia on July 28,1914. Had France declared it's neurality on Aug, 3, WW1 would very well have been a regional instead of a worldwide conflict. Moreover, had Germany won WW1, WW2 probably would never have happened. And that was because the U.S. entered the conflict on April 6, 1917. When will this country learn to stay out of wars that doesn't concern it?
You for get your history... Germany was trying to get Mexico to attack the US. AKA the Zimmerman Telegraph
Ignorant
France and England would still have won against the Germany and Austria, without the Italy and the USA (a relatively little power in this time compared to the others). They enter in war when France and England took a great advantage.
USA accelerated the victory but dont permit it.
But maybe without the USA, France could not have imposed the "diktat" to Germany.
Actually WW1 became a problem because of two main reasons.
1. German U-boats have been sinking American ships, including civilian ocean liners and merchant vessels. I don't care if they were transporting supplies to the UK, a civilian's a civilian.
2. Germany tried to get Mexico to join their cause and start a fight with us.
Mr. Patton you seem to know more about wars than I hope I ever will. To me the best war ever was the one who never got started. I am no expert when it comes to Israel but many Jews think Israel is going against its own religion in dealing with others. As for wars with 22% of the USA budget in defense wars are always tempting... a fraction of that shifted toward peace corp. would be nice...
So WHAT EXACTLY Zakaria believes to be a "FALSE" Israeli choice on Iran?
Zakaria knows there isn't one, he just likes portraying Israel as false, wrong, in error, etc.
Unbelievable ignorance. He cites a few example of the forces of good being wrong, and ignore all the times where they were RIGHT.
And of course he ignores the times where if we had acted sooner, we would have been better off.
Appeasement does not work Zakaria, you know this, you just hope we appease another Hitler (Ahmadinejad) into allowing him to become a military power.
You don't know what appeasement is. He's talking about containment, not about giving Iran the Check Republic.
The reactors and other facilities will be used to create contaimination zones. How would Syria be different, if they had Irans current capability? Most will not venture into containminated zones. Like the area around Fukushima.
The fear-ridden analogy towards Hitler is wrong in so many ways. It is rather Israel that is posturing like a belligerent regional power, desperately trying to cling to its nuclear advantage.
Formulating Iran's possible future steps as leading to a "zone of immunity" is a typical Orwellian trick. Attacking Iran is in no one's interest, not even in Israel's. It involves too many variables tilted towards escalation and is detrimental to the image of the US in the Middle East. Moreover, and most importantly, it would give Iran even more reasons to weaponise its programme. Until now, Iran has been a relatively peaceful country, rhetoric aside. Both 'sides' are guilty of supporting terrorism, and both sides (at least the US and Iran) should seek to convince Israel that a nuclear-free Middle East is the only solution.
Let us not be clouded by our emotional sympathies, doomsday-inspired fears, and irrational indoctrination based on a wrong image of Iran as a desperately belligerent country. Iran should be treated on equal grounds, just like other less-than-democratic regimes (i.e. Israel, Saudi-Arabia, China).
LOL Did you just use Iran , and democratic in the same sentence ??? I almost spit out my cereal .
Maybe you should learn how to read. I said "less-than-democratic", which obviously applies to Iran.
Sorry to break the news, Israel is Democratic!
If the Arabs will put down their weapons (Iran included) – there will be no more war.
If Israel puts down her arms – there will be no more Israel!
It s pretty easy to convince Israel that a nuclear-free Middle East is the only solution. All you'll have to do is to convince the Arab states and Iran to negotiate a peace agreement with Israel and to convince the Israelis that the Arab states and Iran do not have any plans to destroy the Jewish state. If you succeed then Israel will have no reasons to keep its nukes.
Arabs have proposed total peace and normalization and exchange of embassies. only for the end of the occupation of cis-Jordan. israel refused
If you have read the bible then you should know that Israel is not going to be wiped off the map by an Arab country. Russia will take that position. Arab states in Northern Africa and the Middle East will group up and form a large coalition against Israel. Russia will come in and gain the Arab Coalitions trust (supplying with weapons, food etc), stab them in the back and take over their countries. Meanwhile China will be involved, sending their 2 million man army across Asia and into the Middle East. Then we will get involved. Then Jesus will make his second appearance and save all Christians from Barack Obama, although Jews will be given a chance to take Jesus as their savior as well and those who don't will go to hell and all Christians will live in peace for eternity. Its simple.
yeah right, Thinker23!! ISRAEL=APARTHEID according to the Russell Tribunal in South Africa who came to that conclusion a few months ago;do a search on Google!
So Thinker, you probably are a racist jew or a racist israeli or a necoconservative jew or else, Israel was offered peace+recognition by the Arab states about 10 year ago if Israel goes back to the 1967 borders and gives back the land Israel took/stole.
Israel's answer?? NO
So Thinker, please stop your lies and propaganda, we all know you are a liar, the world knows that Israel=Apartheid.
Mark, Jew for Peace
I guess you omitted Hezbolla and Hamas from your mumbling to make a point? America can well remember Hesbolla's attack in Lebenon. They answer only to Iran. "The Peaceful Country".
To Bobtow: Israel is now officially: Israel=APARTHEID! The Russell Tribunal in South Africa composed of non israelis AND israelis came to that conlcusion a few months ago, do a search
So to Bobtow the LIAR: Israel is committing crimes against the Palestinians and is an Apartheid regime: is this not criminal to you??
Mark, Jew for Peace
Israel less than democratic? You just lost all credibility my friend.... Israel is the ONLY democracy in the middle east, and arguably the purest democracy in the world. Comparing it to Iran or Saudi Arabia is simply ignorant and utterly ridiculous.... talk about the need to 'look it up'.....
Just a few well-placed nuclear strikes would destroy Israel. It's about risk management – impact vs. probability. We can predict the impact; the probability is not as well known. Israel needs to determine whether a nuclear Iran significantly raises the probability of Israel’s demise. The situation is worthy of a cost-benefit analysis. What does Iran have to gain or lose by destroying Israel?
How would a direct attack on Israel benefit Ahmadinejad or Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? Would government detractors in Iran know that there is no hope for them against such leadership, thus reducing internal threats? Would such a bold attack leave the Arab world trembling and the Western world diminished strategically from both military and political perspectives? Without Israel as a strong, strategic ally, on what military, political or economic foundation would the Western world stand? What would be our options then – more sanctions? Iran is already strutting it’s stuff over the Strait of Hormuz despite sanctions. A devastating attack on Israel could bolster Iran’s political standing as a major power and demonstrate what they’re willing to do if their enemies misbehave.
And what would be the potential losses to Iran’s leadership? Would the West strive for regime change? Would there be a counter-attack? Would it diminish Iran’s image to anyone?
While we’re into cost-benefit analysis, we might want to perform a cost-benefit analysis for Israel. What does that tiny nation have to lose? The obvious answer – everything. What would you do?
You're an idiot. Iran would get nuked into glass if they launched a nuclear first strike against Israel. Israel and other Western powers want to reserve the right to attack Iran without Iran having a nuclear deterrent. They want the oil. Even Israel doesn't believe that a nuclear Iran is an existential threat. Look it up!
True, oil first, but Israel might be the second target. Iran may reason that even with 60% casualties (which is unreasonably high), it would be worth while.
They will keep their top echelon deep underground and come out "victorious", it is a MAD scenario but they could be reasoning that most townies are expendable.
Calling others idiots is not the best way to debate. I do not call my opponents idiots. I prefer them to come to that conclusion on their own. As an example of my way of debating I'd like YOU to explain the reasons Israel should NOT believe that nuclear Iran is an existential threat. I'm... wel, too lazy to "look up" for information supporting YOUR claims. Good luck!
What you all don't understand is they do not think like we do. They have very strict religious beliefs they follow and enforce on their people that are very different than what you or I know. Take for example Afghanistan, where the Taliban are trying to rule the country. They have made it very clear to us that the only reason they fight is because another country has invaded their homeland. They would discontinue their aggressive actions IF the US left the country. Why don't we leave it then? Bin Laden is dead, we waste billions there for no apparent reason, and our enemy has given us a cheap, easy, friendly way out of the war but we ignore it.
