By Fareed Zakaria, CNN
Hundreds of you have submitted very thoughtful questions for me through Facebook, Twitter and my blog. Over the next few days, I am going to post my text and video responses to some of the most common questions and a few others that caught my eye.
A number of you asked me whether I agree with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey who described Iran as a "rational actor" on my program a couple of weeks ago.
My answer is: I very much agree with General Dempsey. It's very important to understand, however, what it means to talk about a "rational actor." A rational actor is not a reasonable actor. It is not somebody who has the same goals or values as we have.
In international affairs or economics, the term rational actor is used to describe somebody who is concerned about their survival, prosperity or strength and is making calculations on the basis of these concerns. It describes someone who calculates costs and benefits.
We all assume Iran is a rational actor - even the most hawkish people in this debate - when we assume that pressure on Iran will make a difference. We are assuming that Iran is watching the costs of its actions, calculating them and, presumably, will recognize that the costs outweigh the benefits. This is all that it means to say that Iran is a rational actor.
Indeed, Iran has been very calculating in its behavior, far more so than other so-called radical, revolutionary regimes. If you look at Mao's China, he talked openly about destroying the world and about sacrificing half of China so that global communism could survive. The Iranians never talk like that and they certainly don't do things like that. Their behavior for 30 years has been calculating. They respond to inducements and pressures in ways that are completely understandable.
Their goals are not ours, of course, but that's a very different issue.
Look at the nuclear issue putting yourself in Iran's position. An Iranian official once said to me about five years ago, ‘We are not pursuing a nuclear weapons program; we are pursuing a nuclear program.’ I wouldn't trust that characterization, but here's what he then said:
‘But if we were to pursue a nuclear weapons program, would it be so irrational? Look at our neighborhood. Russia has nukes. India has nukes. Pakistan has nukes. China has nukes. And Israel has nukes.
Then on one side of our border the United States has 100,000 troops in Iraq. On the other side of our border, the United States has 100,000 troops in Afghanistan. The president of the United States, George W. Bush, says he's committed to ousting our regime. Now, if you were in our position, wouldn't that make you nervous and wouldn't you want to buy some kind of insurance?'
That doesn't sound like the talk of a mad, messianic regime official, but rather of one that's looking at costs and benefits and calculating them.
You can pose questions for me on Facebook, Twitter or on CNN.com/GPS. Come back throughout the week for more of my responses to questions on third party candidates in America, China's rise, oil prices and more.
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Have you forgot about the president of Iran saying he wanted to wipe Israel off the map just because they are a different religion not because they are a threat. Does not sound like rational to me.
you're buying the Israel propagando. He never said that. Get your Farsi-English transaltion book out. he said th wipe the regime from pages of history. So he called for regime change in Israel. Israel and the US have been calling for regime change in IRan for 30 years.
So what does he mean by "regime change"? Israel is a democracy. Whenever they have an election, they have "regime change". So what specifically is he talking about?
The regime change means that Palestinian people in occupied territory will get one day hopefully the same right to vote in a bigger Israel-Palestine and that will change the nature of the state as a Jewish state. Israel is not a democracy as long as it keeps the occupied territories and does not give the Palestinians in occupied territories civil rights equal to Israelis. If Israel claims those areas are Israeli proper it should give people living there equal rights or declare a timeline for doing so. As long as it doesn't do so it is an Aparthaid state. When it stops to be an Aparthaid state then the regime change has happened.
It is a statement that the hawkish Iranian PM stated on the national TV. He called holocaust a lie. On the other hand Israel has never stated at any point of time in history that they want or even dream about wiping out a country from the face of the earth. Iran is not,"rational," as stated. It is a theocracy which believes that Israel s a, "cancer," based on Islamic theology. Zacharia's depiction of Iran is that Iran believe in some other philosophy than the West and so their words and actions are justifiable. Hitler took Nitze seriously and eliminated Jews.
to JamesElvert: What you are suggesting is totally unacceptable and unworkable. Israel was created to be a Jewish homeland. To give the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza full citizenship and to let in millions of Palestinian "refugees" would be demographic suicide. Do you think the Palestinians are firing rockets and mortars and sending in suicide bombers into Israel because they're so anxious to live next door to them? They want the land back, but they don't want the Jews there.The answer is two independent states, which the Palestinians rejected every time it was offered to them.
The Iranians are quite an educated people. Those in the regime are quite shrewd and astute. Moreover they are very proud of their ancient culture and aware of of their history. The theocrats and bureaucrats might be vicious and play neferious games, but they never make fools of themselves like Berlusconi or G.W. Bush.
Occupying Palestinian land and continuously expanding settlements is in practice "wiping them off the map".Israel has been doing this for past 40 years not just threatening to do it.
To ossha: Then why didn't the Palestinians accept Israel's offer of an independent state which was made to them twice in the past eleven years? According the Middle East analyst Daniel Pipes, the Palestinians could have negotiated the removal of virtually all the settlements in the West Bank. They did in fact remove its settlements from Gaza – and where did that get them? A near daily barrage of rockets and mortars.
WQR:
That offer only exists in Daniel Pipes head. Look at the maps of settlements and tell me how a independent Palestinian can be formed with all the crisscrossing settlements.
sorry but he did say that. You can alter his words however you want, but you cannot change that if he had nuclear weapons he would use them
Israeli supporters say one-state solution is unacceptable and then Israel continues to build settlements that make a two-states solution impossible, even putting 400 settlers among tens of thousands of Palestinians in Hebron, and then they continue the occupation and the Aparthaid system and they call it democracy. It is not democracy. It is the democracy of the antique Greece with slave-owners having all the rights and slaves having none. If Israel wanted a two-states solution it wouldn't have moved settlers into places like Hebron. However you want to turn it Israel calls occupied territories for Israeli proper, moves continuously people into there but doesn't want to give Palestinians living there equal citizenship rights. This is the Aparthaid regime that Ahmadinejad said should disappear. He never spoke of wiping any people off the map. And from when attacking another country is justified because a powerless lameduck president of it doesn't completely believe in Holocaust or says it should be studied. Yes, he has a big mouth but then it is all he has got. He doesn't even have power inside Iranian political system. One cannot justify attacking another country based on these lame stories and fabrications and mess up the entire world's economy.
Yes he did. I am tired of death to America and death to Israel chants. Death to Iran.
@James Elvert... Your opinion of Regime change in Israel being that all non-Israeli Palestinians get to vote in Israeli elections is about as rational as suggesting that all Chinese citizens get to vote in British elections. Your idea was often put forth by Arafat as a means of war to annihilate the Jewish people. Lets not forget that Hitler was elected by the popular vote and by the majority rule he murdered 11 million people in those concentration camps. The only way there could be one a one state solution for Israel and the Palestinians is if the Palestinians would accept the Jewish right to be there, be committed to respecting Jewish customs and holy places, and agree to civil rights which would see all residents as citizens with protection of life and property. It won't happen, and the Palestinians own gutter style ethics will prevent it from ever being a possibility.
regime change to iran, the arab states and poster "elvert: means pushing the jews into the sea by attacking israel [1948, 1967, qne 1973] or sending homicide/ suicide bombers to blow up buses or sending rockets daily into civilian areas. It has nothing to do with the palestinians getting land or rights as the palestinians are being offered their own state and still are opposing this means of resolving the problem as they and poster Elvert, a palestinian apologist, want it all. regme change is a euphemism for killing jews.
the author white washes aki for his readers.akman is a radical and does want israel destroyed.the little man needs this for the return of his 12th imam.and you know it.
That is not propaganda. it has been said over and over. Get rea! Until you acknowledge the truth of the situation, you can't possibly work to improve it.
anyone mention ahmadinejads want for the return of the 12th imam?i bet zakaria knows.how about you.
All one has to do is ask :who is the aggressor here? The atrocities Israel has committed are manyfold . Murdering people
in the streets, blockades , settling on other people's land, building walls, firing, and bombing civilians, illegal possession of
nuclear arms, gross manipulation of peoples minds and false propaganda. People here have become parrots mouthing the
latest hate coming from Netanyahu's mouth. Feel free to add to the list above!
Fire this Muslim already.
It is a stated goal of Muslim terrorists to wipe Israel from the face of the earth. It has been stated many times by many terrorists, including Imadimlightbulb. He has made no bones about it. That is an objective of his, plain and simple.
Israel is no more a democracy than Iran is. Through immigration, which is limited to Jews, and their policies in the occupied territories they make sure that the state will always remain a "Jewish" state. This is not democracy. What happens if the majority choose to become Christian, or Muslim, or if the Messiah returns and wants to overthrow the status quo Jews? History is long and the idea that Israel will always remain in it's current form is a dream.
What is to happen to the people who were displaced when the "Jewish" state was established. That was the beginning of the problem. Nobody cared for their rights. Maybe they should have created the "Jewish State" in Germany. At least then the local people would have deserved it.
It is simple. Iran wants nuclear weapons because they fell threatened. They should! The last administration made no secret of their desire to invade Iran. Most americans don't even know that the CIA helped to overthrow the democratically elected government of Iran in 1953 simply because they nationalized the oil industry. Wake up america!
We spend more on the military than all other nations combined. We are the number one exporter of weapons. Israel has bombed both Syria and Iraq without justification in the past. If Israel and America want to see the face of terrorism look in the mirror!
No. He did say that. He said exactly that.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/26/world/africa/26iht-iran.html
You are absolutely correct. Actaully he was quoting Khomenei.
Let send couple 15tons CPU to Iran, and see their wackal government can singing anymore. DO IT NOW, ISRAEL.
He was calling for more than a regime change – he does not want Israel to exist as a state in the region. You are forgetting his other comment about saying that Europe should give up land to create a Jewish state. He may not want to wipe Israel off the map in the literal sense but he wants the state of Israel gone. That does not identify which methods he would leave off the table for elimination of the jewish state in that region, so the mere fact that he does not recognize Israel's right to exist in that region is a problem in itself, whether it means destruction through military methods or not. Besides being a holocaust denier/minimizer, he wants more than just the creation of a palestine state, he wants the entire area to be a palestinian state.
James Elvert – a lot of folks in Israel that get blitzed by bombs from the Palestinians day-in and day-out would feel that they're the ones that are being occupied. Which boundary over the past few thousand years are you looking at when you claim Israel is occupying a nation. It seems that Israel is letting the Palestinians stay in a territory that they legitimately hold and are simply trying to maintain some level of security.
If you feel that way about Israel, maybe we should stop occupying TX, AZ, CA, NM, and CO since we got that through a battle with Mexico. Well shoot - we're doing that with the entire country. Pack it up James - get your family to land that nobody has ever lived on before so you can have a clear conscience.
@james elvert. Any palestinian is free to sign up to take the Israeli citizenship test. It has been this way since 1967, if not before. The gypsies, excuse me, Palestinians, cant even see that their own people are using them as a proxy against Israel.
San Diego Steve – you do realize you're living on both Mexican territory and indian land in Southern Cal. I think the US gov't should seize your assets and turn them over to the next Mexican immigrant across the border. You're nothing but an occupier... That's pretty much what you just said should happen to the jews.
As for who was there first - lots of people have been there, including BOTH jews and palestinians. You seem to have picked who held the borders at one specific point in history and that's the only valid border to you..
He said that to gain popularity in the Muslim world and to bring back the glory of the Persian Empire. He proved to be a very smart man and hard to reckon with. He brought Iran to the center of attentions and fear to the Arab worlds.
I So I guess all the chanting "death to Isreal" and "death to "death to America" mean nothing as well? Just a happy camp song they teach their children to sing ... nothing more?
I BELIEVE THAT THIS ZAKARIA DUDE IS EITHER CRAZY OR NUTS!
Apologizing much? For the record, it's propaganda.
Looks like the zionists are out in full force on this board. Little Israel is an occupier, warmonger that keeps getting in trouble and wanting us t bail them out. The Israelis need to STOP DESTROYING what's left of America's reputation while they are STILL AHEAD. Enough fighting, enough killing, enough occupying others' lands. Israel is NO DEMOCRACY, it is an apartheid government backed by people who back them. NO MORE WARS FOR ISRAEL!
This is a perfect example of why church and state should be separated.
What makes any of these countries (Israel included) think that in this day and age, they have the right to govern any country based on religion?
Maybe if these people could stop trying to kill each other over small differences in outdated and frankly ridiculous religious ideas for a few minutes, they could form governments that guaranteed basic human rights, security and involvement in the administration of their countries.
What's to stop the belligerents in the middle east from saying "Hey, how about we stop harboring terrorists, stop killing each other, stop killing our own people and just respect each others right to exist."?
San diego steve has made all the right points and all future posts should refer to it. also, a nice fact to know is that Iran is an active member of the the IAEA and has cooperated with each request put in front of them. On the other hand israel DOES have nuclear weapons and is not a member of the IAEA (thus not regulated) . Put all prejudices aside before deciding whether or not Iran is rational and simply look at the facts.
SO we're getting ready for a regime change in the U.S. in 2012?
Even if that weren't an outright lie and mistranslation, the president of Iran wouldn't be the one with his finger over the red button, genius. That power would go to the Supreme Leader.
Bingo. This is the post you guys should be paying attention to.
The president pretty much has zero actual power when it comes to foreign relations.
Exactly. Amadinejhad has about as much political power as Ari Fleisher did when W. was our President.
Actually, he's probably better-compared to Rush Limbaugh...
You are 100% right and that is the scary. The majority of Iranian are oppressed by a group of Ayatollah’s that they truly believe doing what God demand of them. I believe they would push their fingers on the red buttons. But why should they when they have a well organized sleeper cell to take out our nuclear reactors at home. If you want to know how, please read the novel ‘Twins in Arms.’ I told the FBI about it a few years back.
The Israeli government is a capitalistic theocracy that embraces greed as a virtue. Jimmy Carter, although not a great president, had it right when he stated that Israel will never win the hearts and minds of the Palestinians as long as it practices apartheid politics. It is not a true democracy, and as such it deservedly is seen as a contemptible player. It does not want peace, it wants to maintain and sustain its power in the region – no matter what.
20% of Israel's population is non-Jewish. They are given full civil liberties, voting rights, and serve in every branch of the Israeli government. So how do you define that as "apartheid"?
The Isreali Supreme Court has a Palestinian memeber. Doesn't sound like former South Africa remgime to me. Also Jews have had their own independent nation on that land three times in history. No other people have ever established an independent nation there and had it as their political and spiritual center.
If you can call Carter a great president then clearly anything you say will make no sense. First off, carter was and is a buffoon. Second, the Israelis have a 2000 year history of existence. Its the Palestinians who need to get used to it. And if you want to go for who wins, then the US govt and all of us should leave north america as it belongs to the indians and we are the ones with the occupation policy! PS – Carter and Hoover share the spot for worst president.
Israeli Arabs are better treated in Israel than Arabs in all the other countries. Did you know about Tunisia?Egypt?, now Syria. How about Iraq, Yemen. Only the antisemitic fool would comment as you do. You people have been world pests for thousands of years...people addicted to irrational hatred.
to Socrates, if that's the case, then the Israel people should get used to the fact that Iranians (Persian Empire) have a longer history in the region (4000 years), so Israel should accept that fact and STFU, I mean that's your logic, right?
eaglemex.... Your logic is flawed. Iran has never had any claim to Israel or that region, nor has Israel ever laid any claim to Iran. You are just making noise, illogical and silly noise.
the palestinians that didnt leave in 1948 to clear the way for invading arab armies are israeli citizens with the right to vote, just like the jews in the arab states of...........................? what kind of revisionist history are you reading?
How do you define greed? Wanting to hold onto your homeland? Wanting to make a better life for youurself and your family? You sound jealous and petty. The Jews want no more than any society wants. Please stop trying to spread complete falsehoods.
when you cut through all the chatter about who's doing what to whom, Fred, you got it exactly right... its all about power and control... and sad to say that power and control extents to and controls the US...
You are a lying piece of mule dung fred, did you know that? Israel treats the arab population that lives there 10 times better than they are treated in arab countries. How is it that there are so many morons like yourself who take the side of these hostile non democratic arabs who would gladly slit your throat if you were to even draw an image of their "holy" prophet Mohammed? In Israel people can demonstrate against government policies without fear of being murdered, and yes even arabs can demonstrate legally, but if they throw rocks, then they get rubber bullets and tear gas. In Assad's Syria, they get tank shells and mortars fired at their anti government demonstrations. Why don't you get an education fred before posting your mindless crap
Chimo
A home land is where the heart is. Iran just like all the other leaders of the Arab worlds used the Palestinians for their own greed. I’ve been in every refugee camp in Lebanon and I’m sad to tell you that strained dogs live better than them. Defiantly, the Palestinians who live in Israel have a better life by far. The ball is in Israel court. Instead of Israel expanding on the suffering of the Palestinian people, I advise Israel to be compassion to them. It won’t be easy, but it will be a starter.
Ahmadinejad never talked about wiping off any people or any nation off the map. It is a fabrication and a mistranslation repeated a million times in different forms to justify war-mongering. He said with time the "regime" occupying Jerusalem will disappear. Later he was asked how. He replied like the Soviet regime. There have been many spins and fabricated forms of what he said. Iran not only denies wanting to build nukes but also has repeatedly said that it will not initiate a war with any country. The scare-mongering and the fabrications for years have surpassed many times the exaggerations of WMD story in Iraq. The same group of people that fabricated those stories, the neocons, are involved in these fabrications. No wonder Liz Cheney is also involved ! Even NIE and CIA have repeatedly said that Iran has not taken the decision to build nukes and may never do.
You are absolutely correct.
I admire Zakaria's intellect but unfortunately he is an Islamic apologist and defender of Arab and Iranian policies and anything that is Un American and anti Western.