Thank you Fareed; we need more sober politicians and commentors ar you these days. I as Iranian hate the regime in tehran because of atrocity and sawage leadership but i also suffer when i see the double standard in the western world. tobe quite honest, It's like a family with two kids, both of them are spoiled but one of one of them is always rebuked and penalized. I share all the concerns and fears of Isrealis, when Iranian regime doesn't show mercy on its own people how on earth we can trust them being humane on other nations but we have to be fair. I think the only solution to this conflict is promoting demorcracy in middle east, supporting people in terms of easy access to information and news. invest money on nations education and infrastructure. war and sanctions only make the govermnets more radical and cause hatred among people's mind. we are all himan and have to take care of ourselves, our diverse cultures. It's embarressing to see conflicts becoz of religion, ethnicity, nationality and... in 21st century. I do believe we need more sober politicians.
mehdi, u are a very good man. if all the people have a good mind like you, the world would be a very beautiful place to live..
Thank you Mehdi G. You should know that Israel does not want conflict with Iran, and would probably get along with the Iranian people as well as it has with the Turks. The only thing preventing peace and prosperity from breaking out over the entire middle east into Persia is your government. I wish your people are able to free themselves from the theocratic regime which only promotes violence and authoritarian control. Iran has so much potential for it's people to live happy healthy lives, too bad your leaders have different objectives in mind.
the only way to do it is to attack now before it is too late, Iran is a paper tiger it is a terrorists state helping hizboallah, syrians killers, iraqi shiia killer, qodos army, bader army, and all those shiia thugs and killers.iran must be tought a lesson that they will never forget....they are stupid , village idiots, fanatics
Another idiotic statement from another Iran-hating nitwit!!!
If Iran is a paper tiger, why bother with it at all? Or don't you know what the phrase "paper tiger" means?
Anyone with half a brain knows what a paper tiger Iran is compared to the U.S. The Iranians are in no position to threaten anybody and the warmongering politicians in Washington know it quite well. They only hope that the general public remains too stupid to see that!!!
Attacking Iran will not be a long term solution unless they are willing to go all out for complete regime change. A strategic attack will at best only delay the inevitable of Iran acquiring nukes. Iran has shown they want nukes and will stop at nothing in order to obtain that technology. Like with the soviets in the past a long cold war is the best solution. Keep long term pressure on Iran's regime and have a mutual destruction policy. The US and Soviets had and probably still have the most nukes in history aimed at each other and not one was fired.
Thaier Souri
دمشق
لقد أثبتت روسيا أنها بلد محكوم بمجموعات مافيوية لا يعنيها من أمر البشر الا مقدار ما تجققه من مكاسب, و أثبتت أن لا منظومة أخلاقية تحكمها و ربما تحكم شعبها, و ربما كانت هذه خطوة أخرى حاسمة في انحسار الدور السوفييتي السابق الذي اضمحل الى حجم روسيا و لا ندري الى ماذا سيضمحل لاحقا, و كل ذلك بسبب غياب الركيزة الخلقية الداعمة للمواقف المعلنة أو الغير معلنة
73 MOURAD
ALGERIA
روسيا و الصين تشعران بتواطؤ اوروبي امريكي يهدد مصالحهما الاقتصادية
72 عفوا سوريا ومعذرة
الاردن
النظام السوري وما يرتكبه من مجازر بحق شرفاء سوريا الشام العظيم ما هو الا الفساد والبطش بعينه وما هو الا للحفاظ على مصالح فردية لفئة علوية طغت وتجبرت وتقمصت دور الممانعة والقومية العربية وهي تلك الفئةهي التخاذل والجبن متمثل على وجه الخصوص بشخص بشار الاسف وزبانيته. شلت يمينك يا من تطلق القذائف والقنابل على شعب حمص الاعزل ودرعا وريف دمشق ودير الزور فوالله رجالهم رجال ونساؤهم خير الحرائر . الله على ظالم جبان
71 الفجر
يا لها من مهزلة يا جماعة كل هذه الجرائم منذو ١١ شهرا انتهت بكلمة في الجمعية العامة بادانة .هدفهم جعل من سوريا صومالا اخر.على فكر هل اسرائيل ايضا نددت ام كانت مع...سعودية تصيغ القرارات ومصر توزعه وروسيا تعدل بالقرارات والمعارضة الخارجية مشغلون برئاسة المجلس الوطني والشعب يقتل على يد من لا احد يعرف
70 ليث
السويد
لافروف زود عميله بشار بالاسلحه وهو والصين يديرون عمليات قتل الشعب السوري وبشهود احد الضباظ المنشقين..روسيا اصبحت في الجانب المخزي من التاريخ ..ولافروف يتحجج يالقاعده وكانه القذافي ..لا ينقصه الا ان يصيح ..زنكه زنكه دار دار..بس يقوله بالروسي مافي مشكله المترجم موجود.
69 عربي حر
سوريه
اعرفوا يا عرب ويا مسلمين ان نظام السوري ونظام الحاكم في ايران وحزب الله واسرائيل هي جميعا اوجه لعمله واحده افهموووووووووووووووووو
68 سوري
syria
كم اكره اي انسان يقول سوريه الاسد يا اخي دوله كامله تربط بشسخص يوجد في سوريه امكانات رهيبه وسوريه لجميع الطوائف والاديان الذي يقول ذلك هو انسان لايعيش الا ياكل او امي حتى ولو كان متعلما
Go f yourself you lizzard eating arab.
Whats wrong with eating lizards?
Butthead use english here youre a terrorist yourself anyway i dont trust muslim!!!
I haven't heard of any cnn forum rule that says you have to write in english
Hey Dave, 'youre" is spelled 'you're". Guess that makes you a Butthead. You should be nicer to yourself than that. E pluribus unum, dude.
Fareed, you wrote: "we rushed into a badly planned military invasion and occupation." The military "invasion", with its purpose to eliminate Saddam Hussein's reign, as his support of Al Quida's attack on us on 9/11/01 necessitated, succeeded remarkably well (Praise Allah!!) The "occupation" was a secondary decision, because we could have ousted S. Hussein and left immediately, a policy I, with my lack of political sophistication, favored.
Regarding policy viz the Islamic Republic of Iran and your noted paralels to the USSR...do you think yourself smarter than Bertrand Russel?
It is not a mere question of being "smarter". I urge you not to think in these unidimensional terms. In hindsight, Bertrand Russell might have reconsidered as well.
Why should we Americans be bothered with Israel . What exactly does Israel do for America...NOTHING. Let the Jews sort out their problems with the Arabs. Both groups have been slaughtering each other for ever it seems. People did you know that in WWI the Jews were on the side of the Germans and fought with the Germans against the Russians. The Jews saw the Russians are thier real enemy. You won't hear about that on our American media propaganda will you. Fareed Zakaria why not comment on that dude . See the Jews run with the hare and hunt with the hound (WWI and WWII)
The United States backs Israel because they are the primary buyers of our military technology. They have an enormous military, nearly entirely provided to them by the US. It's 2-fold. We get a buyer in a military hot bed to rake cash hand over fist, and have a staunch, well-armed, ally in the oil rich middle east.
well CNN, Fox, NBC, CNBC etc the corporate mouth piece media beating war drums american propaganda, Indeed false flag operation will be conducted by DOD, white house, intelligence community, MI6 n Mossad to drag everybody into war then if Russian n Chinese enter will turn into thermonuclear ww3. I served 3 years in US state dept n been involved with us intelligence community anybody who served n is servicing knows Obama Admin is no different then Iran's leadership who takes right away of American with now NDAA before Bush did with Patriot Act yyyy to protect against terrorism for those traitors knows that Bin Laden's always been a front man n behind him was Saudi royal family, bin laden family, bush family n CIA higher executives since 9/11 which was saudi n US gov false flag then run up to war against Afghanistan n Iraq.......turned into disaster this wars are course my politicians, elite business n military industrial complex.....6000+ US soliders K.I.A for no reason. !!!Obama is worst then Bush on record !!!
Thank you, Konstantinos. I could never have said it better and how so very true that rings!
Thanks mate you understand seems like ur a real life marine n u understand wats going on n most american doesn't know wats happening they think federal gov is for them n can't do anything wrong but again again betrays the very people so democracy is a front behind Fascists run the country n economy etc
I agree , peopleare good . Unfortunatly the govs are corrupt for money and power and GRIDY. And we need pray God that those person will not make us kill eachother. Because they yes have bunkers were to hide. Last president i remember has balls was Kennedy. God bless the good heart people!!!
"We saw the Soviet Union as a radical, revolutionary regime, opposed to every value we held dear, determined to overthrow the governments of the Western world in order to establish global communism. We saw Moscow as irrational, aggressive and utterly unconcerned with human life."
Doesn't it all remind the United States of today?
Last year Iran was behind the illegal importation of arms into Nigeria. This happened in an election season, known for violence in a third world country like Nigeria. Till date the Iranian leadership remains mum. Iran is not a responsible member of the International community. At one time fanning sectarian conflict in Iraq and supporting Hizbollah in Lebanon, i dont think Iran has peaceful motives behind its nuke program. It must be stopped.
no it must not be stopped, they have right to a nucleaire deterrence to defend the iranian people !
There is no reasonable doubt that Iran is committed to producing nuclear weapons and the means of delivery systems, perhaps to ICBM level.
I think it was "W" with his stupid "Axis of evil" speech which convinced them (and N. Korea) to go nuclear.
Just the scale of financial commitment (estimated 5 times GDP in 12 years) should be convincing, they brought the people of Iran to poverty, but regard the price well worth it.
Most commentators and politicians find it easier to kick the can down the road until Iran actually achieves a stage of development from which it would be impossible to prevent it from achieving their goal, it's a natural reaction to very difficult problems. Farid can deride and try to escape the terminology (zone of immunity), but I'm afraid there is no place to hide
Saudi Arabia, the gulf states (which would be the first objective) are very worried, Israel which would probably be the second is trying to avoid the MAD option.
Israeli logic is pretty reasonable, and better than Farid's in this case, they can't kick the can beyond a certain point, because after that there is only a reasonable expectation of MAD.
The USA needs to do it's own sums, face Iran now or face it after losing the gulf, people scoff but what will the 6,7, and 8th fleet do if a nuclear Iran launches a ground attack on Kuwait (less than 30 miles by land)?
People are rightfully worried (to say the least) about a conflagration in the gulf, a huge war in Israel and terror attacks all over the world, but we have to face the situation and make rational decisions, even if unpalatable.
Your logic about the "axis of evil" speech is seriously flawed. North Korea was working on nuclear weapons well before "W" became President. The Clinton administration got them to stop Uranium enrichment, which turned them towards a plutonium bomb.
It isn't about logic so much as about the accuracy of information, most of us do not know what exactly was (and is) going on in the nuclear research in N. Korea.
I still maintain that "W"'s "Axis of evil" speech was irresponsible, and this particular expression may have acted as a spur, an indulgence, a rhetoric which did not have any possible positive outcome.
I love when Zakaria says "we americans"!!! So funny! Admit that you are an INDIAN!
racist?
Does Mr. Zakaria really have so little understanding of what it takes to launch a war, or is he pretending? I am referring to his evaluation of the attack on Iraq. By March 2003 it was foregone conclusion that the US would attack no matter what. The mobilization had already taken place at level that would not have been possible to repeat for the next 5-10 years. It was completely irrelevant what the inspections would show, in fact the attack had to take place before the inspections could possibly remove the purported causus belli. The Bush administration had long decided to invade, and they did.
I think it is very difficult to work the ones, and write the things that you know they are not true. you know the truth don't you?
It is very difficult to write things you know to be not true in such a way that others would believe that these things are indeed true.
we all area in usa some iranians thugs also live here they are terrorists helping hizboallah by sending money to them under diffrent name and people. so iranians shiia here are spies and must watch them closley, indians are good people live in usa and dont cause trouble like iranians, they work hard while iranians try to assasenate diplomats and attack israel embassies THOSE EVIL THUGS MUT BE STOPPED.
FK IRAN FK BSHAR AL KALB FK HIZBOALLAH FK THE SHIIA THUGS FK AHMAD AL JALABI FAK AL JAFARI FK IRAQI SHIIA THUGS FK SYRIAN SHIIA KELAB WELD AL MOT3A THUGS, FK ALL IRANIANS MUSLIMS SHIIA AND THOSE MULLAS WITH STUPID BRAIN IN IRAN....ATTACK IRAN NOW, BAM BAM BAM LETS BAM IRAN..............
Once Iran has a nuclear weapon no one shall talk or have the heart to destroy its infrastructure to produce more of the same. Iran shall sponsor more terrorism against Israel by providing a nuclear umbrella to its proxy, the Hezbollah, Iraqi Sias against Sunnis,Bahrain Shias against Sunni rulers etc etc. Comparing the present situation in the Middle East to WW1 or the Cold War does not make much sense. The same logic just cannot be applied. The author probably wants Iran to achieve a balance of terror so that it can act with impunity against whom ever it calls enemies.
Fareed Zakaria, you are not fooling anyone with your wishful thinking of wars, hidden agendas and so forth. Most likely there are interests behind your made up paranoia; but I think even you don't know why you are feeling that way.
Jeremy Bernstein of the New Yorker wrote an interesting piece on how Iran obtained nuclear weapons. Worth reading, for those interested: http://goo.gl/RvCmG
It was the invasion of Poland (not Belgium) in September 1939 that caused Britain and France to declare war on Germany. Germany had been forewarned what would happen if it proceeded ... and the rest is history.
Iran has also been forewarned what the likely outcome will be if it continues with its nuclear bomb ambitions. No-one believes the politicians or ayatollah when they say their work is purely for peaceful purposes. The appeasement with Hitler was disgraceful and a history lesson in what will happen if it is tried with like-minded regimes.
If the Iranian nuclear work is as peaceful as they say it is, then they would have no objections to FULL monitoring by IAEA. Of course, they will not agree to full transparency of their nuclear ambitions.
Bombing of the Iranian nuclear facilities and infrastructure is, and should be a very real prospect. There is still a small window of opportunity for talks, but that window is surely closing quickly. I do not see the window going on much past the end of this year.
If the Iranian nuclear work was peaceful they would not acquire hundreds of long range ballistic missiles that are virtually harmless without proper warheads but cost at least $3 million each.
He was talking about World War I not II. Is history education this bad these days?
A well thought out editorial and we should look to our history. However, the cold war era cannot be anything but a reminder when faced with the status quo. The entire Arab/Muslim ME/N Africa is a unstable and violent area. It is quite likely that Iran is building a WMD and that kind of power cannot be trusted in their hands or in the hands of Islamic nut jobs in any Arab state. Zakaria is wrong about where we stand in this conflict. Over the past 20 years, we have seen multiple terror acts in our shores and abroad. We are at a war that we don't understand. But, what we should understand is that a nuclear Iran will only make matters worse...much, much worse.
How comes that the article fails to mention that Russia was fully mobilising its troops in 1914 and refused to stop it?
The obvious fact for the German Empire was rather that it couldn't really hope to win a war a few weeks or at most a couple of months later, rather than that Russia might become too strong in 2 or 3 years...
Refused to stop ... that was at a point when it was too late. Once they got past the point where war was a possibility, it became a virtual certainty. With the state of technology at that time, it was not possible to determine whether the other side would sand down or not. To stop the mobilization would have meant complete exposure to attack due to the inability to get men and materiel to the right places (road and rail capacities) in time if the other side continued. Even today the build up to large scale warfare takes a long time-many months, the last example is the US invasion of Iraq-let alone back then.
Could we please go a decade without starting a war half the world away from the US? And end the current ones?
I have some news for you... One side can START a war but BOTH sides are necessary to end it.
Hello............ ZAKARIA how many times United States had n is using her military n intelligence might since ww2????? I don't remember soviet's using their military that much drags it's feet into war n other conflicts. Nazi Germany got some ideology from American Evangelical Ultra Conservative Fundamentalist Christians Protestants.......OK before 1950's jewish people were treated like rats all over America now these same political, corporate, religious churches n ngo's are saying we must defend Israel against Iran???? for your information Israel got enough nukes to bomb middle east into stone age, see i support Israel but i won't go into invading even an enemy country which will cost lives of innocent millions of people. People like Glenn Beack, Obama, Mitt Rodney, Sarah Palin, 7 mega banks, pro Israel group, intelligence community, DOD, most members of NATO n ARAB league, Evangelist christian, Islamist etc all want this war to happen. Yes Iran support covert n known terrorist group around the world.......news flash so does United States, U.K, Israel, Pakistian, Syria, China, France, Russia, India, Greece, Turkey etc............... Soviet union n United States had over 14,000 nukes each in cold war did they go for nuclear war NO NO NO...... Pakistan n India over 100 nukes each any nuclear war yet NO NO NO yyyyyy people they know the real cost of being wiped out later rational will do more silent killings.
WAKE UP PEOPLE.....DON'T BELIEVE STORIES ON CNN, FOX, CBS.....TV.....INTERNET....RADIO unless you get the real story from the source by the time Zakaria get's them it's redacted so many times n changed beyond believe !!!!