@ Nadine,
You are the one who is absolutely correct. Zakaria has shown himself to be an apologist and appeaser of terrorist sponsoring countries, and the most dangerous of them all is Iran. Zakaria reminds me of Mohammed Baredei, the past head of the IAEA, who consistently denied that Iran was trying to obtain a nuclear weapon–knowing full well that was/is exactly what they are doing.
Anyone who doubts that truth, is either sticking their heads in the sand, or is simply uninformed about Iran's nuclear agenda.
Then could you please explain to me what those nation wide chants of "Death to Israel, Death to America" mean? Maybe I don't understand the Eastern mindset, but it doesn't sound friendly.....
Although I admire Fareed and watch is program "religiously" (if you fanatics will excuse the expression), I believe that his viewpoint on Iran, and that of Obama's, is terribly flawed. Fareed, instead of asking us to look at things from the Iranian perspective, might suggest that we do so from the American perspective. Consider the following:
1. Iraq in the 1970s starts building a nuclear weapon.
2. In 1981 the Israeli air force demolishes the Isirak (spelling?) reactor. Everyone, including the US denounces Israel.
3. Iraq never builds a nuclear weapon, because they know that it will be a wasted effort. The Israelis will just destroy their new reactor.
4. Saddam invades Kuwait with the probable intention of finally taking over Saudia and the Gulf States, thereby controlling most of the world's oil supply.
5. The US responds and saves Kuwait. But would the US have done so if Saddam had a nuclear option? Would Congress have approved getting into a possible nuclear confrontation over Kuwait?
6. I think it can be concluded, that the concentration of most of the world's oil in the hands of Saddam would have proven to be "an existential threat" to the US, as well as to the rest of the world.
7. The world is now contemplating giving assistance to the poor, brave people of Syria, who are being murdered by Iran's ally, Assad. Would anyone assist the Syrian people if Assad, his life threatened and having nothing to lose, had nuclear weapons at this disposal? Forget it!
What then should Obama do? He should stop acting like a weakling and either take out Iran's nuclear sites, or get out of the way and let the Israelis do a job that is in the best interests of the entire world, included those of the Iranian people.
i guess the neocons invented ahmadinejads 12th imam also?
What you wrote is false. Even on Iran's English websiet, it said *wipe off the face of the map".
Sorry that is not true. He said it many times on separate occasions. And by doing so, Iran became the supper power of the Middle East. It took over Lebanon through Hezbollah, who fought Israel for over a month. Iran although through one of its loyalists, Mehdi El Sader’s army, fought the U.S. Army in Iraq and introduced the IED that killed many of our shoulders.
At the core of the Iran-Israel conflict is shia Islam vs. Judaism. The muslim leaders can not stand the Jewish religion which contradicts their story. And Muhummad slaughtering the infidel Jews (per history and Koran) does not help either.
YOU ARE A FATHER OF IGNORANCE
Oh snap! Mo really got you Ted! How will you ever recover? (\sarc)
Ironically this behavior is carbon copied of Israeli regime when they were developing their nukes. To give an example of how rational Iranian government is. few years before The US invaded afghanestan, taleban got hold of ghandehar ( I think it was ghandehar) that was previously under northern alliance and where Iran still had their consulate operating. They massacred any one that they saw inside but one who faked his death and escaped to Iran (10-20 diplomats). Iran had every right to attack taleban in retaliation but as hard as it was they showed restrain and privately said that as hard as this loss was for them they had no clear objective and realized an attack would only cause innocent casualty. My question for all does that sound irrational???
And of course, Jews have never committed acts of atrocities against Muslims.
@sinhoo maybe they have similar tactics, but their aim is radically different. Israel is no threat to the US or its allies, unlike Iran which consistently preaches "death to america"
That’s what it seems like. I have to be carful how to respond to you because after my novel ‘Twins in Arms’ was published I received a massage to be carful of whatever I say. The two courageous leaders, Anwar Sadat and Yitzhak Rabin, who wanted to close the gap toward peace between Muslim and the Jews, were assassinated. Please don’t point the finger at Prophet Mohammad because he never carried a sword.
Do your homework, he never said that. What he said (in Persian) was, "The regime occupying Jerusalem will vanish from the page of time as the Ayatollah predicted." But, in response to the misquote, Shimon Peres did say that Israel could wipe Iran off the map. So in fact you are quoting Israel, not Iran.
and "occupying" means governing in your mind? do you think we are all that stupid as to believe that what he said is not what he meant because you say so? sorry, we all know what he meant.
And I suppose the oft-heard chant "DEATH TO AMERICA! DEATH TO ISRAEL!" is also a mistranslation in your mind?
Iran the chief sponsor of terrorism must be stopped. Terrorists get hold of nuclear material and the whole world is threatened esp USA. Iran is inviting an attack. Realize this: the Arab states may not like the fact that Israel has these weapons, but they do not feel threatened. If Iran gets nukes then the word on the street is that there will be nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. The Iranian regime is imploding and I think we should put them out of their misery. The war on terrorism means Iran must be neutered.
Enjoying the destruction of the adjacent state of Syria.
Are you asking to nuke Iran just for the sake of Israel? It is the same as if you are asking to kill 2.1 billion Muslim people. Wise up.
I’m sorry if I was easy on you. It seems that you were one of those “All human being are like organs of a body: when one is afflicted with pain, the others cannot rest in peace.”
Have a life and read my novel ‘Twins in Arms’ that might show you a different perspective of yours. I was in your shoes once, but I’m no longer blind.
Iran has never said that their problem with Israel is due to religion. Their hostility is on behalf of the Palestinians, so therefore they would not attack Israel since they know that would kill the Palestinians in the that area of the world.
Just to be precise. Iran won’t nuke Israel for the Palestinians sake; it won’t do it because Israel will annihilate it.
Do some research Glen, you fat lazy american!
Glen, get a grip on reality. The idea that Iran would use a nuclear weapon on Israel is moronic. Even if Iran did get a nuke, them going after Israel with it would mean the destruction of Iran, not Israel. EVERYONE would turn on Iran. Including China and Russia. Use your common sense and don't give in to this mindless fear-mongering.
Than you.
Can you imagine how the atheist leaders of Russia would feel if Iran got the nukes? Not in my life time. Russia is after the money and power and nothing else.
Please enough of the "wiping off Israel from the map" !! everyone you talk to these days know that the meaning got lost in translation. No one is going to wipe anyone off of any maps. Now go and get some education by reading Haaretz and get to the real mind of Israel. Iranians are far more closer culturally to Israelis than Arabs. If you are going to wipe anyone i suggest we wipe a few of the Arab neighbors ideology toward Iran nation.
Nice try, but he did say it. And we dont just arbitrarily bring up Israel in daily conversation, unlike Israel/Jew haters. Way to keep a low profile there camel humper.
I’ve been reading Haaretz news all my life. And I give it my thumb up without hesitation. But you, I’ll give you my thumb down for the lack of compassion. If you are talking about wiping out Lebanon and Syria, than you must be living in the misery of state of dreaming. Read the novel ‘Twins in Arms’ that might make you realize of what human being are made off.
"That doesn't sound like the talk of a mad, messianic regime official, but rather of one that's looking at costs and benefits and calculating them" Huh? Are you serious.. The difference is, and many like Zakaria do not understand is that this nut Achamdinedumy will USE them or SELL them to terrorists. We dont see the US giving rockets to Hamas to fire at Israel do we??? Israel doesnt fire its rockets at civilians in Palestine for no reason do they? I am disgusted at the lack of intelligence people like Zakaria have...
Who are you kidding? Israel bombarded the infrastructure of Lebanon and killed innocent civilians just to tell the people of Lebanon to stop rooting for Hezbollah because it could not win over Hezbollah of Iran. Get your history straight. It is because of Israel that Lebanon now is ruled by Hezbollah of Iran.
George Bush not only threatened but actually destroyed Iraq as a country!
yet Jews in Tehran have synagogues, temples, cemeteries, schools and even a Jewish member of the Iranian parliament.
If Iran hates jews for their religion and wants to wipe all Jews on the face of the planet why not start with their own country ?
Actually, the rhetoric of Iranian officials has spurred many attacks on the remaining Jews in Iran. Violent attacks on Jews have been common there, even in recent times, although at times the regime as exhorted citizens not to attack Jews in Iran. The vast majority of Iranian Jews have already left the country, due to the hostility and prejudice they have encountered there.
Go fight your own war Israel and take all the Zionist who are siding with you. Let's see how much success you have with Iran after having your teeth knocked off by Hezbollah!
The Jews of Iran are trapped there. They are unable to leave the country, and must say that they're happy there and say things that are anti-Israel, because they know if they don't they've doomed themselves and their families. Iran is using its Jewish population as a propaganda tool. Don't kid yourself.
AC,
I know that is totally true, but why is that? Please tell me why because I will share my views if you spoke yours. I would respect your opinion as if they were mine.
During the Cold War, the USA also wanted regime change in the former Sovit Union, that doesn't mean we wanted to murder all Russians
Yes...Israel is a democracy. A democracy that has been ethnically cleaning the non-jews out of the region for the last 60 years.
hahaha, funny joke. 20% of Israeli citizens are *Palestinian*, hardly ethnic cleansing.
israel should and will be wiped out of the map.america cannot stop annihilation of israel.america will be bleeding money and blood until it abandons israel.then,zionists will find out how pretty auschwitz was compared to palestine.
Its because of this mentality that Israel (and the US and many other countries) want to prevent Iran from getting nukes. Thank you for proving their point!
ha!israel will never be wiped off the map.they will take heavy damage.and then the story ends.with jesus on the temple mount.
Why is it always about the impact on Israel???
in case you guys weren't aware: FAREED ZAKARIA IS ONE OF OBAMA'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICERS. so all of his garbage opinions and anti US sentiments are funneled directly into obama's ears/foreign policy...
NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST THERE RIGHT GUYS!?!? note to obama: just because he's on tv doesn't mean he's the most qualified candidate
That was never said.
Were Iran an irrational actor, they would already have taken a few boxes of their partially-enriched Uranium and blown them up with conventional explosives in Tel Aviv.
A "dirty bomb" is simple, cheap, and just as effective as a nuclear bomb in rendering large areas uninhabitable for centuries. Note that Iran has not done this, nor have any of Iran’s proxies.
Neither has Iran made military strikes of any significance against Israel. Iran has worked through their proxies to keep Israel's feet to the fire regarding an equitable solution to the Palestinian's claims, but no irrational actions. Ergo, Iran is a rational actor. QED.
Wise up.
Glen, you didn't read the first sentence. That means Iran is an unREASONABLE actor, NOT an irrational one.
Wow, yeah I agree, Obama has the US bending over for North Korea and Iran again and again. By the time we realize its not working and they back off again and 'change' their minds and halt nuclear talks again, they WILL have a weapon. How long do we wait while they deveop? Its obvious they are just 'buying' time. Im not for war, but this is peaceful DE-NUCLEARIZATION we're talking about. I do find it odd, that everyone 'knows Israel' HAS nukes, but US wont tell them to reduce them too! Lets not be hipocrits now!!!!!!!!!
He did say it, its in the Times, the link is below. It was at a rally before an anti jewish rally. But, I know, some Jew altered the archives and its all Mossads doing...
The President of Iran never said those words.
His words were interpreted the ways that Americans and Jews wanted to hear them.
Have you ever read the script of this particular speech?
We have to deal with the convalescent economy.
No War period!
Show me a clip where he said that. It is zionist propaganda. Like Saddam had wmd.
Here we go again with the Israel wipe off the map BS. He never said that! Read the translator! He said the Zionist regime in power, just like the soviet union will eventually disappear from the pages of time.
It's not just because "...they are a different religion". There are Jews and members of other religions living in Iran. It is because of the state of Israel and the history of the region, the fact that Israel has nukes, etc.
Zakaria means rationality in the economic sense – that is the leadership in Iran has complete and transitive preferences. That is, first for any two alternatives they can always say that one is at least as good as the other. Second, if the Iranian leadership likes alternative A more than alternative B and likes alternative B more than alternative C then they like A more than C.
I would like to see this so-called journalist defend somebody if it was him who was denied the right to exist.
He should be denied the right to present his opinion for being so blatantly biased – only a lunatic can presume to decide which group of people does or does not have the right to exist, and only an idiot can ignore something like that.
Israel is not a rational actor. They put their survival over the safety and security of their so-called "friends".
Israel was formed from the anti-Semitic views of Great Britain which saw it as a solution to the Jewish "problem".
That sounds like Americans in how they treat Mexicans.
THIS ZAKARIA DUDE IS EITHER CRAZY OR NUTS!
Glen,
It is very sad that you cannot think for yourself and the Israeli and the corporate media do the thinking for you. Iran is a rational (cost/benefit calculation) actor since it has a strong survival instinct and know that it can attack a nuclear power (just to let you know Israel has over 200 nuclear warheads) like Israel and survive. By the way, check the record Israel has threatened to send Iran back to stone age many times. "Wiping Israel of the map" means wiping the political regime of Israel and not the country. Think.
It is very sad that you cannot think for yourself and the Israeli and the corporate media do the thinking for you. Iran is a rational (cost/benefit calculation) actor since it has a strong survival instinct and know that it can attack a nuclear power (just to let you know Israel has over 200 nuclear warheads) like Israel and survive. By the way, check the record Israel has threatened to send Iran back to stone age many times. "Wiping Israel of the map" means wiping the political regime of Israel and not the country. Think.
Zakaria would be an excellent Obama clandestine advisor if this is not already the case. Maybe he could arrange for the Iranian PM to come visit with the president to sip a few beer together with him at the White House.
actually he is, look it up
How fitting it is that Fareed Zakaria is associated with CNN.
we wana wipe israeil rgime not the ppl,we r nt want that just for theyr jews we have a lot of jews in iran we are leaving together peacfull. israeil stolen oure land killing our brothers and sisters one time israeil wil vanish,this regim is like tumor in the middle east
I agree with you any leader of iran that says...
israel nation is descendant from monkey and pigs.
believe no holocaust happened.
no 9/11 happened
is
NOT rational!
He agrees with Iran about wiping out Israel. Why is that so hard to believe? Why do people look for other motives from CNN opinion writers who tell you who and what they are by thier opinions?
Actually diferences in religion have been one of the main rationals for war thoughtout the ages. In fact, the World Wars aside, the most brutal wars have been fought in the name of religion. Looked at from Irans perspective, useing the logic and reasoning that was presenrted here then it is perfectly rational for them to persue nuclear weapons.
That said the last thing in the world I want to see is a Nuclear Iran!!
A bomb is an equalizer. Countries that have them never went to war with one another because no one wins. Soviet Union and the US new the concequences of a war. We are getting along now.
read the palestinian hamas charter, although not iranian in context, it is the overriding thought process of the entire fundamentalist islamic cult, go ahead, read it............and the koran for that matter, israel is in some deep shiite, but they will prevail
Well said. Israel will attack Iran's nuclear sites very, very soon. I am not sure what else they can do when it is so obvious that Iran is merely stalling, as North Korea did, in order to build a nuclear weapon and that Iran has threatened Israel's very existence. And because the USA is an ally to Israel look for the USA to take part in this attack on Iran.
Zakaria, bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla, pots
I usually agree with Fareed's insights but I think he's all wrong on this one. I think either party in Iran would be happy to see millions of their countrymen lose their lives if it meant they could destroy Israel.
wrong!!
On what evidence? The load of drivel that Glenn Beck feeds you? Wake up.
So why would they destroy Israel? Iran has never said that their problem with Israel is due to religion. Their hostility is on behalf of the Palestinians, so therefore they would not attack Israel since they know that would kill the Palestinians in the that area of the world.
Then they should have purged all Jews from the iranian homeland long ago right ? Considering netyanuwho accueses Iran of being the next Germany and their prez as being the next hitler yet jews live in peace in Tehran, they hold a seat in parliament, they have synagogues and schools. Its all made up fantasy of the Israelis and the American War machine!
Jews live as second class citizens in Iran. Many have already left due to violence and hostility towards them.
I feel the same way. I'm saying that because I spent four years of my childhood being taught that. I even explained it in my novel ‘Twins in Arms.’ I mean there are people out there who would love to die and kill for a false interpretation of their religion faith.
No nation or state or person who advocates the development of
weapons of large scale devastation can be termed a rational actor.
Wow! You just described the United States of America – the only country to actually use nuclear weapons on people.
Maybe you should go back and read a little more history, we were in a race against Germany to build the bomb if Germany would've built it first world history would be a little bit different today, you should be thankfull we built it first.
Everybody is in race with somebody. India, Pakistan, Israel, US, France, Britain, Russia, North Korea and China all have nuclear weapons. Iran has none.
and with good reason. countless American lives were saved. If we would have followed McCarther's advice N. Korea would not be a problem today. Now they have nukes.
Hey freddie,
Do yourself a favor and open a history book every now and then.
like america right?
Would you consider the United States to be a 'rational actor' then? Largest military, largest stockpile of nuclear weapons, largest amount of spending on the military, etc. Or would you say that because the United States is comprised of 'the good guys' then they are 'rational'?
I believe in LOVE, not WAR. I believe in making LOVE, not making WAR. So, my solution is, instead of trying to start a WAR with Iran, let's make LOVE to them
@ Tim,
Your comment brings to mind Nero, who famously fiddled while Rome burned. Except you want to diddle instead of fiddle. Read history much?