Every one talks about Isreal striking Iran. Why not dicuss what will happen then ?
One interesting question is what the immediate, strictly military risks are of such a strike. Iran is said to have at least two battalions of Russian S-300 (or its equivalent) air defense systems. These are pretty capable (said to be equivalent or better than Patriot) especially against non-stealth aircraft. Israel specifically ordered F35-s to counter the S-300, but they don't have any yet.
So a "surgical strike" by Israel is probably already not possible. And a massive incursion with significant losses ... can Israel afford to risk that?
yes in a dream, fantasy, yes israel may invade Iran, through the Jordan, then by iraq and finally come in iran, or then, by the sea? send navirs 2000, disembark 300,000 men? dring dring dring wake up you man
Moloko, try reading what I said. By massive incursion I simply meant *air* incursion. The whole point I'm making is that Israel cannot be sure whether Iran has the S-300 or not. Based on that they cannot risk a strike with a few aircraft. So the alternative would be a large scale air-strike. But they cannot do that either, due to possible international repercussions, to say nothing of risking the loss of up to 20-30 aircraft (2 S-300 battalions have a top ready missile capability of 48).
Without the US and Great Britain, who will be the police of the the world? No one.
Now that would be great indeed if it ever comes true!!! That way, we'd have a lot more peace in the world, if not more prosperity!
unfortunately, it would lead to rouge regimes like Iran to go unchecked and cause trouble for the surrounding region, and eventually, the world. STICK TO THE STATUS QUO.
Sounds like the most likely scenario for the next couple of years then: Israel strikes preemptively – Iran strikes back elsewhere also – US, possibly others get involved – Irans nuke program gets back to square one – world economy dependent on oil in freefall – Iran starts all over this time no inspectors ever, determined to weaponize – Israel strikes preemptively..
Anyone up for avoiding all this?
Count me in!!!
Iranian program can not be back at the beginning, know-how acquired is forever
Iran only needs to reconstruct a small factory centrifugueses hidden, once kicked out iaea and iran will make his bomb. back to square departure is not possible
Brave and reasonable opinion. Than, if You take a word of somebody as oposed to the so-coled New World Order as am I, a humble citisen of much despited Serbia
I understand, Vladimirr. Your country Serbia has been pushed around too much by the U.S., Great Britain and France, lately. Serbia does once again need a big brother like Russia as of yesteryear as I am sick and tired of watching these three countries bully their way around the world.
A lot of comment say, 'Whats the difference', re Israel/Iran. 1. The crazy rhetoric from Iran calling for destruction of Israel. 2. Geographically a small country such as Israel could be saturated from end to end with only a dozen thermonuclear weapons. (That's why they were acquired by Israel, as history showed they were vulnerable to preemptive invasion). 3. Any proliferation of nuclear technology is bad and has unforeseen consequences. 4. Iran has form for arming non-state third party proxy players.
Instead of giving an example when people expected the worst but thankfully things turned out for the better, you can also think of an example where people saw the skies darken but still hoped until the very last moment that logic/morality/decency will prevail but they were all fatally wrong. It was called the Holocaust and I have a feeling that that's an example Israelis will find more convincing.
A lot of commenters say, 'Whats the difference', re Israel/Iran. 1. The crazy rhetoric from Iran calling for destruction of Israel. 2. A geographically smaller country such as Israel as opposed to a low population density, larger size nation like Iran could be saturated from end to end with only a dozen thermonuclear weapons. (That's why they were acquired by Israel, as history showed they were vulnerable to preemptive invasion). 3. Any proliferation of nuclear technology is bad and has unforeseen consequences. 4. Iran has form for arming non-state third party proxy players.
if "any" proliferation is bad, why not attack the Israeli nuclear too?
I think perhaps as a completely neutral perspective from the other side of the world I see things more clearly. First, yes ANY proliferation is a bad thing even to benign democratic regimes. I for one, do not wish for my particular country to ever join the nuclear club. The lesson of the Yom Kippur War highlighted the advantage of Israels opponents, they surround, Israel is quite tiny, they are vulnerable to these nations collusion, terrorist infiltration and being annihilated in a surprise attack. Israel then and now relys on preemptive pin point strikes, air power, technological and tactical skills to offset these disadvantages. There is no pressing need or urgency of survival for Iran, so any real analogy between the two countries does not apply.
It doesn't matter what the size of Iran is. Israel has nukes, so to deter Israel Iran should get nukes too (but thats not even what they say they want and we havent proven it). Its called MAD.
if iran is ready to pay the price, possibly very heavy. it n 'there is nothing that the usa can do to prevent the nuclearization at the end of the day
if iran is ready to pay the price, possibly very heavy. it n 'there is nothing that the usa can do to prevent the nuclearization. at the end of the day
Of course, the only good solution is for the Iranaian people to rise up and overthrow the theocracy. Have more moderate heads in charge. Arab spring style. Not likely though.
How about western citizens rise up to get rid of the nukes in their countries?
With more seriousness, I agree that the three/four phases of the brewing conflict each have tons of unanswered questions (before Iran goes nuclear – after Iran goes nuclear – before Israel strikes – after Israel strikes _ depending on the order of things).
What if the Iranians have always wanted to reach the point of enrichment where a couple of warheads with a well executed underground weaponization experimental program behind them are possibly producable within a few weeks-months should the political will arrive? (But never actually crossing the line the ayatollahs say exist in shii te condemning WMDs) What would happen after an Israeli-led strike to such plans? (provided a location or two get overlooked for example) How many powerful opinion-leaders in the complex echelons of Iranian leadership actually dream about a Satanic Invasion that would justify all their expenses, efforts, economic hardships and the rich rhetorics on them? And how many of them would benefit financially, politically-theocratically, if I may say? How about the same in the West? Has anyone seen the worrisome face of president Ahmedinejad on the video clips that came back from the nuclear rod insertion ceremony? (and repeatedly looking up at the ceiling even when not told to) What might be the things that go through his mind each time he enters a nuclear facility where his main political rival grand ayatollah Khamenei sends him? By suggesting that a Cold War type containment and mutual deterrance might work with Iran and basically that the Iranian high leadership are comparable to the Soviet in rationaling, does Mr. Zakaria say that both A) Iran will never actually use its nuclear weapons (first) even when lets say Israel is forced to go after Hizbullah big time, and B) the IDF and the Israeli political leadership will somehow be convinced that a WMD Iran with longer and longer range ballistics and plenty of launching spots both inside Iran and all over within Israels second circle is not an existential threat that has to be dealt with militarily?
And so on..
israel oversell its military capacity to raise the pressure , reality is very very different, the vast majority of experts Military answer "not much damage" when their request: what israel can do against the Iranian program ?
u guys only listen to CNN thats why u believe iran promotes terrorism
Good points @DaVinci and @msian!
I do hope that we are wrong, but I also get the feeling that this time the school bully is picking the last fight with the wrong school weirdo who plays destructive video games and walks around in a dark trenchcoat brandishing a pumpgun all the time.. Now, who is Israel and who is Iran is up to your viewpoint as both carry long held and deep misgivings about and hatred towards the other. In another post general Hayden put it very nicely:
"I can recall many a meeting with (intelligence) counterparts where the common space where we might find agreement was challengingly small.
In some of those sessions, my counterpart would depart the seemingly fact-based dialogue we had been sharing and launch into a series of conclusions based more on his culture's creation mythology than on any shared reality I could identify.
For a time, I thought it sufficient to simply avoid signaling any agreement at these moments and patiently tolerate the excursion. Only later did I begin to ask myself what of my commentary had my counterpart judged to be American mythology rather than hard realism."
Or again "someones terrorist is anothers freedom fighter".
So what do people think happens when Iran goes nuclear and they give a nuke to hezbollah or sells one to al qaeda to use. WW3 starts and we are dragged in. I say strike now.
Iran isnt dumb. If a nuke goes off that was theres they know it would be the end of them. They acheive nothing by doing that. If they indeed want a nuke, which hasnt been proven, they want it for deterrence since Israel has hundreds of nukes.
As long as Israel is the only one in the region that has nuclear arms they have the advantage over the region, not in the same way as a regional hegemon but still they have one hell of an advantage and so in their minds a deterrent..... for Iran to acquire such weapons degrades if not removes that advantage that Israel currently enjoys........ they are not going to stand by idle and allow that to happen.
Why should only Israel have a nuclear deterrent and not others? Israel's conventional force is deterrent enough as its far superior. The only reason it has nukes is that it would actually use nukes on someone even if they dont get nuked. The point of nuke deterence isnt to deter a conventional attack, its to deter a nuclear attack or threat. Since no one in the region has nukes Israel got them because it would use them. They have already threatened to use them in the past. Thats evil.
The world is a struggle between good and evil ... ongoing, relentless, never-ending. The forces of evil thrive in the midst of an ignorant population. Many people in Iran are becoming enlightened and there is still hope that they will overthrow their theocracy. But, if they don't, do we want to trust radical Islam with a nuclear capability? Personally, I do not.
A leader of a country that openly calls for the destruction of another nation should be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons at all costs. Israel's fears are undoubtedly well-grounded. They subsist in a region that is becoming more unstable by the day. Acting passively is not an option.
Iran cannot destroy Israel, this we all know very well even if they achieve nuclear capability(read the statement of French president). Pakistan and India always wanted to destroy each other for last 60 years but after nuclear capability both are coming closer to each other every day and no body ever now talked about war.So please stop propaganda about Iranian program for just putting there US puppets for US interests.
If Iran develops nuclear capability the long term impact of this on the middle east will be negligible. Iran will not run the risk of open war with Israel once they have nuclear capacity. The stakes are simply too high. Although their President bellows about wiping Israel off the map the hard reality is that its bombast. Iran will realize that this power will raise the stakes of every action they take. The Israelis already live in a world with a "Muslim bomb" Pakistan, which is far from a stable country has nuclear weaponry. whether Iran has a bomb or not will have very little to do with the long term survival of the state of Israel. in fact it may have the opposite effect and make the region more stable and degenerate the situation into the equivalent of a cold war standoff of sorts.
If someone really wanted to wipe out Israel Biological weaponry would have been employed long ago and would present a much cheaper and harder to detect alternative to nuclear weaponry.
As far as the US being involved I feel that Jewish business leaders in the US have finded politcal factions for far too long and we have been pumped full of the same diatribe that "the survival of Israel is paramount to the security of the US." I'm sorry but anyone with a realistic world view of growing global markets the shifting global economy and the rise of new nations around the world as power players should be able to see that Israels role is minimal at best. Unfortunately for the Israelis' people in the US increasingly see less relevance to the importance of Israel in world affairs and politics. Its an old cold war tune that is beginning to play itself out.
As far Iran is concerned If they become nuclear , thenthey better get ready for the responsibility.
Everything happening in middle east now days is a continuation of post cold war restructuring and new world order, spear headed by US, and it western allies. Getting rid of of puppets and creating so called new born democratic counties. Assad was an ally of Soviet and will be removed. Islamic iran was established by European allies to stop the spread of communisim towards a stratigic gulf oil supply. It served its purpose, but has to be stopped now. The only proplem in the long run is how long russia and china will sit back and play this losing chess game.
Sure, people were scared of the Soviet Union under the leadership of Stalin, but there is an important difference. The Iranian regime has publicly called for the destruction of another country and this is there goal. This seems like a credible threat, given the past actions of the Iranian leadership. Israel and the West can not take a chance, period.
Israil or Us.Did not invent Preemtive strike.I think They need A leson on preemtive Strikes.You Have let The Evil Jews.Take over of your Country.and Sucks The Blod Of Desent Hard Working Americam.Get Rid of The Evil jews From Your Country.And Move your Militry Out Of Persian gulf.and Send them To Palestain.And free Palestinins.From EVIL.Jews.Send All The Evil Jews From All Over the World.To Madagaskar.For Ever.And Give Madagaskr People.The Homes Of EVIL Jews..in USA.Time Is Not On your side.Move and Move immidietly. sharafe.shamce
That theory about why Germany has started WWI is absolutely new to me. And it does not look logical. Why to attack France and Belgium if you are afraid of Russia. And why Germany would consider Russia its archenemy if Russian tsar Nikolay II was married to German Princess and would call German Kaiser "dear cousin Willy"?
I thought WWI was started because of colonies – GB and France had built quite an empire each, Germany did not anything worth mentioning. So here you go!
But of course I may be wrong – I did not live at the time. I am just surprised.
Zakaria is full of surprises as usuall.
Look at Israeli cyber-soldiers jumping up and down.
Nobody made us , the US/Israelhell masters of the world.
No more wars in name of Jews. Hell with Israell !
How many 911s have we created in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen in revenge of one in US soil?
Wars are easily started. A war with Iran may just be the end of Middle East. Did Mr. Barak considered a possibility of a preemptive strike by China or Russia to end his warmongering and hegemony in the Middle East ? What is a little speck of land on the map that is causing so much trouble in the world to them ? Better not find out by provoking them. They have only to gain and nothing to lose-a very dangerous combination – who is going to retaliate ?. My advise to Mr. Barak and Obama is-cool it . Better learn how to get along with other nations and stop bullying.
Preemptive strike by China or Russia? You must be kidding!
Why would they do that?
A very considerable part of Israel population are from previous Soviet Union, many of them have Russian citizenship and still have relatives and contacts inside Russia.
You do not have a clue about actual state of affairs in Russia – do you? Do not believe everything your rotten liberal mass media tells you. Some of this staff is so ridiculous – like it is being reported directly from another planet!
Lets attack Iran , build their nation , in return get some influence going there and get a lot of oil and bring peace and prosperity in that troubled part of the world,
Lol, we already tried that with Iraq and Afghan , LOL
Iraq has become prosperous and now it can produce its own suicide bombers and bomb makers to kill each other, earlier the Iraqi people did not have that capability.Soon the people in Libya and Syria will also achieve this prosperity.The people in Afghanistan achieved prosperity during cold war to produce suicide bombers ( 9 / 11). Thanks to USA.
EXTRA ETRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE CALLING FOR ISRAEL TO ATTACK IRAN, BETTER READ THE FOLLOWING...DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE IRAN IS AFRAID OF ISRAEL ATTACKING IT?
DO YOU KNOW WHY IRAN IS SPEEDING UP THEIR NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND PRODUCTION OF ENRICHED URANIUM?
DO YOU REALLY THINK AN ATTACK BY ISREAL WOULD BE JUST A BREEZE? WELL, I HOPE SO BUT BETTER READ THE FOLLOWING... THEN SAY A PRAY FOR THE REGION AND THE WORLD...
FIRST QUESTION: HOW WOULD IRAN RESPOND TO AAN ISRAELI ATTACK?
SECOND QUESTION: CAN IRAN RETALIATE AND UNLEASH A RESOUNDING BLOW TO ISRAEL IF ATTACK?
WELL, THE ANSWER IS YES1 SECONDL, NOT ONLY CAN IRAN RETALIATE WITH A RESOUNDING BLOW TO ISRAEL BUT RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK, IRAN POSSESSES THE STRATEGIC CAPABILITIES TO DESTROY ISRAEL. LET'S FACE IT, I HOPE I'M WRONG BUT JUST READ THE HARD FACTS NOW...
IRAN'S NAVAL CAPABILITIES ARE ALOT MORE LETHAL THAN THOSE SMALL FRIGATES YOU SEEN ON THE WATER IN THE PERSIAN GULF... WANT HARD FACTS? WELL, HERE IT IS...
IRAN POSSESS THREE ALMOST ONE HUNDRED YARD LONG SOVIET BUILT STEALT KILO CLASS SUBARINES WITH NICLEAR POTENTIAL IF IRAN WISHES TO EQUIPT THEM WITH THEIR SOPHISTICATED BALLISTIC MISSLES AND FILL THEM WITH DEADLY URANIUM.
SECONDLY, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, IRAN RELEASED CLASSIFIED INFORMATION FOR THE FIRST TIME OF THEIR OWN PRODUCTION LINE OF ITS OWN HOME GROWN STEALTH SUBMARINES THAT ARE UNDETECTABLE TO THE iSRAELI NAVY.
LET'S FACE IT, YOU EQUIP THESE SUMBARINES WITH URANIUM AND LAUNCH THEM AND THE ENTIRE NATION OF ISRAEL WOULD INDEED BE WIPED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH. AND UNFORTUNATELY, ALTHOUGH RUSSIA IS AWARE OF THIS POTENTIAL THREAT ISRAEL FACES IF IT ATTACKS IRAN. IT IS VERY SAD THAT RUSSIA IS NOT TAKING A MORE INTEGRAL ROLE IN TRYING TO HELP TO BRING ABOUT A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION.