Persian women are fine. The mindless neocons here just sadden me. It's a reflection of how uneducated our country is today. Start with Rick Steve's travel show (you can find it on yootube) on Iran. What you will see is a beautiful country with beautiful people that love America, want to be FRIENDS with us, not have us bomb and kill them. You freakin' war mongers, go to hell. Oh, and all this world war II nonsense... you do realize that we left the Russians in power? Do you have any idea how many people they killed? No, you probably didn't see it on TV so it doesn't exist in your little minds.
Don't think that leaves us with very many rational actors, does it? The sheer gall of Switzerland defining "neutral" in WWII as selling arms to both sides shows you what rational is.
Where are your psychological profiles which confirm your view? Don't forget these characters sacrified tens of thousands of their own people in the war with Iraq and are racist enough to be willing to sacrifice the lives of tens of thousands of non-Persians (i.e., Arabs and Jews) in their delusions.
Iraq invaded Iran, they were defending, not sacrificing.
You forgot to mention how Iran sent hundreds, if not thousands of children to march across land which was sown with mines to clear the way for their military to attack the Iraqis. Those hundreds (at least) of kids were blown to bits by the mines, but the world was silent.
And you think Iran is the good guy in the neighborhood?
I found hundreds of references to the Iranian child walking through landmines 99% were in Israel propaganda, not a single UN report, not a single verifiable case where the iranians forced children to clear mines fields, it is another apocryphal myth to demonize Iran in the eyes of the world. Never seen that happen before!
More BS from Obama's main man at CNN.
The price of NOT stopping Iranian regime from developing Nuclear Weapons will be astronomical in terms of lives lost on the planet.
Remember between Stalin, Hitler and Mao close to 150 million people lost their lives. Now imagine one of these characters having a Nuclear Weapon.
Uhm, Stalin did. US is still the only country to use one.
Stalin did not have nuclear weapons during WWII. Russia tested its first bomb in 1948. Get your facts together before you shoot off your mouth.
Iran's hostility is on behalf of the Palestinians, so therefore they would not attack Israel since they know that would kill the Palestinians in the that area of the world.
And yet the only saint who actually used the nuke in history remains Harry.S Truman and not the non-american "evil tyrants" such as Stalin, Hitler, Saddam.
Between Bush Sr Dog and Bush Jr Dog alone several millions have been wiped out from Arab countries.. It is not one thing for America to kill people for peace and different for other countries to do the same.
America is the only country which dares to invade a country where it has no business and calls the defenders to the invasion as insurgents?!? Excuse me. If I were to rob your home with a gun and you attack me back with a knife are you an insurgent?
You are delusional, iran doesnt have a suicide wish, we have ZERO danger to fear even from a nuclear armed Iran, they have so much more to fear from an America that is on the unjustified war path that we will ever have to fear from them. Wake and stop listening to the lies!
Troy, the article said nothing about WWII it merely mentioned what it would be like if Stalin, Mao, and Hitler had nuclear weapons. In 1948, Stalin was in power. Thus, Stalin had nuclear weapons. Learn to read Troy.
I wonder How many Israeli's have died by the hand of Palestinians VS how many Palestinians have died by the hand of Israeli's. I also wonder Why the British were occupying the land where Israel is in the first place, and who did it belong to before that. Not who did it belong to based off of what "God said" I mean who did it belong to based off of who was there before the British occupied it. Because if you look at history as your teacher you will Notice that Hong Kong Was Given back to who was there before the British took it, India was given back to who was there before the British took it, Iraq was given back to who was there before the British took it. So In all fairness who ever was on the land where Israel is Before the British took it, should be the ones with the most rights to have it back, weather it was Muslim or Jew. This would be the rational thing to have been done, and any actors involved who were not rational enough to see that then, are still not rational enough to see it now. So in result we have a complete mess that will never be resolved.
Fharreed and Barack have one thing in common. They both are adored by CNN and the liberals that read thier tripe and imagine that their motives are pure. Nothing could be further from the truth. The real question is Fharreed a rational actor? I think not.
world should not allow expansion of nuclear program except for nuclear powerplants under u.n supervision and comtrol and at the same time enforce elimination and destruction of nuclear weapons already possessed by several countries in europe, america, asia and in middle east. this can not be easily achieved, if new non-nuclear weapon countries are allowed to manufacture and possess nuclear weapons. world should seroiously consider to abandon nuclear weapon policy and even enforce it by force, if necessary.
Hmmmmmmm, Isn't there one presidential candidate on the trail that has been saying this for quite some time now?
Yeah this uncle of mine, lots of experience in the world, lots of insight into whats really going on. He keeps spouting these peace suggestions, this whole anti-war position of his gets some in my familty to call him crazy or kooky yet he is right time and time again! Crazy old uncle Ron promoting peace and commerce with other nations again – just insanity!
The ayatollah is an "IRRATIONAL ACTOR". Muslim clerics have a distorted theology where hatred, vengeance, terrorism, violence and discrimination is their MO. Unfortunately this cleric is Iran's supreme leader.
Yup, only Muslims. Christians and everyone else are about showing love for everyone....
Without Islam there would be no terrorism. The middle east is infested with Muslims killing each other. Would be a good thing except innocent people (non Muslims) get killed in the crossfire. Political correctness will be our doom.
Without Islam there would be no terrorism? What was the OKC bombing then? Or the Norway massacre? I could go on forever.
I was going to give Person206 a "snap" for good comeback above, but this one deserves a double snap, or maybe even a Circle K snap!
Not to mention youtube`s new sensation, Ugandan Joseph KONY such a peacefull loving christian... Remember this you got good and bad in every society... Get a life don`t just come online with your ignorant hatred we dont need people like you..
Songs like the definition of Israel!
If the iranians mullas are so violent and hatful why have they not killed all the jews inside Iran, why do they continue to give a parlimentary seat to each minority religion, jews, christians – any declared religion in Iran has an automatic seat in the parliment – at least one.
For war mongering hate filled anti-Semites they sure do a poor job of policing their own country!
Just as the parents of the two-week old who died of herpes follow a "rational religion", right?
By rational you mean....Iran is methodical in their desire to destroy the Jewish state.
The famous phrase used more than 30 years ago by Islam...."We will win with our Uterus" is one of the reasons Radical Islam knows they will win at the end.
No they won't.
Fareed, like Iran is seriously "IRRATIONAL" – what "rational actor" provokes its sworn enemies to the point where they have almost no alternative but to strike back at them. Would a RATIONAL ACTOR build nuclear facilities underground, threaten the World with closing international shipping lanes militarily, not permit UN inspectors to visit and report on its country's nuclear program. NO Fareed a "RATIONAL COUNTRY" would build its peaceful energy nuclear power plants ABOVE GROUND saving billions on construction costs, it wouldn't have to threaten the world supply of oil and finally it would gladly allow inspectors to visit whenever and wherever they wanted – if you got nothing to hide why play games? When the UN (including Russian and China) have lost their patience you don't have too many cards left to play....
So why don't Israel allow inspectors to look at their nuclear facility? Israel has killed a whole lot more innocent Arabs than Iran has killed Westerners! And while we often accuse Iran of terrorism when an Islamic group carryout a terrorist attack, there is absolutely no concrete proof that Iran supported these acts. On the other hand, the whole world sees first hand, Israel's direct acts of atrocities and ethnic cleansing every time it vaporizes refugee villages, schools and hospitals in the Middle East! Let's face it, there's nothing rational or civilized about Israel!
Iran does not even acknowledge Israel's right to exist as a nation and sees the land as being "occupied" by the Israelis and belonging under Palestinian control. Not much room to negotiate when one country basically believes the other should not exist in the first place. Whether Israel has nukes or not is completely irrelevant – Israel will stop at nothing to ensure NONE of its Arab neighbors develop nuclear weapons. They have already bombed Iraq & Syria to prevent them and will bomb Iran its only a matter of time. Israel is out numbered, surrounded and technically in a constant state of war (not to mention populated by many descendents of survivors from the European holocaust) and are therefore paranoid when it comes to their neighbor's military intentions – can you blame them???
Oh my.
The US offered to give Israel advanced weaponry - including bunker-busting bombs and refueling planes - in exchange for Israel's agreement not to attack Iranian nuclear sites until after the 2013 election.
Arms being exchanged for re-election..
Idiot!
IIran is not a credible threat to Israel; even if they are able to build nuclear weapons, using them would bring a like response. MAD kept the world stable (in fear perhaps) for decades. This is no different. What Iran wants is world respect, more iincome from oil & controlling the Straight, and to become the international leader of the Shia Ummah. Talk of war now is rhetoric designed to inflame rather than engage. The U.S. has spent enough of our blood & $$ in these lands for now.
You just assumed that Iran was a "rational" actor? What if they are not? As far as your knowledge on "religion" of both countries, you couldn't be less informed.
Who defines the meaning of rationality? What determines if a nation is either rational or irrational? Iran has not attacked any nations in the past 200 years. Can you say the same thing about USA or Israel?
As usual, a wonk is trying to make things more complicated than they are. Occam would not approve. Trying to perform pedandics on the meaning of rational vs. reasonable is dangerous and silly. Iran is run by a clutch of hysterical religous men. The President dropped a note into a water well where legend has it the hidden imam resides, for the purpose of updating the imam on Iran's nuclear program. Fareed stop taking your cliff notes from BO's press people.
2013 election? Somethings wrong here..., besides Obama
Iran very rationally murdered their own people in the streets who dared stand up peacefully and object to the last round of elections riddled with fraud.
Iran is like all of us. They will make their own bed and they will then sleep in it. The choice will be theirs and theirs alone.
And the American government mowed down innocent students at Kent State because they disapproved of the Vietnam War. What's your point? Do you not think the US government would not murder citizens again if it felt threatened? Countries do this all the time and Washington wouldn't think twice about eliminating a "threat" to its existence even if that threat came from its own citizens. Iran does the same as any other government would do.
lie/distortion...keeping drinking your cool aid.
The Kent State students were rioting. That's what preciptated the shooting. They threw bricks and bottles at National Guard troops. This caused the relatively inexperienced soldiers to fire. If you're going to invoke Kent State, at least present the whole picture.
Americans supplied and approved of Iraq's and Iran's initial nuclear programs. Americans is the number one supplier of the worlds WMDS and yet we question others for not being rational. Israel and Iran should move back into there internationally recognized borders. Appears Iran is as rational as the other players in this conflict when Americans spend over a decade of war on either side of Iran.
Not surprising coming from a guy who wrote: "The Post-American World"
Love your show. I am not as much concerned about Iran developing an atomic bomb as I am about them hading over radioactive materials to one of the terrorist groups they sponser, and having that group set off a dirty bomb in downtown New York, or Washington, DC. If Iran would be stupid enought to lob an atomic bomb at us, it would simply mean the end of Iran as we know it. The same cannot be said if a terrorist group was provided radioactive materials and set off a dirty bomb on U.S. soil. How would we strike back? Who would we hit? It becomes a very complicated subject when non nation states are involved.
SO CNN DENOUNCES INTERNET CENSORSHIP...BUT IF YOUR POSTS AREN'T TO THEIR LIKING...THEY CENSOR IT!!!
Shhh. So loud....
It's nice to see an article that doesn't advocate war and bombing. OMG, I'm so sick of the pro-Israel pro-War crowd!
I fully agree, Cassandra. Whether it's Iran, Israel, the U.S., etc – whether you love 'em or hate 'em – don't go to war with 'em. WAR WON'T WORK !!!
Ah yes. Evil, Evil Israel. The barbaric nation that is bent on keeping the whole middle east in the 10th century. The nation that makes threats to all other nations. The only nation that cannot seem to get along with their Islamic neighbors.
Actually Mr. Hanson I think you have it right on! Amazing how much better the world could be if that mess of Israel were never created out of thin air just 60 years ago. Would've been alot less war over those years and probably wouldn't be another war on the horizon! I like the way you think!
The only country that cant get along with the muslims? Have you been asleep for the past 100 years of muslim terrorism and murder? There are no countries that get along with these muslims......and Israel wasn’t created out of thin air you loser....it was there for thousands of years looong before islam even existed...where do you dummies get your info from??? You are either muslims or just plain retarded....
You nailed it! I'm a retarded muslim. Good guess!
Israel wasn't created out of thin air? It was created by the pleasure of the British who owned the colony Palestine in reward for work done on gasoline by a Jewish scientist. GB was happy to get the Jews out of Europe, natch.
Do you honestly think the Israelis, namely the Jews, were the first to settle the area? The whole religion is based on self-ghettoisation and "the Chosen People" vs. the rest of us slobs. I can't believe that ANYONE thinks the US has a chip on its shoulder when Israel still exists.
yeah, but jews had already been living there in large numbers for thousands of years, and most of the immigrants who came over the last hundred years were refugees, mostly from muslim-majority countries, as well as europe, with nowhere else to go, while other peoples only began to migrate into israel after the final destruction of the temple in jerusalem. not everything is so simple; this issue is an extremely complicated one.
The question should really be : is Israel rational ? We know they are arrogant and want to retain a Racist ,For Jews Only state in the 21 Century which smells of colonialism. Israel has atomic weapons and has been terrorizing the Middle East for 60 years-fact. So why so much ado about Iran ? Why arn't we taking the nukes from Israel ? Looks like hypocricy and a double standard and most likely the Middle East will be leveled.
Israel is a fanatical religious state and so is Iran. They are very similar and in the name of the same God ( I think they pray to the same one ) they just may annihilate each other. I wonder what God thinks of such devotees ?
You have got to be one of the stupidest people alive...Israel is irrational????? How many times have they been attacked...including by 5 arab countries at once....did they ever even THREATEN to use nukes??? Who is terrorizing the middle east and the world....MUSLIMS....get your head out of your butt and stop with your lies that nobody here believes....you dummy
@JJ
Your fallacious arguments and ad hominem attacks are laughable. Are you a formally educated person? Are your fallacious arguments based on some particular understanding of fact? During the 1973 Yom Kippur war the leader of the nation of Israel threatened Nixon and Kissinger with the sampson option if the USA refused to intervene on behalf of Israel. Israel is a tiny nation with 7 million inhabitants and a very small geographical area which compels them to expand as much as they can through settlements, political and economic support from the USA and a continuous infusion of weaponry from the USA and Europe (specifically Germany).
If you make your decisions based on the new testament or some evangelical or pentecostal interpretation of the Christian Bible please explain the nature of your friendship with Israel. Would you be surprised if you found out that Israel does not believe that Jesus is the Messiah or that a belief in the Trinity is an abomination to Judaism? Are you aware of these facts? Are your Israeli overtures actually preparing Israeli's to convert to your own Christian faith?
Now that you are presented with facts, where do you stand? With Israel the people? Israel the country? Should Israel expect that your Jack Boot be firmly placed upon Israel's neck when the time of your new testament Messiah approaches?
Smells of colonism? They are founded from a British colony, in return for help during the war on fuel. No one seems to care about how they were formed illegally.
most israeli jews are actually quite secular, any sort of aggressive tendancies, while few, are derived from either fear for their lives or ethnic nationalism
Coming from a simpathiser, what else could you say?
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey is correct that Iran is a rational actor. We need to put every pressure on Iran to change its behavior. Right now, the economic sanctions are stripping Iran of is oil income. This is a breakthrough. It will limit Iran's capability to cause trouble elsewhere in the region.
We should not be drawn into Israel's plans for an air strike. Israel's leadership is not thinking rationally. No airstrike will accomplish the intended goal of stopping Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. Only ground troops can do that and the number of ground troops that would be needed exceeds that needed to invade and stabilize Iraq. From where would one launch such an attack? We launched the attack in Iraq from Kuwait. Kuwait does not border Iran. Neither Turkey nor Iraq will let us launch an attack from their soil so we would be left with an amphibious assault.
It is not bad to have a bad actor like Iran in the mid-east. All the other countries fear Iran, If we "contain" Iran, we have the diplomatic and strategic advantage. Don't forget the adage, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
You can launch an amphibious assault on Iran from Saudi Arabia, Qatar or Bahrain. Or even Afghanistan. Possibly Iraq, though less likely. Establish a beachhead, seize their oil fields and refineries, and start choking them off. It's not THAT hard.
Iran didn't invest in a large air force, but rather in a lot of SAM missiles. Those have to be re-armed, so while their air defenses are formidable, it's a short-term defense strategy. Fine for defending against a few raids, but not as effective against a sustained campaign.
Rich,
Can we assume you're ready to enlist and lead that amphibious assault, or (if you're past the age) can we assume your children will be there? Lest I forget, there will be some costs associated with that operation, so we'll need to increase taxes. Will that also be O.K., or are you a typical neocon in the mold of Kristol and the Cheney's? Let's go to war with other people's kids and other people's money.
Cal: I'm too old and have no kids, but if I were younger, yes – that's a war worth fighting. And I would happily pay taxes for an effort I believe in. What about you? Are you one who doesn't see a threat from a nation that fanatically chants "Death to America" every time they get a camera on them? Think they don't mean it?
Most of the "tough economic sanctions" you are talking about don't kick in until June. I believe it was in 2009 that the sanctions started and your stating they have made a "big difference"? What is different is that they are 3 years closer to a bomb. What caused Iran to release Americans in early 1981? We just got rid of a "diplomacy President" and replaced him with a "big stick" President....who talked the language they understood....FORCE. If you don't believe this is true then look it up. President Regan did what Jim Carter didn't have a clue how to accomplished.
Um, what got the American hostages released was back-channel deals with the Iranians to deliver to the Iranians money and weapons. It was the beginning of what later became the Iran-Contra scandal.
Perhaps you need to read more history and less of the nonsense about Reagan being put forth by those who want to make him a god...
I wonder how rational he would find them if they enforced any religion except Islam.
Indeed – So much of the rhetoric from Muslims demands a religious freedom for themselves that they would completely deny to anyone else.