FOLKES, LET'S PRAY ON IT!
izreal is the turd that cried wolf
Propaganda about Iranian nuclear program is just similar to the propaganda about the weapons of mass destruction of Saddam Hussain. The only purpose is regime change to put US puppets there.
Presently the Iranian Air Force possess approximately 700 aircrafts, most are fighter jets from the US, France and Russia and they include Mirage, Phantoms, Migs, F14's and F15's, Sabre and Thunderhawks. Furthermore, they have a 500 man air force trained by US and Russian pilots. I suppose Israel would have to take out their air defense and entire air force including their Soviet built stealth Kilo submarines if they intend to prevent a deadly retaliation from Iran.
Furthermore, if Israel attacks Iran unprovoked, then Iran may use that as a green light to unleash whatever they have as a justifiable means of self defense. As they say, better be careful what you wish for and that is why I believe its very important that both sides try to resolve this conflict at the United Nations.
Israel will not attack Iran unless Israel know for sure Iran will not retaliate. But taking a chance to engulf the whole region in a war will not be in Israel benefit since Israel is in an expansion mode, building more settlements but not in a war track especially with Iran. I think Israel rather settle their dispute with the Palestinians which are divided politically, militarily Hamas has few rockets that usualy miss their targets and Israel can use all their sophisticated weapons on the Palestinians without risking losing one of them. IIts a survival game that Israel want to be always ahead. But with Iran its a different story. Israel will not take a risk even a small risk and lose everything they have stolen for years from the Palestinians just because Iran is aquiring the knowledge to their nuclear program.
WRONG ISRAEL DONT GIVE A SHI...T, THEY ATTACK IRAQ AND SADDAM RETLIATE SO WAHT ......LET THEM USE THIER STUPID RUSSIAN SCUDS. WHO CARES. LET IS RAIN
But there is that one thing that's called underestimation and perhaps over confidence! In a war, you've got to make sure all of your intelligence and planning is near accurate because in a war with Iran, the entire Middle East can go up in smoke. Iran is a vast country with a vast population but what happens if Israel is being beat by Iran? Would Israel use its nuclear weapons on the Iranian civilians like we did in Herishima and Nagasaki?
And what if the entire Arab world was to chip in, then Israel is destined to be defeated because unlike the war in the 1050's, the advance Arab countries like Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia and others are very well equipped with Russian, French and American fighter jets and other war machinery. And of course, Pakistan and India which is part Islamic and equipped with nuclear weapons of their own could feel sympathic to Iran and eventually be compelled to join in an all out regional war of us against them. Has Israel considered all these possibilities? I guess not! Well, there's still time for us to pray!
What Fareed is neglecting to take into account is that the US-Soviet issue was not like Israel-Iran. Iran wants to destroy Israel on religious grounds. The US and Soviets were able to settle down and come to agreements. Iran will NEVER put down its goal of destroying Israel. No matter what agreements or arrangements are made, Iran will always want Israel to cease existing. That will not change. Israel wants peace. Iran wants to rid the world of "the zionist enemy".
That is very different. It does not fit in with other historical events. Iran is not going to become democratic, capitalistic or anything else and choose to make peace with Israel. Even Egypt's peace with Israel is not based on peace. Israel actually wants genuine peace with everyone. That is not the view from the other side of the fence.
The US and the Soviet Union wanted to destroy each other on religious grounds (ideological... no difference) for 30 years. Yet as you say, they never attempted it in recognition of the consequences. There is absolutely no evidence that Iran is any different. Iran wants to rid the world of the Zionist enemy (as the US did of the communist monster, and the SU of the imperialist beast) ... but not at the cost of the destruction of the Islamic Republic.
Iran's animosity towards Israel isnt on religious grounds. Its because Jews immigrated from Europe and stole the Palestinians homes and lands and called it Israel.
The back ground of stealing homes and land was purely on religious basis . Iran's support is also on religious basis for Palestinians and all Muslims are against Israeli capture of land on religious basis.So it is a religious issue.
Iran's nuclear program is not a propaganda. They are developing a nuclear technology but nobody know whether the project is aimed at acquiring weapons or for economic development.
Even if they make bomb there is no threat to the world and Israel, the only thing which may happen is that USA will lose its control over the world if anti-US countries made nuclear bombs. Saddam was removed due to US interests and not for nuclear bombs.
WHAT IS THE MAJOR DISPUTE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE ARAB/ISLAMIC WORLD TODAY? IT'S THE ISRAEL'S OCCUPATION AND "AGGRESSION" AGAINST PALESTINE. AND WHAT HAS DRIVEN PRESIDENT AMADINEJAD TO SAY REPEATEDLY (AND WRONGLY) THAT ISRAEL SHOULD BE WIPED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH? AGAIN, THE ISRAELI/PALESTINIAN CONFLICT!
THEN WHAT WOULD I HAVE DONE TO AVOID A WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND IRAN IF I WAS A MEMBER OF THE ARAB LEAGUE? I WOULD HAVE USE THIS IMPEDING CONFLICT TO THE BENEFIT OR ADVANTAGE OF BOTH THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE AND ISRAEL TO TRY TO BRING ABOUT A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION. IN OTHER WORDS, I WOULD HAVE TRAVELED TO THE NEIGHBORING ARAB COUNTRIES AND SIGNED A SOLIDARITY WITH IRAN THAT IN ORDER FOR IRAN TO RELINQUISH ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM, ISRAEL MUST COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON THE DISPUTED SETTLEMENTS AND SIGNED AN AGREEMENT OFFICIALY GRANTING THE PALESTINE PEOPLE THEIR LONG AWAITED HOME LAND.
HOWEVER, THAT AGREEMENT WOULD BE A SIGNED AGREEMENT BY ALL ARAB/ISLAMIC COUNTRIES AND THE LIKES OF HAMAS AND HESBOLLAH RECOGNIZING THE RIGHT OF ISRAEL TO EXIST INCLUDING NO FUTURE ATTACKS OR AGGRESSION AGAINST THE JEWISH STATE. YOU CAN CALL THIS PLAN RADICAL BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO PUSH A LITTLE AND SWIM IN UNCHARTED WATERS IF YOU WISH TO ACHIEVE A DESIRED END RESULT THAT SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE. BUT TOO BAD THE ARAB LEAGUE HAS NO BRAINS AT ALL BECAUSE HALF A CENTURY LATER, THEY ARE STILL RELYING ON THE UNITED NATIONS TO TALK AND TALK AND TALK TO NO AVAIL!
Even while TRYING to sound geuninely concerned, what is apparent as daylight is Mr.ZAKARIA's well known hatred for the valiant Jewish nation and his support for ALL THINGS ISLAMIC.
Mr. Zakarai will stoop to any level to protect his ilk, just as his highly educated BUT polygamist Islamic Scholar father Mr.Rafiq Zakaria did in India...........albeit very subtly that many people unaware of Mr.Zakaria's leanings can't easily see through.
The root cause of the Middle East problem evolved from Israel invasion to Palistine, and Israelhasn't stop and has no intention to stop attacking his neighbors to claim more land...now, Israel is yelling and crying US should go to the war with them to Iran.....this is like a thief getting jealous of neighbor having a more powerful gun so US should pair with them to take over the powerful gun from the neighbor so that Isreal can continue to bully its neighbors. Do Israelies really think Americans are so stupid?
Give me one good reason that Israel should keep millions in the refugee camps for over 50 years since their invasion? Give me one good reason that Israel deserves PEACE since they are the problem of the Middle East? Give me one good reason why should the rest of the world offer helps to a thief?
Justice should be served to adjust Israel's behavior.....Let's take Israel off the world map.
Susan – Laguna Hills
You have said very well but I don't agree that it should be removed from the map, it will bring more problems to the people.There should be some peaceful solution to this problem by taking all parties in confidence with give and take policy.
That is garbage. The problem is that the Arab psyche is in conflict with the west on a cultural level. Israel is no threat, and they have no ambitions other than to survive and live in peace. It's people only fight when they are attacked,and the idea that their former attackers should now have their own country on land the Israelis took in self-defense is ABSURD.
There never was a Palestine. The West Bank is formerly part of Jordan and the Gaze strip was Egyptian. The Israelis did not force these people out, but they don't trust them to live in peace, with good reason. The only reason this has gone on this long is because of the Arab/Muslim unwillingness to compromise with what is a superior foe, and Israels unwillingness to force them out.
The time for violence is over, Egypt and Jordan made peace with Israel, out of necessity. Israel was in a position to wipe out both nations and did not. It even gave back land to Egypt to secure the peace. Syria is such a basket case that it is not a threat. The only nation that appears willing to take up arms against Israel is Iran, and it already is, supplying Hezzbollah and Hamas. Once Syria is freed from Iranian influence Hezzbollah and Hamas will lose the support they depend on, and Palestinian dreams of a military victory will end. Then the Palestinians will realize that continuing the fight will only lead to more defeats, and understand that the only way forward is to compromise. The rest of the Arab world could learn a lot about how to structure their societies from the Israelis' they are the only modern nation in the entire area, and their citizens are for more productive and live much more rewarding lives.
Take a good look at Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, Iraq and Iran, none of these nations have human rights or proper rule of law. These people are their own worst enemy and would be this way whether Israel was there or not!
Comparing the US experience with the Soviet Union to Israel's experience with Iran and its other neighbors is a real stretch. I wish Zakaria thought this one through more. The Soviet Union never sponsored attacks on American Soil. The Soviet Union and the US were capable of cooperating or at least talking at key instances to avoid nuclear war. Iran, on the other hand, refuses any means of diplomatic communication with Israel. And Communists like the Russians and Chinese didn't believe in an afterlife, much less one they could be sent to for committing suicide.
Every Israeli has experienced attacks by Iran's proxies or knows someone who can. Almost half the country is within range of Hizbullah and Hamas. Older Israelis remember a time when the entire country was almost overrun, though Iran wasn't the threat at the time. And the entire time Israel was fighting enemies using primarily the USSR's weapons. The only Americans who saw the USSR or anyone else as an existential threat were the paranoid John Birch society types. In contrast, the average Israeli has actually experienced the prospect of being wiped out by an digressive neighbor.
@ZT:
It's not that Mr.Zakaria is not aware of all that. He is a Muslim and like most Muslims he is well known to be rabidly anti-Semite, covertly anti-west, and rather openly pro-Islamic.
No wonder he adds his twist by calling out all kinds of irrelevant (but quite convincing to people who do not know him well) analysis to make his case.
My brother, The soviet union never threatened to wipe the USA out of the map. Iran has indeed made that statement even in public. Matters of Israel cannot be compared to any other country. Israel is the center of the earth that affects the rest of the world. We cannot take chances on a nuclear iran.
How Israel came into being was also a unique process and so it has to face unique problems.The world will suffer for centuries for this unique creation of USA.
the mossad chief said that israel at any given time had 20,000 missiles aimed at it. do the math , and the result is aftermath.
"A HISTORY LESSON COULD DETER IRAN"......or is it "ISRAEL"?
Mr. Zakaria trying to attract readers to his column advertising that it's critical of Iran, while actually it's all about Israel!
like a diseased mosquito israel sucks the life's blood out of their american host.
when will america ever get that israeli monkey off our back?
A nuclear bomb and capability always bring peace to the world. Pakistan and India openly tried to destroy each but after nuclear capability they are coming close to each other everyday and this never happened before nuclear bombs.We all know how peace was brought after nuclear bombs in World War. A nuclear bomb is never a threat but a real peace deal.
I am 100% agree with you.
While that is absolutely true between USSR & the US, USSR & China (in the past), or even India & China, it's DEFINETLY NOT TRUE between India & Pak.
Pakistan in fact has become much more agressive and doing everything that it always wanted to do, bleeding India w/o the need for a full blown war, incl. stirring up trouble in Kashmir by pushing in just a few 100 well trained, religiously indoctrinated Jihadists who have pinned up over half a million Indian soldiers, sponsoring terror attacks at will striking at some of India's most prominenst sites, radicalizing Indian Muslims and making them a huge impediment in India's growth, aiding prominent Muslim leaders like Mr.FARIQ ZAKARIA the father of our own Mr. FAREED ZAKARIA into demanding more & more for the Muslim community from the naive & peaceful Hindus/Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists & Jains, pumping in billions in counterfeit Indian currency in an effort to bring India's economy down etc. etc.
Inspite of all these, the only reason there has not been a conventional war between India and Pak is INDIA's own UTTER IMPOTENCE (Yes, I say this being an Indian myself!) fearing that Pak may use Nuclear weapons.
I had misspelt the name of Mr.Rafiq Zakatria in my resp. above as Fariq Zakaria. Sorry about that.
Somebody can explain to me,why Israel have the right to own nuclear arms and Iran doesn t. ????
It has nothing to do with "rights" If you have a nation that supports proxy fights against your country like Iran does with Hezzbollah and Hamas, you realize that Iran is already in a war with Israel. Why would Israel allow Iran to get stronger? That is why Israel will not tolerate Iran with nuclear weapons capability.
Note that Israel is not attacking Iran! So why is Iran attacking Israel? Iran gets no tangible benefit from this, and in fact it's path is causing all sorts of difficulties in Iran as a result of sanctions. Still Iran continues to try to develop nukes. Why are they doing this, when it causes them harm and no nation has attacked them? They are acting like irrational human beings- crazies if you will. You can't trust a crazy person to do the right thing. That is why Iran is an existential threat, their leaders are fools.
Fareed's analysis lacks proper insight. Iran is already fighting a war against Israel with it's proxies in Hezzbollah and Hamas. This in spite of Israel not ever attacking Iran.
In spite of sanction and the damage to the Iranian economy and quality of life and the fact that no one is willing to attack Iran for fear of disrupting the flow of oil. Iran continues to try to develop nuclear capability. Their leaders act like crazy people with no proper values or respect for human life, not even in their own country. They act irrationally and no one can trust an irrational person to make a deal or honor their word!
Given this, it is easy for Israel to see that Iran could very well decide to blow up their country. Iran will either stop being a threat to Israel.
The Israelis don't have to bomb Iran. They're already winning the covert war. The sabre rattling is to throw Ajmadinijead, who isn't exactly an Einstein, off balance.
It's working.
Iran is a country with 15 neighbors.Three of them are nuclear weapon equiped.Iran has had centuries of conflicts with several of its neighbors including the most recent war of Iraq against a newly-founded republic.This country needs a security arrangement.A security guarantee.All the U.S. needs to do a engaging with Iran in a security pact-based negotiation.
Hmm.. I am disappointed Zakaria is using Soviets vs US for comparison. None of those were openly claiming to wipe another from the map, and there were no religious fanatics holding the weapons. Israel, on the other side, is a country populated by people who have just recently been nearly exterminated by nazis, and so of course they have a valid historical reason to worry when there is an openly and repeatedly proclaimed threat to their existence, this time from Iran's government. Only suicidal idiots would not try hard to prevent what had already happened in the past. Whether it is better to bomb their facilities, or continue to plague their computer systems with viruses that's up to strategists to decide.
Israel has itself removed millions of Muslims from the land where they are living so what do you want to prove.
The difference russia and iran is that iran
1.religion doctrinated
2.a country led by one men (the ayatollah)
3.that man is very irrational
4.irrational men sometimes have dreams at night and think that a messiah whispered to them that he has to analiate israel from the map
Do you get my point fareed
To read the comments, you'd think that no country aside from Israel, Iran or USA are involved in this conflict. The Saudis and others are more frightened by a nuclear Iran than anyone.
Only Saudi Government is frightened not the Saudi people. Dictators are always frightened from everyone.Only dictators of Middle east are frightened, I never observed that people of middle east except Israel are frightened.Don't write things without knowledge.
I am one who actually likes Iranians. However, their government is a different story. They have just stole elections and are forcing their theocracy on the people who have recently come to know that their revolution and democracy was stolen.
Islam is not democracy. It is a theocracy, "You may lie and kill for the sake of Islam" .
It never stops to amaze me the people running away to the west from their corrupt Islamic countries and wanting their host country to become the as Islamic as back home. If it does it will be as bad as the place they ran away from.
It is the people and their culture who make a country not the land.
Islam does not allow killing of people as you mentioned it allows only if somebody attacks you on your soil. When people can be killed for US interests(see Rice interview on Iraq war with CNN's Wolf) why they can't be killed for other reasons?
Only USA is allowed to kill others for its interests?
Fareed is not comparing apples to apples. Iran says that they want Israel destroyed. Their president talks about the elemination of Israel all the time. What is Israel supposed to do not take them seriously?
Israeli people have themselves destroyed other people homes and land to make Israel so whats wrong when other say the same thing.