Well of course it's rational that Iran would want nukes... that's why they're planning to build them.
Iraq – gave up on nuclear weapons; Baathist regime destroyed.
Libya – gave up nuclear weapons program; Qaddafi regime destroyed.
North Korea – stalled and lied; developed nuclear weapons, regime still in power.
Iran – actively building nuclear program, likely seeking to weaponize; regime under threat.
If Iran is a "rational actor", then the MUST be working toward nuclear weapons. All the more reason to hit them NOW.
>hit them NOW
Will you then be quiet when gas is rationed at $15 a gallon after the Straits of Hormuz are closed? Will you then be quiet when the Middle East goes up in flames when Iran and their proxies strike back? Will you volunteer when the call for troops to contain Iran goes out?
Do you have any idea how BIG Iran is? Do you have any idea how many troops it would take to be effective against an Iranian populace that is disposed against being invaded? For over a decade in a country the size of Wyoming (Viet Nam) we had half a million troops with all the air and firepower we could bring yet we couldn't effectively control the military situation there. How exactly do you propose we handle Iran?
Clearly, you have no clue. Please sit down, be quiet, and let the adults handle this.
No wonder we have failed so miserably in our dealings with Iran. We think that a country whose leaders declare that other countries should be destroyed is "rational". A country whose leader commands "Kill all Jews" is "rational". A country who encourages and rewards suicide bombers is "rational". No wonder they call us "infidels".
I agree with Zakaria, and the Iranian official who described their vulnerability in the region. Imagine you live in a neighborhood that everyone around you has guns and taunt you constantly about using force against you – what would you do? Buy a gun maybe to defend yourself?
Nobody is better off with nuclear weapons – that is a rational way to think about this. Having said this, the hypocrisy of nations like the US, and Israel needs to stop. You either disarm yourselves of nuclear weapons before you tell others they can't have it, or stop making threats. What is the purpose of Israel, Pakistan (who by the way are even more dangerous), India, US, etc. having nuclear weapons – unless they have them for the one day that they may want to use them.
Hmm, I dont know, Israel is attacked daily by murderous muslims surrounding them attacked by 5 arab countries at once several times...no they dont need defensive weapons right? Dummy
Have they ever been occupied? or do they occupy? What about Afghanistan, and Iraq? Iran sees western actions as threats of being occupied – doesn't it have the right to protect itself?
You forget that Israel also sends missiles and bombs into its neighbors. Did you forget the Lebanon offensive a few years ago? Who lost more lives? Who had more destruction? Read a history book/
The US has never had more than 40,000 troops in Afghanistan tops. I know Fareed was quoting the Iranian official and the discrepancy doesn't matter so much but I think it bears pointing out.
"the term rational actor is used to describe somebody who is concerned about their survival, prosperity or strength and is making calculations on the basis of these concerns." You've just described everyone. The term rational actor means nothing. You could say HItler was a rational actor...or Stalin was a rational actor....I understand your trying to humanize the supreme leader of Iran. As much as I wish it were true, unfortunately it simply is not. Sometimes crazy, is crazy.
Excellent point.
Zakaria's underlying premise, that we should resist pressing the 'war' button too quickly based on our impression of the mindset of Iran's leaders, is a good, human contribution to the bowl of rhetoric that encircles this topic. However, it is very possible to overestimate the reasonable or rational aspects of their motivations, when they have declared the destruction of Israel as their goal, and when their actions to date have been quite aligned with this goal.
History has taught us time and again that evil statements by evil people too often result in evil deeds. As Americans, where will we stand within this spectrum, if we let it happen again?
Do you consider bombing a foreign nation, invading them, stealing their oil, and raping their women an evil deed? Read a history book and stop looking through the American point of view. When was the last time Iran invaded and bombed a country?
Iran does it every day through hamas, hizbollah, sending weapons to insurgents in iraq and afghanistan killing Americans...are you blind or just stupid?
Yup. Rational actors sponsor terriorist groups worldwide. Rational actors make and send IEDs to insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan to kill U.S. soldiers who are there to try to do good. Fareed, I always listen to what you say and you have my respect more than just about any other journalist out there. But I believe that in the situation with Iran, you are wrong. Who is not to say that once they have a nuclear weapon, they will not give it to a terrorist group; just like how they give IEDs (and other weapons) to terrorist groups. We cannot take that chance. Also, you have to understand it from a Jewish perspective. There is no chance my leaders can let this happen. We're not even 100 years removed from one of the worst tragedies in human history. We were basically ra*ed as a people. Nothing can be left to chance. And it won't be. Now, if Iran were to (miraculously) stop sponsoring terrorist groups AND (miraculously) quit being so Anti-Sematic and Anti-western, that would be another story.
Are these actions the actions of a "rational actor"? Crippling sanctions that disrupt food and medicine supplies, planting computer viruses to disrupt centrifuges, condoning the Israeli terrorist attacks on/murders of Iranian scientists and diplomats, US CIA installing the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his subsequent (and rightful) overthrow, Operation Praying Mantis in 1988 which destroyed much of the Iranian oil platforms in the Gulf and in no way served our national interests, the US Navy cruiser USS Vincennes shooting down a civilian Iranian Airbus A300B2, a US President (Clinton) ordered a complete embargo of everything Iranian, AND the US supplying, openly, conventional and chemical warfare agents (so that’s where the weapons of mass destruction came from. Hmm.) to use on Iraq during the Iran/Iraq war. This is just a partial list of the things that have been done to Iran by the US. And the US is the rational actor and Iran is not? Hardly. US and Israel are, and have been, the aggressors – NOT Iran.
During WWII US refused to get into war with Hitler, because it did not concern us. We even turned the ships of Jewish refugees back to Europe to concentration camps.
Now imagine if Hitler had Nuclear Weapons. Have anybody noticed the uncanny physical resemblance of Hitler and Ahmedinejad,
Here's how to get rid of the teabaggers once and for all.
1. Every Walmart store advertises a sale in their gun and knife department on a given day.
2. Promise them a free autographed copy of Sarah Palin's crosshairs poster.
3. When hordes of baggers show up, nuke the Walmart. Simple.
Thanks for the input, Adolph.
The government of IRAN refers to Israelis as "the occupiers". They see the LAND of Israel as truly belonging to the Palestinian people and therefore refuse to even acknowledge Israel's right to exist as a nation. Iran wants to be seen as the dominated regional power in the middle east and exerts whatever influence possible toward the destruction of Israel through Hezbollah and Hamas even Syria and you expect Israel no negotiate with Iran over its nuclear program. If Mexico was calling for the annexation of California, Arizona, Texas, Nevada, etc. and using terrorist organizations to fire missiles into random US cities how long would it be before the US Marine core would be in Mexico City???
Yes, Iran is a "rational actor," almost as much as al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, etc. You have got to be a complete idiot to believe Iran is "rational" in any way. The Iranian neo-fascist dictatorship talks about how all their neighbors have nuclear weapons, to include China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Israel, etc. Okay, so what? When was the last time China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Israel, etc. actually detonated a nuclear device against an enemy nation? Answer: NEVER !! The USA is the only country in the history of nuclear technology that actually used an atomic weapon in order to bring closure to WW II.
So does that prove that Iran would detonate a nuclear bomb if it had one? Your point is totally absurd!
No. I think your point is NOT absurd, but the comment saying it is IS ABSURD!
All this talk about Iran and no one bothered to mention to Netanyahu that he is still building settlements in the West Bank. Brilliant of him to evade all that troublesome chatter. Did anyone mention to him also that Israel does not have the firepower to end Iran's nuclear ambition? Which makes all his bluster just a waste of time. Unless he is also trades in oil futures.
Agree!
First of all, Israel can build anywhere they want in Israel...THEIR land...secondly, Israel has more then enough fire power, one of the best air forces in the world....and ummm.....nukes........so not sure what you are talking about...you should read up and get an education then come back and talk with the educated folks.....dummy
Yes, israelis can can build anything the like inside Israel. However, it is illegal under international law to annex land taken during war, and that is what is going on in the occupied territories.
Learn something before you open your mouth.
Fareed Zakaria makes so much sense. I wish he would run for office. We could use leaders like him. He extends such reasonable, rational, considered and informed thought. I think he would make a refreshing policy-maker.
thanks mr zakaria,always on the point and a very rational and clear assesment of the conflict.
I am sick and tired seeing compassion by the liberal media. Stop being a wimp. I am Asian – America and a proud veteran, I believe Iran along with other lunatic Middle East countries need to have their butts kick. Cannot go around saying the Holocaust is not real, and Jewish state must be destroyed.
I don't want to see another North Korea in the Middle East. The day that Iran obtain a nuclear weapon is the day starts of World War III. Stop them now before it is too late. Nuke the hell out of them along with other lunatic terrorist groups in the Middle East.
Btw... Zakaria and all liberal media, move to Iran and see how much freedom you have.
Oh you think it's fine that North Korea has nukes and they are sane but Iran is insane and can't have nukes? I notice all of you right wingers supported Bush when he chose to focus on Iran even while North Korea was doing nuclear tests and complete their bombs.
You're an idiot! What do you thing Israel is trying to do right now? Israel is the one trying to start WWIII! There's always a peaceful solution to every conflict but as long as war mongers have fire power at their disposal, they'd always be willing to be UNRATIONAL and rush to war! Let's face it, Israel is the real problem in the Middle East and in the world!
You have to be the most backwards dumb human on here....Israel is trying to live in peace while surrounded by millions of blood thristy murderous muslims.......muslims are involved in every conflict in the world today, and none of them have to do with Israel.....Israel has been attacked many times and if they wanted could of wiped entire countries out but they didnt....so shut up with your nonsense....you have no clue of what you are talking about or are so weak minded you fall for muslim terrorist propaganda....or you are just a dirty muslim.....you idiot....go learn some history
@ Blah blah the wheel's off your trailer – You sound like some sort of dumb hick from the deep south in the USA (i.e. – Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, etc.) Why don't you go back to school and complete your high school diploma or GED requirements !! You are about as stupid as they get !! I suppose you side with the Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists, you MORON !!
One of the reasons John F Kennedy was killed was that he believed Israel was a real threat to America and was confronting that threat. Read Revelation 2:9 and study the history of the Khazars. Do not be deceived.
If the nations do not take Iran seriously; they have not learned anything out of the second World war.
give it a rest morderchai, the holocaust card has worn pretty thin.
@ john – You are also a complete moron !! The Holocaust card has been worn pretty thin?? What the heck kind of remark is that? Do you have any idea what it's like being the child or second generation of a Holocaust survivor? Do you have any idea what it was like growing up never knowing or meeting your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.? Go out to http://www.ushmm.org/ or http://www.yadvashem.org/ and get an education you piece of garbage !!
And if we attack Iran, then we haven't learned anything from our WMD blunders and illegitimate war atrocities that have destabilized Iraq for a hundred years!
The bottom line is the president of Iran is mentally insane. Anyone who believes the holocaust never happened is mentally insane. Mentally insane people should not be allowed to have nuclear bombs.
There are plenty of Americans who believe the Holocaust never happened. They believe the Jews never lived in Europe and were always in Israel and therefore have some sort of claim to put their colonies on top of Palestine.
There never has been an independent nation called Palestine or any other non-jewish nation on that land for thousands of years. The Jews have had an independent nation on that land three times in history. No other people has ever claimed it as their political and spiritual capital.
Did the holocaust really happen? I mean was Nazi Germany really capable of exterminating 6 million jews when it was busy fighting a war on fiften fronts all throughout Europe, Asia and Africa? When did they get the time to kill that many jews?
I have relatives, still alive, that lived in Poland during WW2. Ask them.
@ Blah blah the wheel's off your trailer – Are you also in Holocaust denial? Tell me something IDIOT...Who is your hero? Maybe Adolf Hitler? Or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Being the child of Holocaust survivors, I would love to meet you face to face and teach you a lesson about the Holocaust that you would NEVER FORGET !! You are a TRUE PIECE OF SH!T !!!
Israel is generally viewed as a liabality, and an expesive one at that, by the U.S. and the europeans. Their continuously aggressive posture makes support for isareil exceedingly difficult to justify. Time for israeilis to do some soul searching. For starters. try the old mantra " Don't start no $ht and there won't be no $ht"!
No, Israel is generally viewed as a friendly ally both most Americans (can't speak for Europeans). As for "starting", Israel is too small to seek confrontation with all its neighbors, but many of its neighbors are seeking confrontation with Israel in order to distract their populations from their own failed domestic policies.
And it is very possible to overreact and start a war over nothing that ends up wrecking the global (at a minimum the US) economy, results in tens, maybe hundreds, of thousands of innocent civilian deaths and only ratchets up the willingness and drive for terrorist cells to act. I notice you never mentioned these possibilities.
no iran is an IRRATIONAL INSANE ACTOR... WHICH MUST BE STOPPED AND WILL BE STOPPED BY ISRAEL!!
Dear Mr. Zakaria.
YET AGAIN....your defence of ALL THINGS ISLAMIC in just nauseating.
You have taken the rather ABSURD QUOTE from Gen.Dempsey ( I bet not many in the army subscribe to that) and has LIBERALLY DOUSED your own Islamic agenda.
You have called everyone of those opposing Iran a radical incl. valiant Israel, the GOP, far too mant democrats and 100's of millions of Hindu Indians....albeit by indirectly saying that even the MOST HAWKISH of people consider Iran to be rational.
Still some people consider you to be a moderate!!!!!
Just one comment zakaria... Is Iran giving you rewards or money for being in the USA and PROMOTING their BS>??
Our President world view is based on a false premise, at home & abroad. Deep down he does'nt have strong support for Israel & Iran knows that
Ok Zakaria, but whose side are you on? By the way, why were you talking to an Iranian official 5 years ago and where did these conversations take place?
ZAKARIA you are as insane as iran's leaders.!!
And the award for the Best Rational Actor goes to the Islamic Republic of Iran. (cue applause).
Iran and Israel should not be enemies. Iran shares no border with Israel. It is far away. Israel does not ordinarily project it's power into the Persian Gulf. It is not a Persian Gulf power. Jewish and Iranian/Persian people have no significant recent history of conflict or persecution. If Iran doesn't like Israel's actions and policy regarding Palestinians it is free to object and has many other peaceful means to do so other than surround Israel, arm it's enemies, and make graphic threatening statements. Does Iran really want to risk war over Israel? Doesn't sound rational to me.
As long as Israel has over 250 atomic bombs, as long as Isarel had this stupid, narrow minded, racist and radical leadership, as long as Israel using their proxy lobbiest such as radical right wing of GOP in US to decide about US foreign policy, as long as US paying over $6B charity and tax exceptions, there will NOT peace in world and Israel will be liablity for all world. Iran is jts exceuse to divert tenstion from a real problem which is Israel policy, actions, discriminations and move towards a two state nations. In respect of Iran atomic policy, they are a county with 3000 years of history, they can have peaceful atomic energy like everybody else. They are surrended with Russia, Pakistan and US, all with atomic bombs, not mentuoneing radical Saudi regime with $60B of weapons. Any country with some common sense wants to defend itself. Another major problem is people like Eric Canton, Joe Liberman and other Israel lobbiest who under Israel pressure manipulate US policy and Senate and House decison makeing. Obviously, Iran does not have a common sense government, but regardless who run Iran, there will NOT be a compromise in Iran policy to defend them self.
Obviously you prefer the regime of Iran to Israel's vibrant but somewhat imprefect democracy. That says alot about you. Yours, to be charitable is a big mistake in judgment.
iran supports terrorist groups and kills Americans in iraq and afghanistan..almost the entire world is against iran having nukes....so stop being sucha liar and stupid.....oh, and please tell me how you know Israel has 250 nukes??? Thanks you dummy...
@JJ
JJ I never expected to read such wicked banter from a little Jet Plane. Who taught you to argue with such powerful tools like "Dummy", "Moron" and even "Butt"? When your little engine is flaming out you must be at your wits end which I imagine is the reason why you unleash these intelligent and thought provoking pejoratives.
Perhaps you should try a different approach so that we may know the depth of your thoughts as you enlighten this blog with your most interesting views on middle east policy and the defense of Israel. I can say that I am anxiously awaiting your next powerful pronouncement on all things Israel as it clear to all that you are a most stalwart and prodigious defender of truth as you see it.
Reply to Matt.... You are such an idiot and ignorance. Imagine yourself living in Iran and talk or express harsh words about their gov't or other Muslim countries and at a same time, defending democratic, I think your ass would be hang right now. Don't live in US and talk bad about her country. Without liberty and freedom that United States of America provides, you would not be able to sit here and talk trash. Appreciate what you are having.
Don't like US then move to Iran, Egypt, Iraq or other lunatic Muslim countries.
Who's Eric Canton? Also is nice that you say only the Right Wing GOP who lobby for Israel and you mention a independent, who also sides with democrats, Joe Liberman. Good job.
Just to read the first few comments here it wuld see my fellow readers have failed to grasp the foundational definitions Mr. Zakaria pointed out - the difference between 'rational' and 'reasonable'. Whether you believe the translations or not, they still only get at whether or not Iran is 'reasonable'. Rationality is determined solely by whether a state has goals and takes steps that they rationally believe will allow them to achieve those goals. You can either agree with this or not, but it doesn't change the meanings of these terms as they are definied by the study of internatioal politics. The problem, I believe, is that these are terms that have pretty clearly defined meanings in the cntext Mr. Zakaria is using them (international poliics), but they get fuzzy when you try to interpret them according to the everyday vernacular. Terms such as these very often lose a lot when taken completely out of context. For instance 'off sides' means one thing on a football field, and is very clearly understood there, but use it in everyday life, and it oftentimes won't even make sense.