“After World War II, as the Soviet Union approached a nuclear capability, the United States was seized by a panic that lasted for years” Zakaria says. He makes it sound like we were all running around in panic like cowardly chickens with their head cut off. The USA just took the necessary contingency plans to counterattack any potential enemy, including the former USSR, but we did not panic about it as he claims. Of course, Zakaria acting as a Muslim agent infiltrated in CNN, he has to humiliate and embarrass the USA every time he has a chance while defending the deadly ideology of Islam and Iran. Even though the scruffy-looking Iranian dictator has said Israel should be erased from the map, Zakaria still defends him as well as Islam and its terrorists.
Zakaria said: “Just as Israel is openly considering preemptive strikes against Iran, many in the West urged such strikes against Moscow in the late 1940s.” That is a different situation. Russia did not hate the USA for religious reasons neither did they say the USA should be erased from the map. Iran is too close to Israel to have mad men running nuclear plants. Again, Zakaria is badmouthing our dear country and Israel while he defends Iran and Islam. His performance as Islamist is a sample of what it will be when Islam takes completely over America; there will not be anybody to fire them and we will have to get used to their hate speech toward the USA and its non-Muslim citizens
We do not need another war; who is going to pay for the war? War is useless and kills people. Stop the madness. We have more than enough american soldiers maimed and families destroyed and many casualties in the countries were war is made. This thing of making war is like a disease.
These wars in the Middle East are killing more people than the Crusades.
IRAN IS A TERRORIST COUNTRY!!! ITS NOT LIKE THEY ARE A PEACEFULL COUNTRY TRYING TO GET NUCLEAR POWER FOR ENERGY. WAKE UP PEOPLE U GUYS ARE BLIND HERE IRAN SHOULD BE BLOWN OF THE MAP
Your mentality seen from your statement tells us that your own country is a terrorist country.
The comparison made between the Soviet Union in the 50s and Iran today is false.
The Soviets were Godless and were rational actors. Iran is a theocracy whose religion holds the savior will come in the midst of a ball of fire.
The US is a huge country able to absorb, God forbid, a hit. Israel is nine mile wide and a few bombs could whip it off the face of the map.
It is curious how someone so smart failed to see the differences.
A huge delta which Mr. Zakaria fails to mention is the fact that Iran has called for the destruction of Isreal on numerous occassions. This was not the case between Germany and Russia nor between Iraq and the U.S.. The comparisons do not hold water. The correct time to deal with Iran has past. Now the world is faced with a much greater challenge beause Iran has been given a green light for far too long. The time to take out Iran is now. Procrastinating any longer will only make the challenge that more difficult.
24 million russians died in ww2, 20 million Chinese were killed mostly cilviltans, 6 million poles. Never again as a reason to start a war is oxymoron. Were was the out cry when Isreal got the bomb ? Isreal and if we do Isreal dirty work for them can not bomb the knowledge form Iran to make a bomb only slow them down One just has to look at the U.N. vote Palestine that shows what is comming down the Road. That F15 in the picture was American made. Starting a war is SCHMECKENA.
Israel aside, I appreciate the points made in the articles, but I think analogy is not accurate. Here is why I think Iran is different than Russia, Germany, or Iraq for that matter:
• Iraq was definitely welling to have inspectors back to check for WMD. The UN chief inspector did not thing there were WMD in Iraq.
• The impact of Russian having nuclear weapons did not economical impact on the USA. The US had its allies in a different part of the world, and Russian did not have the geographical advantage to cut off supply routes or directly threaten US allies.
• Unlike Russia’s neighbour, Iran neighbour are relatively weak and Iran can become a regional super power very shot after acquire a nuclear weapon. A direct thread to the US and its interest.
• After 1968, the Russian’s learned to play nice. The Iranian don’t know how to play nice. Two weeks ago they threatened to close the strait of Hurmoz. Sending two destroyers definitely gave a strong message. They are involved in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. They also have active small cells in Kuwait.
• Finally, Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon would definitely result in an arm race in unstable region.
• US allies in the region would feel betrayed by the US, and may seek partnership with someone else like Russia. Not only this results is losing arms and other export business, but the loss of an important geopolitical power for the US.
• Finally, I don’t think any one is saying go for all out war with Iran. However, attacking their installations is not a bad idea. If done right – remember the computer virus attack on the Iran facilities – it could result in them loosing precious time and maybe abandoning the project.
I just watched, in total disbelief, Fareed Zaakaria claim that Iran has never been responsible for a suicide bomber. This is such an enraging statement! Iran is the creator, sponsor and enabler of Hezbollah. Hezbollah is the organization that perfected the suicide bomber as an effective weapon of terror. Ask the 200+ Marines who died at the hands of a Hezbollah suicide bomber in southern Lebanon if they think Iran has never been responsible for a suicide bomber. Or maby ask the 40+ French Paratroopers who dies at the hands of yet another Hexbollah suicide bomber. How about the countless Isreali's? What on earth are you thinking Fareed Zakaria!!!!! That statement is a blatant and dangerous lie. I'll never respect or follow your reporting again. Shame on CNN for allowing blatant lies to air.
Yes he is wrong. (1) I am sure that the words of Mr. Zakaria come with a warranty. Should Iran attack Israel and kill thousands, Zakaria will personally tell God to resurrect all the people. We however will need to see the warranty signed by God right now. (2) Stalin was crazy and he wanted to see US dead but he and his government were not into this martyring and 72 virgin stuff. Stalin/Khruschev/Breznev/etc did not go on TV every day saying they plan to bomb the US. (3) And last difference is the military capability. If USSR launched strike on US, it would take 30 minutes for the ICBM to reach USA which gives USA plenty of time to send US missiles. The distance from Iran to Israel is seconds. Mr. Zakaria is a journalist but he is not a physicist or psychologist.
He is wrong but maybe not intentionally. Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetence. (Hanlon principle.)
On a state to state relationship, Iran will never nuke Israel because of the mutually assured destruction principal. Proof is with North and South Korea. We, the Americans, make sure of that. The only problem with Iran getting nuclear tech is giving it to terrorists. Bad! But we deal with that threat now, north Korea, Russia etc. Could have done it by now. Bombing Iran will only start a stupid war. Taking out their facilities will only DELAY Iran's nuclear tech, so unless we do what we did in Iraq and unseat the govt(which will make the US more hated and gives reasonfor radicals to attack us), Iran will get nuclear tech if it desids too. Its a reality we all have to deal with cause we all know anither Iraq would beunfair to us, the US...Has anyone thought that they may already know how to make a nuclear bomb and are just waiting for the right time to assemble it, like say an attack by Israel. Preemptive wars are the most ridiculous.
War mongers dont realize that attacking Iran nuclear sites is not a good solution. They will still have the knowledge of the technology with their nuclear scientists and have oil which they can sell to refinance their nuclear ambitions. Plus they will also attack in retaliation and many lives will be lost for nothing. In the end, I think there will not be an attack as Iran is not a weak country. Israel knows that.
Israel will do anything to pull the US into this, they did this with the USS Liberty, nearly sank the ship. I fear Israel more than Iran.
"...we rushed into a badly planned military invasion and occupation in which soldiers had to endure combat in Iraq for nine long and very hot years."
Is this clown for real? Your kid would get an F in middle school contemporary history for a pathetic statement like that. Time has its own agenda – and it's the same as the appeasers in the 30s who brought about the rise of Hitler.
(1) I am sure that the words of Mr. Zakaria come with a warranty. Should Iran attack Israel and kill thousands, Zakaria will personally tell God to resurrect all the people. We however will need to see the warranty signed by God right now. (2) Stalin was crazy and he wanted to see US dead but he and his government were not into this martyring and 72 virgin stuff. Stalin/Khruschev/Breznev/etc did not go on TV every day saying they plan to bomb the US. (3) And last difference is the military capability. If USSR launched strike on US, it would take 30 minutes for the ICBM to reach USA which gives USA plenty of time to send US missiles. The distance from Iran to Israel is seconds. Mr. Zakaria is a journalist but he is not a physicist or psychologist.
Do not let the Jewish-American lobby money bribe American politicians!
Do not let the American media brainwash the American public into going to war with Iran like they did with going to war with Iraq!
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all Arab and Muslim regimes. never succeed,never equal the massacre of its own population , as did ussr soviet regime, on soviet people : 27000 000 millions died
Your wrong. Arabs murdered 120 million black africans alone. Learn your history.
Can you please provide a link or a reference to back up your claim