The Chairman of the Joint Ciefs of Staff used this term in the cntext of international relations, and in that context, among the people well-versed in the concepts that surround it, Iran perfectly meets the definition of the term 'rational actor'.
Another lecturer in chief. What other leaders in the daily talk about the elimination i a whole people. None.
Zakaria is a passive aggressive terrorist.
The term “rational actor” is just mere euphemism for social Darwinism/Spencer claims and I’m no one to criticized their theories, but yes to Fareed…
.
Fareed says: “That doesn't sound like the talk of a mad, messianic regime official, but rather of one that's looking at costs and benefits and calculating them”…
Not really in the way you put it, my friend. You have more or less the point but you need to stop eupheminizing the “fatal realism” of Iran, if you want to be read as credible political critics. Example: instead using words such as “their survival”, “prosperity “, “cost”, benefits,” and “calculating them”, you might say straight forward: Iran is simply trying to put itself a bit higher in the global food chain scale… that is in the scale of “survival of the fittest” arena. Iran’s oil production it’s not enough to battle the western-culture imposition in the Middle East; therefore arises the need for Iran’s nuclearization as weapon of political-containment being this the most effective and suitable strategic politic that Iran can play against western’s imperialism –that is: against those on the top of the food chain…. And as you all know that the geopolitical existence of nation-states -members of world of scarcity- all players are not always equal, the stronger and best fed, fit the realm of the winner…. See, Fareed, very simply.
PS: outfitting real value meanings does not make journalist be better than common denominator, neither more schooled or progressive cool mind set… tell me the damn thing as it is, period!
I had a hard to telling whether you were being sarcastic. Fareed put his argument purely in realist terms, focusing on power and survival. That about as simply as one can make it. You brought in the concepts of Western imperialism, culture, etc., which simply muddies the waters. If a rational-actor argument based on power is simply a euphemism for something larger, then Fareed is in good company (e.g., Waltz, Walt, Mearsheimer, Fearon, Schelling...).
Iran will get the nuclear bomb eventually, since they have made it their goal. Talks will only delay war so it is in their benefit.
We may want to help in the bomb strikes on Iran for other reasons, for example to slow down their supplies to our enemies in Afghanistan, Iraq and else where. The US should only support strikes against Iran if it will save lives in the long run with our on going military campaigns in the region, which we should end soon.
For those of you who support Iran and their rational behavior, move there. For those of you (us) who support Israel and their right to exist, move there. I know where I'm moving.
I have a better idea. How about you war mongers and other blood thirsty animals who want to send my kids and tax dollars to fight in some unnecessary war over some ancient fantasy tales, aka religion, send your own kids and use your own tax money. That's right – make it a war that can only be paid for by those who directly donate to the cause. Then see how many people sign up. My guess is that it won't be enough to transport even one division to Iran.
Zakaria, How much is Iran paying you to spy on the USA?????
"A rational actor is not a reasonable actor. It is not somebody who has the same goals or values as we have."
You've described Israel.
Fareed gets is wrong again. What is rational about wanting to change the world into a Muslim state. What is rational about wanting to fulfill some ancient tale about a world wide caliphate. What is rational about killing and suppressing your citizens and then claiming your in the right. Fareed is as usual on the wrong side of yet another issue.
For me, Iran is not acting rationally by looking at its previous behavior.Since the establishment of the Jews State in 1948, all Arab countries think Israel shuldn't be in Middle East.That thinking will never changed, or who knows.The highly doubt of Israel having a nuclear weapon is not proved yet. So Iranian thinking is clear and simple, whether acting rationally or not: a nuclear State of Iran.
It has been about politics only since the current White House resident took over.
Zakaria, Your article is one big lie. They are religious fanatics. They hate us and Israel because we are not Muslims.
Your lies don't change the facts.
..
IRAN IS EVIL
WAKE UP IT IS TIME FOR YOUR MEDICATION YOU LOSERS, VIULLAGE IDIOTS ARE EVRY WHERE, MAKE NO MISTAKE AHMEDI NEJAD THE RETARD PRESIDENT OF EVIL IRAN WILL USE THE NUC WHEN HE HAS IT IN 9 MONTHS.....HE IS HELPING HIZBOALLAH THE EVIL PARTY AND OTHER TERRORIST GROUP FROM IRAQ, SYRIA AND LEBANON IRAN MUST BE STOPPED THEY ARE GROUP OF MULLAS THUGS EACH HAS 4 WIFES AND BIG ASS AND BRAINWASH THE PEOPLE TO FIGHT SO THEY CAN GET THE 40 VERGIN AS THERE ARE NO MORE VERGIN IN IRAN, THE MULLAS TAKE THEM ALL ASD MOTAA THE LEGAL FK IN MUSLIM FAITH IN IRAN. THOSE EVIL NEED THERE ASSSSSSSSSSS FK FAST AND NOW
March 6, 2012 at 7:24 pm | Reply
KeepEyeonPakistan
If we are going to disarm IRAN we should Disarm Israel as well!! In fact we wouldn't be in this predicament if the warring elite had not solicited scientist for such a STUPID IDIOTIC weapon like nukes in the first place! This is playing with power beyond our understanding...It is all fear driven and that is the problem with a world steeped in fear...
March 6, 2012 at 10:31 pm | Reply
IRAN IS EVIL
Here's my take on the Iranian Nuclear
Q: FIRSTLY, are we willing to trust Iran with Nuclear weapons?
A: No way! Else risk having a volatile ME brimming with nukes in tha hands of unstable Islamic radical regimes!
and they will send the nuc to syrian thugs and killers and we saw what the shiia killers can do as they kill there own people
Q: Can we let diplomacy go on right until the point Iran gets nukes?
A: No way, we need to stop them right at their tracks! we must attack iran and syria now and keep israel and middleast safe and keep the world safe from the evil shiia and iranian thugs
Q: Is a war in the ME now more disastrous than after Iran has developed nukes?
A: Clearly NOT!
Q: Will a war with Iran now cause major upheaval, increase terror against Americans all over the world incl. terror right here in America from homegrown Islamic radicals?
A: No . But it may just be necessary to prevent potential major catastrophe or even a WW3 later on. iran is a paper tiger they do have more than 45 opposition groups we can use them to attack iran from the inside among them the arabestan province , the sunni in iran, the kurdish in iran, the lures and turks, the assyrians, the stuudents and women movments, the bahaii and persians egtc.....we must help the iraqi sunni to destroy the iran interests behind the lione.
Q: Is war the only answer to stop them?
A:yes! as diplomacy will never work with iran and syria or any shiia , they are an evil liers, they call lies taqeya, there god called ali and hussain!!!
dont allow iranians to come to usa canada or any where for any reason that include the iraqi shiia and syrian shiia thuygs.
Q: Is it time to strike Iran?
A:yes 100% as the arab spring rising and the sunni arabs will help to attack the shiia interests, saudi arabia and gulf states will pump more oil 3 time more to offset iran oil problem so no worry about oil flow and price.
Q:What do we mean by Iranian compliance?
A: STOP enrichment beyond 3.5% and surrender in a verifiable manner all stocks of enriched Uranium above 3.5%
Dismantle their underground enrichment plants in Qom and other places. Allow IAEA inspectors unfettered access to all facilities. THEY WILL NEVER DO THAT MARK MY WORDS DONT BE FOOL ATTACK NOW....OBAMA WILL NOT ATTACK THE REASON BECAUSE HE HAS A NOBEL PRIZE FOR PEACE AND HE WILL KEEP THAT IMAGE OF PEACE , BUT THAT WILL DESTROY THE WORLD....WAKE UP OBAMA
DONT TRUST IRAN AND THE SHIIA
Until we do all these the world can never be safe from ISLAMIC NUCLEAR BLACKMAIL !!!!!
Your post is way too long. Most people won't read it. I know I won't.
This friend of mine seems to have taken a great liking for my post!
He lifted my post added many things The Shia part, evil part etc.), modified a few others and is posting as his.
NP! He's getting the msg. across!
What kind of make believe world does Fareed live in? The past actions of the Iranian mullahs and muslims in general show that they are certainly not rational. If they manage to develop a nuclear weapon, they are crazy enough to use it.They believe that their comic book (the Qur'an) gives them justification to kill anyone who is not muslim.
The Aiatollah regime (whose puppet Ahmadinajad is) is rational in the same way Hitler was.The goal is the Shia domination of the Middle East mixed with the dreams of restoring the Persian Emprire. Now it is just playing a chess game with the gullible West.The West should make a mistake it made with Hitler in 1930s. Being a Muslim the author must know that. He is either surprisingly ignorant or deliberately distorting the facts.
Iran is equally a threat to Sunni arab states like Saudi Arabia than to Israel. Those states keep urging Israel behind the scenes to do something and fully cooperate with US and Israel. They(and the West) basically want Israel to strike Iran while staying on the sidelines. That's why Israel is urging the international community to take action.
And of course Ayatollahs want to destroy Israel. Their regime provides weapons, training, "advisors", money to Hisboallah and Hamas whose official goal is the destruction of Israel. It also provides money to various ant-Israel and neo nazi groups in the West The Supreme Ayatollah Hameni said that Israel is a "stinking corprs" and has no place in the region. All said it must be noticed that the problem is fanatical Ayatollahs not the Persian people. Jews and Persians have had good relations for centuries if not thousands of years
Very true Jews and Iranian/Persian people have jive more than they conflict. Problem is extreme religious obsession linked to radical politicla agenda in Iran.
zakaria why don't you move to Iran where it seems you fit right in with the mullahs and insane leaders..
all you say and think , unfortunately is bull crap..!!
Ya right, why don't you ask the Green Party in Iran how rational their government are? Or did you miss that fixed election and the bloodshed in the streets that followed?
Why does CNN still employ this guy? Every article he writes shows he is out of touch with reality.
Solid article. Consistent with how psci/econ folks characterize rationality in the academic literature. I'll be forwarding this to my students shortly. Good work, Fareed.
That goes a long way in explaining academia's consistent failure to understand the situation in the Middle East.
You're teaching them wishful theories.
As America brought clossure to WW2. Iran will bring closure to peace and start WW3!
I for one will not EVER read zakaria's diatribe... we know he vouches for iran and not Israel
Join the nazi brotherhood and shave your head. you will fit right in..Move to Iran please.
judging by the personal attacks on zakaria on ths site, I'd suspect he must've hit a nerve with the ever so righteous jews.
Good on zakaria for a realistic and meaningful portrayal of events. Keep it up fareed, we've got your back!
No we dont have his back, he will be shipped back to iran.
You are dumb, all the personal attacks against him mean the majority disagree with him and think he is an idiot muslim terrorits appeaser.....he is dead wrong...and no one has his back.....stupid.
If General Dempsey is correct, as FZ explains that he is and I think he is correct, then as a rational nation whether Iran has a nuclear weapon or not is immaterial. If Iran doesn't have it, it cannot use it. If it has it, it will not use it; because, to use it Iran must evaluate the cost of using it, which is assured destruction by subsequent nuclear strike by Israel or Israel allies (US, UK, France). Hence it is a non-issue. This whole talk about striking Iran is about domestic politics in Israel (where a minority rightist party leads), in the US where President Obama's promise of not letting Iran get nuke (he knows well that Iran will not have that capability in time by the end of his second term) a non sequitar, and in Iran where a rightist party wants to hold on to eroding power by whipping up nationalism. Rational games.
Yes, if Israel exists after a nuke strike by Iran !!!!
Assuredly it will. It is unlikely that the yield of Iran's first generation weapon will be more than 2-10 kT TNT. The one dropped on Hiroshima was ~12-15 kT TNT, which killed ~100,000 people in a very dense city. In Nagasaki, it killed half as many. Israel has 7.6 million people. Jerusalem has the highest population (~700,000) but it is unlikely to be the first target because it is an Islamic holy city as well. Tel Aviv, a likely target, has ~400,000 people. If it really targets Israel, obviously it will try to neutralize Israeli air defenses first, which, being in less populated parts, will cause a lot less human casualty. Therefore, there is no danger for Israel not surviving an Iranian nuclear attack. Let's look at numbers before becoming too emotional about this things.
@Animesh Ray:
Scroll down for my resp.posted at 1:00 pm (EST)
Your 1 PM post: Bomb in a bag. One doesn't need Iran for that. There are enough bombs floating around in past Soviet block countries and in Pakistan that could do that. By your 1 PM post you have jumped into a totally different territory than what was being discussed in relation to rational or irrational actors in terms of Iranian state. As for the bomb in a bag, surely it is more likely that a terrorist might get it from Iran if Iran has the bomb, but such bombs will not cause Israel's non-existence, which is what you wrote above. Please be rational in your arguments, and stick to the context.
@Banks:
You are counting on the deeply anti-Semitic, anti-Western, anti-ALL THINGS UNISLAMIC Mr. Zakaria to darn a public office.
In fact, that day may not be to far off given that a web site had appeared out of nowhere during the 2004 presidential elections urging the next president to appoint Mr. Zakaria as the next US Sec.of State.
But irrespective of that fact, Mr. Zakaria is cleverly able to get his agenda implemented from outside, while being an external advisor to President Obama.
No wonder Obama did all these (& much much more):
a) Delivered that (in)famous speech from the ramps of the Cairo Univ
b) Threw Israel under the bus by calling them to withdraw to the indefensible pre-1967 borders
c) Suggested the possible division of Jerusalem (both of which he was forced to retract!)
d) Demanded Israel to stop settlements (which Netanyahu openly disregarded!)
e) Quickly sacrificed our allies in Egypt & other places replacing them with radicals (whom Mr. Zakaria has been praising sky high even as they are busy butchering Coptic Christians!), and
f) Right here in the US created a special cell in NASA for imparting high-tech knowledge to Muslims (alone) etc.
Note this... for thousand of years Iran, Syria, etc have been at odds with Israel.
Thousands of years ago they had spears, rocks and brawn,,,in 2012 we have
the same problem of warfare between these countries except now
we may have a nuclear confrontation. History never changes only the means to war.
Say goodbye to the world as you know it or have taken for granted if a war between Israel and Iran begins.....
iran is a rational actor, is a peaceful actor.
israel is the manipulative, aggressive actor.
the u.s. is the irrational actor acting not in its own interest but for israel.
You think anyone here believes those lies and stupidity??? Dummy
So true Joe. But too few people want to open their eyes.
Come on people, after years of reading his columns, you still don't know where Zakaria's loyalties lie?
Iran? Rational actor? Like Charlie Sheen?
If you "assume" that these people think "rationally", you've never lived around Muslims. That is the big error in your thinking. Your train of thought does not relate to live in their world. A while back I read a post on one of these sites from a Muslim who said something like "if you just get to know the Muslim religion, you'd see how peaceful it is." I about fell out of my chair. Let's see: You execute people in football stadiums, fly planes into buildings, bomb other Muslims because they don't agree with you, treat women like dogs, and can't even let a woman drive a car.......and you want us to "just understand". I think we understand all we need to understand. If we use some of the logic listed below, we might just as well give nukes to Angola, Venezuela, Palestine, and Syria.....Why? because their neighbors have them. I don't think I've ever seen such a "shallow pool" of intellect.
Are you wondering why Iran hates the United States so much. Here is a little history. In 1953 the United States of America led a state coup (operation Ajax) to overthrow the democratically elected prime minister Dr. Mohammad Mosaddegh in Iran. The CIA installed Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi (the Shah of Iran) a brutal dictator who subsequently murdered hundreds of thousands of his people in the name of the United States. All of this was done to take over the Iranian oilfields. Iran had to endure 20 years and literally hundreds of thousands of CIA sponsored murders before Iran was able to liberate themselves from the United States imposed tyranny in 1978. It is no wonder they are now skeptical about any part we might play in their future and wish to defend themselves against any further incursions on their sovereign nation.
This is disturbingly accurate. I used to be acquainted with a gentleman who worked for the CIA and was stationed in Tehran during the Shah's regime. He told me that the Shah's secret police were as brutal as Stalin's. I do think that toward the end of his rule, he actually wanted to reform the government and disband his secret police, which had gotten out of control, but by that time it was too late. Too many people in his government knew they would be killed if the government was overthrown, so they became even more paranoid and oppressive. To the United States' credit, we did convince him to abdicate and leave the country in order to avoid a bloody civil war. At that time, there was a massive influx of wealthy Iranians into the US. Drive through Beverly Hills some time. Every house with a lion statue is owned by an Iranian. And there are thousands of lion statues.
Big lie. Never happened. Reza Pahlavi took power in Iran in 1941 and stayed in power until 1979 when the theocracy began. Your post and your confederates statements are just plain BS.
Iranians are Persians. They don't give a hoot about some portion of one Arab tribe. Iran hates Israel and the USA for the same reason Pakistan hates us, Iraq hates us, Yemen hates us, Afghanistan hates us etc. It has nothing to do with the CIA nor mythical Palestinians.
They hate us for one reason only, we are not Muslims.
By Mr. Zakaria's logic, every country should be equipped with nuclear arms. Why was everyone up in arms when North Korea worked on their nuclear device? Why did everyone condemn Libya's attempt at a nuclear weapon? Any fissile material can be used as a weapon immediately considering the amount of centrifuges Iran has. Do you think the non-Shiite Iraqis won't attempt to acquire this technology? Or the Saudis? Only once Israel gets involved, then apparently Iran becomes a "rational actor".
I'm not so sure that Iran is a "rational actor". When you're talking about a theocracy run by bearded old men who see the world through the paranoid prism of religion, I don't think you can count on predictable, worldly thinking. For instance, if the leaders of Iran were given the absolute choice between certain death and making peace with Israel, I am fairly certain that they would go with the former rather than the latter. That's not rational.
John are you suggesting that the US DOESN'T see the world "through the paranoid prism of religion"? The US is just looking through a different prism. There is ZERO evidence that Iran would nuke anyone even if they had a thousand ICBM's. It is not rational and, as Zakaria put it, Iran IS rational.
you mean other than the incessant iranian cries of "death to america"?
I've noticed that those fanatical religious leaders who see the world through the prism of their theology aren't the ones blowing themselves up. They recruit young morons and send them on a quest for dozens of virgins, while they are careful to make sure they die of old age. Any use of a nuke by Iran (or North Korea) would bring massive retaliation and that would end their sweet deal. Dr. Zakaria didn't phrase it that way, but this is exactly what being rational means..
Rational actor? According to whom? The problem with assuming that a state is a rational actor is that the definition of what is rational depends on the cultural baggage associated with the actor and what the actor perceives to be in the actors best interest. A failure by the actor to properly perceive the situation due to cultural baggage interfering with perception leads to irrational acts by supposedly rational actors. The problem in accessing Iran as a rational actor is that you have to have a full understanding of the Iranian culture, language, religion, political power structure and history. Then you have to understand how the decision makers perceive that information, and the situation about which decisions are being made, from their own personal bias. Depending on the psychology of the actor and the actors perception of the situation, which may or may not be in close relationship to an objective view of the reality of the situation, you may or may not get a rational decision from the point of view of the actor. Bearing in mind of course that your own view of what is a rational action will color your understanding of the actions of the actor making the decision.
From my admittedly incomplete understanding of Iran and it's decision makers it appears that over the last 35 years decision making in Iran has been less optimal than would be expected from a rational actor making dispassionate decisions based on an accurate self assessment of national capabilities and self interest.
Iran is not a rational actor as evidenced by their past actions. What is RATIONAL though is
Israel will attack iran and will neutralize irans insane development of nuclear missiles.
Israel has NO choice but to stop iran...!
Absolute junk; the definition of "rational actor" as presented here could include Adolph Hitler. These are the fictional ramblings of a dysfunctional egoist.
Please check out my latest insights and analysis of the situation between Iran and the West at http://sirmetropolis.blogspot.com/
zakaria you are a retard if you think iran is a rational actor....you are so dumb Im not even sure ow you got this job...just look at their history, all the terrorist groups they support, the people they have killed...and you tell me if they are rational...you are a muslim mouthpiece...you should be fired on the spot and go get a landscaping job somewhere you idiot...
Zacaria isn't rational but he is an actor.
What are the main arguments from Israel and the West as to why Iran shouldn't be allowed to develop nuclear weapons?
Argument 1. Iran supplies weapons to terrorist groups such as Hamas and hezbollah and if it had access to nuclear weapons, these weapons could end up in the hands of terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
Argument 2. Iran President Amadinajed has called for the destruction of Israel.
Well, North Korea has been one of the leading supplier of weapons to rogue states and terrorist groups in the region for decades plus North Korea has nuclear weapons. Secondly, North Koreas's irrational and irresponsible behavior over the past years have shown that it is capable of supplying these rogue states and terrorist groups with nuclear weapons. So why isn't the world crying foul play? Why arent' we calling for a military strike on NK.
Furthermore, on numerous occasions throughout the years, NK has threatened to attack both SK and the United States repeatedly, not with conventional weapons but with nuclear weapons. So why isn't the UN and the West crying foul play and calling for a military strike on NK? Why the double standard? Finally, in the 2008 presidential elections, Senator Clinton said "if Iran was to attack Israel, Iran would be obliterated! Note."Hillary Clinton didn't say the Iranian government would be overthrown by force but that all of Iran would be "obliterated" or in other words, wiped off the face of the earth. You can look up the word obliterated in the dictionary and decide for yourself what it means. Let's face it, all is war mongering is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black!
Because the US trusts China to keep N Korea on a leash, despite its loud barking.
NK threatens us and we trust China to keep them in check? Are we paying China to keep NK in check? You're insane!
Fareed stating that anyone or any country is a "rational actor" is a tip off that the subject of the attention is most likely totally out of control and not trustworthy by any standard!
I never sease to be amazed by Fareed. He stes a now standard for not being connected to reality.
Here’s my take on this Iran and other issues dealing with Muslims.
a) The issue is clearly between MUSLIMS on the one side and ALL NON-MUSLIMS on the other, whether it pertains to Iran, Af-Pak, Israel-Palestine (so-called), Kashmir, Chechnya, 9-11 etc. etc.
b) The crucial difference is the Muslims are bound by their MUSLIM UMMAH which makes it obligatory for every Muslim to support a fellow Muslim in need (even if its for the wrong reasons!) which makes their loyalties transcend national borders!!
Having said that, surely there are many pragmatic Muslims who do not have such a myopic view of the world nor do they fully subscribe to Islamic diktats. Also there are many many naïve & libertarian non-Muslims who do NOT believe so.
But if we understand this ground reality we know what to expect from our Muslim friend Mr. Zakaria, who's BTW a former Indian like me !
These are medieval thoughts more likely to emanate from hindu extremist Shiv Sena type personalities. No place for them in this forum.
Sorry Amit, I am a former Indian too, a non-Muslim at that like you, and I strongly reject your hateful opinion. I don't see anywhere here where Fareed supports Iran - but you guys refuse to see what is plainly obvious. All Fareed is saying that even an extremist country like Iran shows that it values self-preservation (which is the only definition of 'rational' he uses - no more!), and we should use that effectively in dealing with it. This is a far cry from say, Pakistani militants who may not worry about their own annihilation and if so would be a lot harder to intimidate, pressurize or negotiate with.
The clucks of these "chicken hawks" are deafening. They want to invade Iran. And then what? It will be another repeat of Iraq. Trillions of dollars down the toilet. As soon as the U.S. withdraws, Iran starts it up again.
The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. These "chicken hawks" are definitely insane.
I've had enough of this dweeb telling us the fascist thugs Iran are rational and logical. Go peddle your propaganda to some naive college kids.
This article strikes me as bizarrely absurd. If Zakaria really believes that a society driven basically by slavish devotion to the imaginary wishes of an imaginary and bloodthirsty god is rational, then he almost surely resides psychologically 'beyond the looking glass', in spite of his mental agility and verbal competence.
The fact remains that Gen. Dempsey's illogical words were like a big drop of honey in Zakaria's mouth.
No wonder we see all this PURPORTED rationale around that from Zakaria which I am sure Gen. Dempsey may himself may never have envisaged!
these chicken hawks are israeli swamp dogs polluting internet, all media with their BS.
Its about time we started working towards a greater Israel. They have tried to work with their hateful neighbors, but its obvious that won't work with Muslims. So Go Israel! Go USA!
Lets expand our presence by partnering with Israel and make a buffer zone with half of Lebanon, half of Syria, half of Jordan and if anyone else raises a hand lets just nuke the hateful losers.
Rational actor is a political science and Mr. Zakaria defined it perfectly. Iran is the academic definition of a rational actor. They're not some suicidal cult bent on destroying the world.
People criticizing the article are just showing how uneducated/biased they are.
I understand the definition now, makes sense. It makes more sense when compared to a group like Al Qaeda who don't care if they die. However I still consider Iran a threat and let's not forget the hostage crisis, their current president was part of that!
The one thing you will NEVER EVER see in any of Mr. Zakaria's articles is an HONEST ADMISSION of the role of ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS IDEOLOGY in the actions of these rogue Islamic nations and Jihadists.
So his analysis are always skewed and can NEVER BE TAKEN AS FAIR & BALANCED!.
What I find very disturbing is that when Israel calls for a trike on Iran, it is not just calling for a strike but rather for an all out war that would more or less destabilized the region. And I may add that it would be a war that would last not months but years. Third, I may also add that such a wide spread conflict would more or less lead to perhaps WWIII! Has Israel calculated the risks and consequences? I applaud President Obama for calling on Netenyahu to exercise restrains and allow for sanctions and diplomacy to work!
Furthermore, the reality is if diplomacy is going to work, it won't happen overnight as it seldom does! However, from a historical standpoint, diplomacy has a higher ratio of success in achieving peace than war has! Therefore, it is very important that Mr. Netenyahu cool it and allow diplomacy to work. Again, if you attack Iran, it is not going to shy away and not retaliate! Iran would retaliate and this would just result in a large scale conflict that would again, destabilized the region and the entire world.
Or, the US would partner with Israel and obliterate Iran's retaliatory capabilities in a week or two.
When Israel took out reactors in iraq and syria was that an all out war? No, and they arent calling for one now...why do you think that Israel is trying to persuade the world to stop this madness diplomatically? Because they dont want war....but will if they have to defend their nation.....when a religious fanatic muslim who kills his own people and supports all muslim terrorist groups says he will destroy your country and is building nukes...you dont just sit there and wish it doesnt happen...you prepare to not allow it to happen............stupid....
Iran ain't Syria or Iraq and this aint the 1980's. Iran is well armed as it has a very capable airforce, it has sophisticated long and short range ballistic missiles, it has an air bourne division and several Kilo class Soviet stealt submarines that could be used to launch missiles at Israel or used in an amphibious invasion of Israel. Plus it builds its own weaponry and is fully equipped for a long drawn out war and it has a one milliom man army. Yes, Iran is alot more advance than Syria and Iraq and it is fully capable of invading and defeating Israel.
Iran hates the USA and Israel for one reason only, we are not Muslims.
It has nothing to do with us not being Muslim! The animosity has more or less to do with our double standard Middle east foreign policy where we allow Israel to keep expanding their settlements on disputed land for one. Secondly, alot of the outrage has to to with us not condemning and restraining Israel from indiscriminately bombing refugee villages, schools and hospitals in retaliation for some groups throwing stones and rockets into Israel. Our double standard foreign policy is the problem!
We have a double standard in the ME for the same reason we had a double standard in 1930s Europe regarding Britain vs Germany. If it wasn't for our dependency on oil we wouldn't even consider balancing our policy.
Oh you mean Israel was mistaken, that was not an anti tank missile fired at a school bus, it was just a rock?? You dummy liar....Israel doesnt target civilians...only muslims kill babies and old ladies in cafes or when they are in their bed sleeping......you loser liar dummy....
"Rational" actors in this usage implies following a logical course of action based upon an analysis of cost benefits. It does not deal with issue of the premises from which should calcualtions ensue, i.e., the "content." Many psychotic individuals follow highly rational course of action, but unfortunately they actions on based on grossly faulty premises. In the case of Iran, the facts that they can be rational/logical is not very comforting if their core premise is that the wrold is evil and must be expunged of all but the true believers. The Nazis were highly rational. So was Stalin. But they were despotic madmen all the same, following premises of annihilation of the other to their horrific conclusions. Thus to say Iran is rational is actually of no comfort, and indeed, no import one way or the other, except perhaps that we can predict their behavior as logically following their goals. Iran currently is paranoid and like all paranoids, creates the conditions they ostensibly dread via their alienating, bellicose conduct.
Dr. Dave,
Perhaps rationality is not what should be used i this context since we are dealing with very irrational view of the World - "chosen people" thus the right to occupy and murder innocent people and those on high moral ground allowing themselves to decide who is evil and who should be expunged. But consider survival instinct which is universal and even the non-jews are believed to have it. Would a country like iran which ranks 20 in military attack Israel a nuclear (over two hundred warheads) power ranking 5 in the World? Does this make any sense or it just blows the cover
Diplomacy won't work. If that is not clear by now, then you have been living in a cave.
Iran will build a nuclear capability and ICBMs to reach the US within five years.
President Obama won't stop them. Israel might slow them down a little, but they can't be stopped unless we use nuclear weapons or invade. We are not going to do either.
Iran will then have a nuclear detente umbrella under which to operate to spread their hate and lies throughout the region and the world.
Any attack on Iran should take out their internal security/intelligence apparatus allowing the Persian people to reclaim their country.
This article is spot on – and what it says is that Iran WILL build a bomb. That is the rational thing for them to do.
They MAY choose not to use it openly, but they certainly could hand one to a terrorist organization, and in any case it will constrain all operations in the Gulf and probably set off an arms race – if Iran has a bomb, you can bet that Saudi Arabia will want one, and likely Kuwait, Egypt, and anyone else that feels threatened.
If thats OK with you, then Obama is your guy. If its not, please vote for someone else.
There's no proof that Iran will or wants to build a nuclear bomb but what is CLEAR is that if Israel was to attack Iran, that unprovoked attack would certainly destabilized the region and make things a thousand times worst because it would start a long drawn out war and eventually lead to WWIII!
Or maybe Israel will take out the nuke sites, US will neutralize Iranian military and keep the oil flowing, and Hizbollah will be wiped out in a couple weeks?
Iran might be the most rational actor in the middle east. They are asserting themselves very persistently and we've handed them Iraq (smart) a country they couldn't beat on the battlefield. Should they like the USA. They are a democracy – albeit one we don't understand. We deposed their elected guy in '53 and imposed a despot. We shot down a civilian airliner of theirs in '88 (oops! sorry!) We've been at cold war with them for 30 years and its has worked too well; its time to change it. Our ally Israel intentially near destroyed the USN Liberty in '67; the Saudis gave us the 9/11 hijackers, Pakistan has a bomb and had Bin Laden. Iran isn't as irrational as our antipathy.
Then all the Iranian calls for "Death to America" are ok with you?
Iran "rational"? You should be fired for this outrageous assertion.
This Fakeer guy or whatever his name is, is always putting the US second, have u noticed that? When it comes to Pakistan or any other middle east or asian country, this guy is simply happy to remind us that the U.S.A is no longer what it used to be and it should get used to it. Fakir will do anything to excuse what Iran or other countries, besides the USA, want to do to endanger global peace. He always hints that he's for USA's values but then turns around and defends, he thinks he does it logically, the "enemy". Then again, Fakeer has the same train of thought as our president, so that shouldn't surprise me or you that he's talking this way.
No idea of how this guy got to have his own show on CNN, apparently CNN is desperate to attract weird people from wherever, particularly those who do not approve of US policies.
Paul: Let me guess - you must be a bald middle aged white male; probably drive a pickup; own a couple of AK47s; and probably have no savings. Correct?
this guy is hopped up , in the tank for the left, and does not have prevalent american views – outrageous
All the world is a stage. We are all "actors" in one way or another. Political posturing for power has and will always continue. We keep finding ways to keep a cap on everyone. Nobody wants war. So how do we deal with this? International relations, policies, NATO, selling weapons, etc. This is all adding flavor to the soup. A genuine change of heart is needed. Repentance if you will. Religion aside, morals and ethics of an individual supersede anything else. It's thing on-going enmity that keeps the embers hot. Why? Why is there such hatred? Why? Tradition? Pride? These people need to grow up and get over wanting to have all the toys in the sandbox. Grow up! Let go of Greed, Pride, hate. It does not go to anyone.
When Saddam Hussein said Iraq didn't have WMD's, did we think he was being rational? No, we invaded and destabilized his country, murdered him, his two sons and tens of thousands of Iraquis. Now Iraq is destabilized for the next hundred years! And GWB? Yea we though he was the rational one! Well, only in America!
Are you just that ill-informed or are you lying?
TO UNDERSTAND MR.ZAKARIA:
a) Don’t get carried away by reading just one article
b) Read his sequence of articles to get a clear picture where he is leading you.
c) On Iran just 2 days ago he said that we are pressurizing Iran just too much, now he says they are a rational actor and points to other countries in the area which possessing Nukes, disregarding the fact that none of them have threatened Iran, next will be his call for nuke free zone in the ME asking Israel to come clean (knowing too well it’s a non-starter and a huge impediment to peace in the region), next he calls for solving the Israel-Palestine problem in line with Hamas demands (ultimately aimed at destroying the Jewish nation).
I usually agree with Zakaria, but I do not see Iran as rational. No theocracy is ever rational.
Excellent and wise words from one of the best thinkers and wisest reporters and commentators around in our media!! Everything Fareed said is right on the money. Iran will NEVER attack anyone because that would be a definite suicide for government, people and the country!! If Iran ever decides to build a few bombs (and if), Israel will always have the upper hand as they have hundreds more bombs with more accuracy, power, and effectiveness than whatever Iran can muster up. Nobody in their rational mind in Iran would ever think about using the nuke bomb...that is why this was a perfect question about the rationality of Iranian leaders.....Good job Fareed, even though your fair comments will always draw attacks from war mongers and the Neocons as well as the Zionists, AIPAC and their bought politicians who would do anything for money and power at the expense of our middle class and poor!! Well Done Fareed!!
You could have created a smaller answer by just saying, "Iran is rational when it comes to their views on self-peservation. However, they have irrational tendencies in other aspects of problem as a whole."
So is Israel being rational for continuing to build settlements on disputed land and adding fuel to the fire?
Is Hamas being rational when they lob uncontrolled rockets towards civilian areas?
Yes they're!
Why should Israel leave that land when tghey know it will be used for rocket attacks against them, that is why they are building settlements. They know vbetter than to trust what Mahmoud Abbas says
I understand the explanation of what a rational actor is, but to say Iran is a rational actor, don't they have to first change their behaviors in reaction to the pressures put on them? If they continue to resist sanctions no matter how damaging to their socio/economic situation and never change...wouldn't that make them an irrational actor? Guess I'm saying it's still too early to say they are rational.
Fareed, even Democrats can sound rational some of the time. You seem to put a lot of stock in their story that they're concerned about the other nations around them that have nukes. Yeah, that sounds like a reasonable argument but, you choose to ignore their stated intention to wipe out Israel. Donald Duck threatening to kick Superman's ass. How rational is that?
يسعى رئيس وزراء العراق نوري المالكي جاهداً لتحقيق انعقاد مؤتمر القمة العربية المزمع انعقاده ببغداد في 29 آذار الجاري بأي ثمن يدفع، وعلى أي صورة تكون حتى ولو لساعات ثم ينفض الاجتماع؛ المهم أن رئاسة الدورة العربية ولمدة عام أو لحين انعقاد المؤتمر القادم تكون بيده. يترافق هذا الحرص من جانب المالكي وحكومته على الرغم من امتعاض إيران وعدم رغبتها لانعقاد المؤتمر في بغداد! هل تعرفون لماذا؟ سأشرح لكم ذلك بعد قليل.
تردد واضح يشيع في أوساط الدول العربية خصوصاً الخليجية وسط مخاطر متوقعة لا يستهان بها قد تصل إلى حد التحضير لاغتيال شخصيات معينة من قبل الحرس الثوري الإيراني الذي يصول ويجول في بلاد الرافدين، وعزلة يعانيها النظام مع محيطه العربي. وحتى لحظة كتابة هذه الحروف لم تحسم موافقة أغلب الدول على حضور المؤتمر، وإن كانت التصريحات كلها إلى جانب الحضور. هذا وجهود أمين الجامعة العربية نبيل العربي واضحة في الحرص على انعقاد المؤتمر في المكان والزمان المحددين!
أعطى المالكي في سبيل هدفه هذا تنازلات عديدة، وأعلن عن تصريحات غريبة آخرها أنه لا يقف إلى جانب الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد، وأن وقت رحيله قد حان. وزاد فعزز ذلك بإنهاء الوساطة التي تبرع بها قبل حوالي شهرين في سبيل إنهاء (الأزمة) أي الثورة السورية. عساه أن يطمئن العرب ويقنعهم بسلامة نيته، وأنه لن يخرج عن الخط العربي في أي قرار سيتخذ.
العجيب أن الإشارة تلقفها أمس برهان غليون رئيس المجلس الوطني للثورة السورية وبسرعة خاطفة، قائلاً ما معناه: ما دام أن الجانب العراقي قال بأنه لا يقف إلى جانب النظام السوري فهذا يكفي رغم ما بدر منه سابقاً! معقباً بكل ما في السياسة من (حسن ظن): "الحكومة العراقية تعتقد أنه لم يبق للرئيس السوري بشار الأسد أي حظوظ في البقاء في السلطة"! فلا أدري هل هي (طيبة قلب)؟ أم وراء الأكمة ما وراءها؟ وهل يسمح لنا الأستاذ غليون أن نستعير رؤيته (الثاقبة) للأحداث كي نؤسس لقاعدة جديدة على منطق السياسة: افعل ما تشاء.. اذبح، اقتل، قاتل، موّل، ادعم... كل ذلك يشطب بجرة تصريح؟! إذن لماذا لا يشمل رئيسه بشار بهذه (القاعدة الذهبية) الجديدة؟
ما هي أهداف الحكومة العراقية من وراء المؤتمر
قبل الإجابة عن هذا السؤال أترككم مع هذه الأخبار التي تتمتع بنسبة عالية من التأكيد:
1. بتاريخ 1/2/2012 عقد نوري المالكي اجتماعاً مع عدد من قياديي حزب الدعوة وأبلغهم بما يلي:
· ان موافقة العراق على موقف العرب من سوريا إنما لترغيب القادة العرب وسحب أرجلهم لحضور المؤتمر وضمان عدم مقاطعتهم له.
· المؤتمر سيكون فرصة ذهبية لمحاولة إجراء مصالحة سورية – عربية مع بشار الأسد أو مع من يمثله.
· الحرص على حضور أبرز القادة العرب وخاصة (السعودية وقطر ومصر)؛ فإن عدم حضورهم "يبعث رسالة الى أمريكا بأن الحكومة العراقية قد فشلت في كسر عزلتها عن المحيط العربي، وأن هذا سيكون عامل ضعف بارز في علاقة حكومتنا مع الإدارة الأمريكية".
· السعي لكسب تأييد القادة العرب وخاصة دولة الكويت لإخراج العراق من البند السابع. (حتى يتسنى للمالكي الاستبداد بأمور العراق على أوسع مدياته؛ بعد رفع يد الأمم المتحدة عنه. فهل يعي سياسيو سنة العراق المطالبين بإخراج العراق من أحكام البند السابع أنه ليس من مصلحتهم ذلك؟ وأما آن الأوان ليدركوا أن هناك شرخاً عميقاً وواسعاً قد حصل بين مصلحة العراق ومصلحة السنة، وأن "المشروع الوطني" قد بات خنجراً مسموماً في قلب السنة بعد أن كان في ظهرهم؟).
· إن العراق سيرأس معظم اللجان والنشاطات المرتبطة بقرارات ونتائج القمة وستنتقل الرئاسة من يد قطر التي تقود التحرك العربي ضد لبشار الاسد الى حكومة المالكي الحليف العربي الأول له ولنظامه. وبوجود أمين عام ضعيف للجامعة يمتثل لإرادة العراق (لماذا) سيسهل على العراق إدارة الازمة السورية كما يريد.
2. بتاريخ 20/1/2012 أخبر إبراهيم الجعفري مستشار الأمن الوطني فالح الفياض بأن القيادة الأمريكية أوعزت لأياد علاوي أن يستغل علاقاته مع بعض الدول العربية وخاصة الخليجية منها لتشجيعها على حضور مؤتمر القمة العربية مقابل تعهد الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية بالضغط على نوري المالكي لتقديم تنازلات للقائمة العراقية.
3. كما أوفد نوري المالكي وزير الدفاع وكالة سعدون الدليمي إلى القاهرة في حوالي يوم 18/1/2012 لترتيب الأمور مع أمين الجامعة العربية نبيل العربي في لقاء سري بينهما.
4. أما ما يخص إيران فبتاريخ 7/1/2012 اجتمع قاسم سليماني قائد فيلق القدس التابع للحرس الثوري والمسؤول عن ملف العراق مع علي الأديب القيادي في حزب الدعوة ووزير التعليم العالي في مقر الحرس الثوري الإيراني في مدينة كرمنشاه وبدون علم نوري المالكي لوضع خطة لاستهداف بعض القادة العرب أثناء انعقاد المؤتمر، وإلقاء مسؤولية تنفيذ العملية على خلية تابعة لتنظيم القاعدة العامل في جزيرة العرب. هذا وقد تسربت أخبار عن عزم نوري المالكي على زيارة ايران قبل انعقاد القمة العربية في بغداد لاستلام التوجيهات اللازمة حول الملفات التي سيناقشها العراق مع قادة الدول العربية، سيما تلك المتعلقة بسوريا. ولدعوة القيادة الايرانية إلى أن توعز إلى المجاميع الشيعية المسلحة المرتبطة بها في العراق أن تتوقف عن تنفيذ عمليات إرهابية للفترة قبل وأثناء انعقاد المؤتمر.
باختصار
يمكننا أن نختصر أهم الأهداف التي يريد المالكي تحقيقها من خلال المؤتمر بما يلي:
1. يعاني النظام الشيعي الحاكم في العراق من عزلة عربية خانقة لا سيما من قبل المملكة العربية السعودية وبعض دول الخليج، وما يتبع ذلك من قلق تجاه شرعية تسلطه على العراق، إذن ستحقق القمة له إضفاء مزيد من الشرعية وكسب تأييد الدول العربية لكسر عزلته معها.
2. وعلى عكس ما يتظاهر به النظام من الانسحاب من تأييد النظام السوري فإن المالكي يريد من وراء انعقاد القمة في بغداد تحييد مواقف الدول العربية المتشددة من النظام السوري للحيلولة دون سقوطه.
3. التمكن أكثر من تحقيق أجندات وأهداف إيرانية وسورية، لحكومته التي تعاني من العزلة العربية، واستغلال رئاسة الحكومة العراقية لدورة الجامعة العربية التي ستستمر لمدة عام في تنفيذ المخططات خدمة لتلك الأهداف.
4. أما ممانعة إيران لعقد المؤتمر في بغداد فلخشيتها من أن يكون للعرب أي موطئ قدم في العراق، كي تحقق انفرادها الكامل به وبحكومته، وإفساد أي فرصة، ولو كانت تافهة، للتقارب بين الطرفين. والتفجيرات الأخيرة في بغداد كانت هي وراءها لتعكير الوضع الأمني خدمة لهدفها المذكور!
ملاحظة هامشية
بتاريخ 29/1/2012 عقد اجتماع ضم كلاً من نوري المالكي والفريق زهير الغرباوي مدير جهاز المخابرات ووكيله سمير حداد والعميد ( هندرين ) مدير الشؤون الفنية في الجهاز لوضع خطة فنية عن زرع مقرات إقامة القادة العرب بكاميرات مراقبة وأجهزة تنصت حديثة حصل عليها جهاز المخابرات من الجانبين الأمريكي والبريطاني، والتجسس على اتصالات أعضاء الوفود فيما بينهم والاستفادة من ذلك في عمليات توريط وابتزاز سياسي لتجنيد من يمكن تجنيده من أعضاء الوفود.
ما لا أريد قوله
في ضوء المعطيات الآنفة الذكر تكون الدول التي ستشارك في مؤتمر القمة العربية المزمع عقده في بغداد، شريكة للمالكي وحكومته في المسؤولية الشرعية أمام الله تعالى عن أي جهد يضاف، بناء على حضورهم المؤتمر وما سينبني عليه، إلى جهود هؤلاء المجرمين الحثيثة في إنهاء الوجود السني العربي في العراق، وما يترتب على ذلك الجهد من قتل وتنكيل بإخواننا في سوريا على يد النظام الحاكم هناك. ألا وإن الله تعالى يقول: (وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ مَسْئُولُونَ) (الصافات:24). ألا وإننا كلنا ماضون في النهاية إلى الله جل في علاه، وكلنا سنقف بين يديه. فماذا نحن له قائلون؟
إلى ديانِ يومِ الدينِ نمضي وعندَ اللهِ تجتمعُ الخصومُ
English please or have you no manners????
from google translate; unedited by me
Seek the Prime Minister of Iraq Nouri al-Maliki has struggled to achieve the Arab Summit to be held in Baghdad on 29 March this at any price paid, and on any image to be even for hours and then closed the meeting; it is important that the presidency of the Arab for one year or until the next Conference to be in his hands. Accompanied by the steady hand of Maliki and his government despite the resentment of Iran and its unwillingness to hold the conference in Baghdad! Do you know why? I will explain it to you shortly.
Frequency and a clear common among Gulf Arab states, especially the center of potential risks does not have a significant amount to the preparation of the assassination of certain figures by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which in and wanders Mesopotamia, and the isolation experienced by the system with the Arab world. Even the moment of writing these letters has not been resolved to the approval of most of the countries attending the conference, but all the statements together with the audience. The efforts of the Secretary of the Arab League Nabil Arab and clear concern for the conference at the place and time specified!
Maliki gave the sake of this goal many concessions, and announced the latest outlandish comments that do not stand by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and that the time of his departure has come. He added that reinforcing to end the mediation donated by about two months ago to end (the crisis) any Syrian Revolution. Is going to reassure Arabs and convince them of the safety of his intention, and that he will not deviate from the Arabic calligraphy in any decision taken.
Strange that the reference yesterday seized in proof pipe chairman of the National Syrian revolution with lightning speed, saying something to the effect: as long as the Iraqi side said that he does not stand by the Syrian regime, it is enough, despite his behavior earlier! Commenting on everything from politics (good thought): "The Iraqi government believes that it was left to the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad a chance to stay in power!" I do not know is it (good heart)? Or behind a hill and beyond? Does it allow us to borrow Professor pipe vision (vision) of the events in order to establish a new base on the logic of politics: Do what you want .. Slay, kill, killer, Mall, Support ... Each stroke of the delete statement?! So why does not include President Bashar these (Golden Rule) new?
What are the objectives of the Iraqi government from behind the Conference
Before answering this question I leave you with this news, which has a high proportion of emphasis:
1. On 1/2/2012 Nuri al-Maliki held a meeting with a number of leaders of the Dawa Party and told them the following:
· Iraq's acceptance of the position of the Arabs from Syria, but to cajole the Arab leaders and pull their legs to attend the conference and ensure that their boycott him.
· The Conference will be a golden opportunity to try to reconcile Syria – Bashar al-Assad with an Arab or with his representative.
· Ensure the presence of the most prominent Arab leaders, especially (Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt); the lack of presence "sends a message to America that the Iraqi government has failed to break its isolation from the Arab world, and that this would be a factor twice the senior relationship our government with the U.S. administration."
· Seeking to win the support of Arab leaders, especially the State of Kuwait to remove Iraq from Chapter VII. (So that the owners of despotism things Iraq on the wider Mdyate; after lifting by the United Nations about it. Is aware of the politicians of Iraq's Sunnis claimants remove Iraq from the provisions of Chapter VII, it is not in their interest to that? But the time has come to realize that there is a deep rift and wide had happened between the interests of Iraq and the interest of the year, and that the "national project" has become a poisoned dagger in the heart of the year after that was in their back?).
· The most committees will be chaired by Iraq and the activities associated with the decisions and the results of the summit and the presidency will pass from the hands of Qatar, which leads the Arab move against Bashar al-Assad to the Maliki government ally, the first Arab to him and his regime. And the presence of Secretary General of the Poor of the University to comply with the will of Iraq (why) will facilitate the management of the Iraq crisis, the Syrian as he wants.
2. On 01/20/2012 Tell Ibrahim al-Jaafari's national security adviser Faleh Al-Fayad, that the U.S. leadership instructed to Ayad Allawi, to take advantage of his relations with some Arab countries, particularly the Gulf of them to encourage them to attend the Arab summit conference exchange for a pledge the United States pressure on Nouri al-Maliki to make concessions to the Iraqi list.
3. Nuri al-Maliki also sent Defense Minister Saadoun al-Dulaimi agency to Cairo at about day 18/1/2012 to sort things out with the Secretary of the Arab League, Arab, Nabil in a secret meeting between them.
4. As regards Iran Fbtarich 7/1/2012 met Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards in charge of the Iraq issue with the writer the leader of the Dawa Party and Minister of Higher Education at the headquarters of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in the city of Kermanshah and without the knowledge of Nuri al-Maliki to develop a plan to target some of the leaders Arabs during the conference, and take responsibility for the implementation process on a cell belonging to the al-Qaeda Group in the Arabian Peninsula. This news has been leaked for the determination of Nuri al-Maliki to visit Iran before the Arab summit in Baghdad to receive the necessary instructions about the files to be discussed Iraq with the leaders of Arab countries, especially those related to Syria. The invitation to the Iranian leadership to direct that the Shiite armed groups associated with them in Iraq to stop terrorist operations for the period before and during the conference.
Short
We can shorten the most important goals that Maliki wants to achieve through the conference including the following:
1. System suffers Iraq's ruling Shi'ite isolation Arab stifling especially by Saudi Arabia and some Gulf states, and consequent concerns about the legitimacy of not once to Iraq, so will the summit has to give more legitimacy and gain the support of Arab countries to break the isolation with her.
2. Contrary to what it pretends to order the withdrawal of the Syrian regime's support for the Maliki wants from behind the summit in Baghdad neutralize the hardline positions of the Arab States of the Syrian regime to prevent the fall.
3. More than being able to achieve the goals and agendas of Iran and Syria, for his government, which suffers from isolation, Arab, and the exploitation of the presidency of the Iraqi government to the session of the Arab League, which will last for a year in the implementation of service plans for those goals.
4. As for Iran's reluctance to hold the conference in Baghdad Vlkhchitha that the Arabs have no foothold in Iraq, to achieve complete exclusivity him and his government, and spoil any chance, even if trivial, the convergence between the parties. The recent bombings in Baghdad was the behind the disturbing security service said its goal!
Note marginal
On 29/1/2012 a meeting comprised of Nuri al-Maliki and the team Zuhair Gharbawi intelligence chief, and his agent, Samir Haddad, Dean (Hendrin) Director of Technical Affairs in the device to plan art for the laying of the headquarters of the establishment of the Arab leaders with surveillance cameras and listening devices newly obtained intelligence from American and British sides, and to spy on communications delegates among themselves and take advantage of this in the implicate and political blackmail to recruit can be recruited from members of the delegations.
What do not I want to say
In light of the data mentioned above are the countries that will participate in the Arab Summit to be held in Baghdad, a partner of the owners and government responsibility legitimacy before God for any effort is added, based on their attendance of the Conference and will be based upon, to the efforts of these criminals tireless efforts in ending the presence Sunni Arab in Iraq, and the subsequent effort to kill and torture our brothers in Syria at the hands of the regime there. Truly Allah Almighty says: (and they are responsible Qvohm) (Saffat: 24). Not all of us and we're going to God in the end most of the gaze, and we all will stand in his hands. What we have Qailon?
Diane to go and the day of judgment when God will meet liabilities
The Zionists will stop at nothing... conflict, wars, threats, instability, creating havoc for neighbors suits them perfectly... that is how they survive... that is their agenda!! How else the world would continue supporting their survival!! We have been financing them for years..every Israeli citizen costs us $110k per annum...whilst we have millions of homeless, a vanishing middle class, no health care for millions..BUT Romney, Santorum and Gingrich have promised to protect and finance Israel and its mischiefs with EVRY FIBER of their fat bodies!!! Israel = AIPA = Destruction = WAR = 1% = Crooked politicians = Miser for millions of Americans... This is an undeniable fact!!
What's undeniable is your lunacy.
Which part of it do you have problems with? Israel only cares about itself... their officials even thought about taking Obama out!! Which part of it hard for you to comprehend? Do some research!! Israel = AIPAC = Destruction = WAR = 1% = Crooked politicians = Misery for millions of Americans... This is an undeniable fact!! Gingrich has apparently promised his number one financier that the first thing he would do after he took office (in his wild dreams) is to attack Iran!! No mater what the consequences it would bring to our economy, men and women in uniform, environment, future of hour children, and ordinary Americans!! I would say his allegiance is to Israel NOT USA!!! GOP motto Israel's well being at any cost even to USA!!! Good going guys!! You have been bought!!
First off, you can't do math. $110,000 per year per Israeli per year? That would be over one TRILLION dollars per year. Second, Zionists survive through war? Israel is part of the Western world, leading in high-tech, medicine, even clean energy. If their neighbors would leave them alone there would be no conflict. As for corrupt politicians they support Israel because the vast majority of American citizens support Israel, not the other way around.
Well said!
Rational Iran, that's something new. It was Iran that said, "we want to wipe out Israel," and that the U.S, "is the great Satan." "Islam is the only true religion." Again Zakaria, you got your facts mixed up. When an irrational regime indicates it's hate to the Western nations, then there is a real problem.
Again, you are showing your Islamic tendencies. We duscussed this when you were at Newsweek, and your feelings for the poor arabs living in such conditions in Paris in the HLM's. Everynight torching cars, raping girls, so volitile that the police don't want to enter these areas. Ofcourse, Sharia4Belgium, Sharia4Uk are just pranks, yes? Geert Wilders in Holland said correctly, Islam is a bad religion, based on hate. I would like any newscaster to tell it like it is, rather than thinking this is just a passing problem. In Europe where I live, the problem will explode one of these days. IThe ultra-extreme have a rallying point, and it is to get rid of the Islamic menace. Can you blame them?
Using American made cluster bombs and rockets on refugee villages, schools and hospitals and dropping a two thousand pound bomb on a clearly marked UN compound with peace keepers is what you would perhaps call rational and justified? Selling nuclear technology to the oppressive Apartheid government of South Africa is perhaps what's rational to you? Decades of ethnic cleansing and genocide against Palestine and Lebanon is perhaps what's rational to you?
Who's side are you on anyway? These people need to be sanctioned, a term from the cold war days, and anyone who feels as they do. How the government can let this comedy continue is far beyond me.
why would anyone believe the iranian regime even if they think they are rational. they are liars, its a pilar in their regime. their regime is built on it. just as the communists that the regime but under the nife and in the dirt just after the revolution. a muslim has the full permission of god to lie as long as it is to save ones self or to protect and better islam. and the regime thinks they are islam. so why would they not lie to anyone and everyone. its okay. so irrational or rational actor doesnt matter.
"If you look at Mao's China, he talked openly about destroying the world and about sacrificing half of China so that global communism could survive. The Iranians never talk like that and they certainly don't do things like that." OH REALLY – Like wiping Israel off the map. Please, you also claimed that the Muslim Brotherhood was "Harmless". You are biased and danagerous because you have an ear by those who thing you know what you are talking about.
Israel = AIPAC = Destruction = WAR = 1% = Crooked politicians = Misery for millions of Americans... This is an undeniable fact!! Gingrich has apparently promised his number one financier that the first thing he would do after he took office (in his wild dreams) is to attack Iran!! No mater what the consequences it would bring to our economy, men and women in uniform, environment, future of hour children, and ordinary Americans!! I would say his allegiance is to Israel NOT USA!!! GOP motto Israel's well being at any cost even to USA!!! Good going guys!! You have been bought!!
What are you willing to give them to appease them?
And remember Nazi Germany was also a rational actor when Mr Chamberlain Made his historic visit.
Mr. Zakaria:
Do you call rational the shooting of an unarmed peaceful young lady in Tehran last year?
As I said before mr. zak....How much is Iran paying you for this?
Do you call our torture chambers all over the world rational? Do you call Abu Gharib rational? Whatever they do or have done. as bad and as stupid they have been, we have done a thousand times worse!!! They have done a lot of bad things but nothing comparing to us, Israel, Saudi, British, French, etc. etc.? That is why we have to look for true peace and harmony though negotiation and dialogue!!
norm. you are talking about a lady in Iran.Have you forgot what Americans did in IRAQ. Americans are biggest fools.
Holy Subversives, Batman. Is this guy Zarkaria syndicated out of Iran?
He is hired so that people don't think that CNN is a Jew lobby. Mr Zakaria has no other significance.
@Animesh Ray:
Your concept of any equilibrium (like Mutual Assured Destruction-MAD) between Israeli & Iranian nukes simply does not exist, NOT with radicals Islamists who invite death as a path to Allah!
It's not that the missiles will rain in from the air on Israel, even if that’s so, they may NOT be launched one at a time to enable the Israeli air defences to shoot them down or may even be launched from Gaza. Nukes can be bundled into a suit case bomb that can be smuggled in from Gaza (with the help of the Turks & Egyptians!). There's expertise for building such bombs all over the place – Pakistanis, de-commissioned Russian scientists and even the internet !
So, you have not considered the suicide bombers and Israel’s' own Arab population at least some of whom will gladly do what their brethren wants (just as in America, Europe, India everywhere!)
Jerusalem is NOT Mecca also the holiest place for Judaism and Christianity. In fact Jerusalem was stolen from Jews & Christians just as it has happened all over India, Spain, Turkey, WTC site etc.!
Sorry, I don’t agree with your rationale!
Wake up you morons Israel carried out the 911 attacks on us to get their wars in the middle east just like they killed our soldiers aboard the USS Liberty and tried to frame Egypt for their very Jewish crime. Wake up!
ZAKARIA go to Iran you and Obama. You both don't deserve to be here. You will have a good time with the mullahs. Obama would be welcomed by his cousins the shia of Iran.
Zakaria's comment on the mindset of the Iranian Mullahs and Leadership only emboldens their deceitful actions and malicious intent. The world should not lose sight of what Iran has been complicit in for over 30 years, including the killing directly or via proxy of US servicemen and women. It is important that every effort be made to resolve this crisis through negotiations, but to award the other side with comments of this nature is counterproductive. We should not forget the words of Chamberlain after his meeting with Hitler in 1938 : "Peace in Our Time", apparently Fareed Zakaria has forgotten this history lesson and I would assume that he would characterize Hitler's 'Mein Kampf" leading to his genocidal actions as being a "rational actor" ?!
Zakaria is an Obama and middle-east defender! And CNN's Islamic face – after the media was painted run by Jews by Muslims especially during Obama campaign in 2008!!!!
Come on Sam be a rational actor
Truly – you are both dilusional AND beyond poorly informed.
Maybe should add "also in sympathy with fanaticism given the content of your little rant".
"Iran is 'RATIONAL'??"
Usually have a lot of respect for your positions Fareed – the not this time.
Iran is the poster-child for a DYSTOPIC REGIME !!!!
There is no "rational".
So Zakaria is elite CNN's radical liberal face!! I don't even care what he says.
Then why are you commenting on his column? Countries operate in their own self interest. Israel and Iran were actually on good terms at one time. Iran was also helpful to us after 911 with Al Qaeda.They are a Shiite country and naturally side with those elements in Iraq, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia who they view as brothers being mistreated. Many of Iraq's current leadership received safe harbor in Iran duting the Sadam Hussein regime. They see themselves surrounded by hostile nations.We aided the British in the overthrow of their democraticslly elected leader in 1953. We used the Shah as a puppet.We invaded their neighboring country of Iraq. After Israel's occupation of Lebanon, they see Lebanon as a buffer. Their allies are Palestinians.so they take up the cause .Overtures that they made during the Bush administration were ignored. They were dubbbed the Axis of Evil. The military expenditures of Israel and Saudi Arabia let alone the United States dwarf their puny effort.They legitimately have something to fear. Their scientist are being blown up on a regular basis.Their facilities are being hacked.They are suffering from a tough embargo. Our efforts against them may actually be making a case for them to seek a nuclear option. Talks with Turkey looked promissing but were not pursued. This is a regional problem and it is complex requiring a solution to the Israeli–Palestinian situation, the protection of human rights,and safeguards insuring the security of nations. Just calling someone Muslim as an excuse to see all sides of the issue is not a rational response. It is a bigoted one.
All people in CNN are Israeli agents.Mr Zakaria can't do anything without Israeli permission.
Fareed – I have often wondered where you were coming from. With a simple internet search, I now have it figured out. But first, when the Libya "issue" was at hand, you were like a vicious dog biting at the President's feet, hourly, all those few days before we attacked – goading the President of the United States to "do something". You never used the term "rational" and "sanctions" with Libya. At that time, only a couple hundred civilians had been killed in, what could be described as an armed insurrection, in Libya. So we went in and destroyed a legitimate, perhaps unsavory, sovereign government and its head of state was murdered – killed without trial. At least Saddam Hussein under Bush received a trial before being executed by the state. But where are you now on Syria? To date, about ten thousand civilians have been killed. This has been going on for months. Your advice: "For now, I think we should continue isolating the Syrian regime." (your words, 12 Feb 2012). Here is the difference between Libya and Syria (besides the massive numbers of civilian deaths in Syria, versus Libya): Syria is an Islamic, non-western and non-Israeli friendly country, aligned with Iran. Libya USED TO BE western friendly and now is being taken over by Islamic extremists. And, how about you, Mr. Zakaria? You are a muslim (go look it up in the WIKI). So who, that is interested in the truth, can deny it? It is NO SURPRISE that you would call Iran rational. It is no surprise that you would call for restraint on a client state of Iran – i.e., Syria. You have no credibility.
Bill P:
Agree with everything.
I understand my former countryman from India Mr. Zakaria just too well.
Just check out my responses here. There are many.
Amit – I looked at some of your posts. And I find agreement. Where I might expand is that, as a Christian, I am not inclined to believe that Israel could be destroyed. God is not done with them. His current purpose and future plan for Israel takes precedence over anything that Zakaria, Satan, and Iran could envision or concoct. And I suspect that Iran will get "burned" big time. If you are familiar with the Bible, the blessing/curses promise that God made to Abraham, the father of Israel, is timeless, true today as it was four thousand years ago (Genesis 12:1-3) ....
1. Now the LORD said to Abram,
“Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
2. And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
3. And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
Iran and her apologists, like Zakaria, are basically on the wrong side of the blessings/curses equation. So far, the United States is on the correct side, but that could change – and likely and unfortunately will.
Bill P:
I can even write a thesis on Mr. Zakaria and his agenda!
Don't worry Mr.Zakaria is also doing everything with Israeli permission.CNN has hired him to hide its JEW agenda and to show world that CNN is independent.
Calling Iran a Rational Actor is the most ludicrous thing I have heard in a long time. Anyone who believes this obviously has their mind clouded by hope that negotiation is possible. Negotiation is merely a tactic of the Iranians to buy time to complete nuclear weapons. By waiting, the entire world stands to pay a very high price for trying to reason with a proven irrational actor.
All nations are rational (and self-serving, thus liars). All serious strategists know this. Don't let anyone give you the "they're crazy" or "irrational" line for their own political purposes. But do expect lies on all sides.
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Let's be honest, here. He never said it. See the original BBC translation that the "regime will fade from the pages of time." Something along the lines of we're old, they're young, we'll out-last. And regime is government, not people or nation. See innumerable confirmations of same from Iranians and others. Ahmedinejad is also something like the 17th most powerful in Iran and focus should not be on him. He may want to be a dictator, but cannot be. 17th in US succession is Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
I have started following other channels since this crazy guy was hired. Started following it to see CNN's tilt during election cycle. And then this comment! What a mistake.
the congress should issue and order to nuke iran without Obama's approval and if he objects should be impeached.
Fareed is drinking and distributing the Obama koolaid by trillions of gallons..
Ahmedinejad gave a whole speech about how there was no holocaust. This man is the prime minister of this country and has support of its supreme leader.
You call them a "rational actor"? Then, Mr. Zakaria, there are serious doubt to your sanity, let alone rationality.
The world has seen only one rational leader and that was one and only Sir George W Bush.
People who think Iran is not going for a nuky weapon consider this...
Natural Uranium in Iran has about 99.3% U-238 and 0.7% U-235..
Iran has enriched their Uranium to 3 to 5%...for a few fuel rods for their nuky reactors...
Iran does have some Yellow Cake taken from Iraq...Reagan sold Saddam yellow cake back in the 1980's Reagan sold Saddam from 1980-1989 the following and more..Anthrax, Sarin Gas, Mustard Gas, Botulism, Diluted Agent Orange in the form of Roundup as a nerve gas...and Yellow Cake..
We know Iran has several designs and the electronic parts to build the explosion
chambers to compress the U-235 to cause a nuky chain reaction....and
they are enriching beyond the 3 to 5 percent needed for a nuky
reactor. They have made just a few rods so far they need hundreds at 3% to 5%...and each of those rods is filled with hundreds of fuel pellets...
They are not concentrating on the 3 to 5% enrichment, but racing ahead to 20% in a large scale effort..
Iran is saying they need the 20% for medical use...which is
true...medical systems requires higher enrichment to 20%...but they have tripled the
systems used for 20% enrichment...so they are going for the 90%
enrichment needed for a weapon...
Do you understand now..Iran's own actions show they are pushing for the 90% enrichment goal...that goal is only needed for weapons, no other use...
None of Iran's neighbors want a nuky Iran.
Iran's neighbors are all making arrangements to go nuky too..Saudi Arabia signed a nuky deal with China.....And China builds their reactors like big legos..all prefabbed, and are built quickly...Bahrain, and UAE, and Qatar, and others are looking at going nuky too..so now Iran is going to be surrounded by Arab countries with nuky's...
WOW that sounds so much safer Iran...One shoots and they will all shoot..
Finally someone who knows how create a logical discussion based on facts not their own wishful thinking... Fareed is nothing more than opinionated banter with no foundation....
they should fire the SOB. May be the mullahs will hire him for their defence. How pathetic he is !!!
i think you are lying zakaria.there is no way you missed ahmadinejads want for the return of the 12th imam.the muslim saviour that can only reappear after chaos and war.supposedly to lead the world afterward.does it sound too much like an anti-christ in the holy bible?is that why the author does not mention it?i don't believe it's something you missed.and so i am calling you a liar.intentionally trying to mislead your readers.
Yes, Iran is a rational nation, but their leader is not.
US people are also rational but US presidents are always irrational. What should the world do with USA?
Dempsey and others using that term have far too simplistic a concept of "survival". It does not, and never has, meant simple physical survival - either in economics or international relations. It means survival AS WHAT WE ARE, that is, it is intimately and inextricably entwined with their concept of who they are. Tp the Ayatollahs, survival means survival AS THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC. If they have nukes, and belleve that the the Islamic state is in mortal peril, they will use them BECAUSE they are rational. For them, destruction of Iran is far better than the end of Islamic rule.
For those idiots on this soundoff (along with all liberal media) who are supporting Iran and other lunatic Muslim countries, get the hell out of United States of America.
You guys are talking out of your ass. On one hand, you guys are defending those lunatic Muslim countries and bashing US. On the other hand, you are eating well and sleeping good under the warm blanket of freedom this great nation provides.
Don't like United States of America then move to Muslim countries and see how much freedom you'd have. Make sure to purchase one-way ticket.
Appreciate this great nation !!!
How is opposing Israel's belligerence inconsistent with appreciating the US?
Please explain that to me, you unimpeachable authority on patriotism.
Fareed, Is there any survey done that studies overall sentiments of Americans on going to War against Iran?
Compare ACTIONS of Iran against Israel and that of Israel against Palestine. The vocabulary of Israel diplomats is full of anger and hatred that suggests that they want everyone to hate Iran or Palestine. To solve the problem if Iran has to leave the nuclear weapon development program, what Israel is ready to lose? If Israel PM thinks his country is a sovereign country and will defend it at any cost why does not he accepts that Iran and Palestine too has some rights to do so? Detach from emotions, look at actions more than words and one will see the truth !!
WHAT ABOUT AHMADINEJADS 12TH IMAM BELIEFS ZAKARIA.why did you not mention that?
So many war mongers. Seriously, this is our answer to the defuct shuttle program....load up all these people and fly them to the moon, where they can establish their huge militaries and constantly, pre-emptively, illegally attack one another until they're extinct or somehow grow bored. Iran hasn't invaded another country in centuries. It's facing huge, illegal economic sanctions, computer viruses causing the overspeed of nuclear centrifuges which threaten the lives of workers near the machines, having it's civilian scientists literally murdered by assassins from Israel and the US, and faces constant, daily, threats of what would be an insanely illegal military attack of it's soverign lands by Israel. Are all you people THAT STUPID to think all of this is somehow ok?? Imagine if there were two military, nuclear armed superpowers (e.g. USA and Israel) threatening to flatten your country on a daily basis, telling you you can't develop your own nuclear technology or nuclear defenses, assasinating your civilians, and causing direct economic hardships. You Americans would go ape-sh *t is what would happen. You'd start a war, guarenteed. Yet Iran has not lashed back one iota. Their leader has more sanity and patience than most of the people writing these comments. War mongers, please go to hell!!!
Finally some sense!
Yes dear ,Iran is a rational actor and my ground mother is Her Majesty the Queen Elizabet of England. Hard to believe a cannibal regime can be rational,impossible indeed.
There are only four rational states, USA, England, France and Germany. All others are completely irrational. Might is always right.
It sounds to me like you are trying to ratiionalize for them.
If I were in the position of being surrounded by all these powerful military forces the last thing I would do is continually try to pick a fight. Ask yourself, if Iran were not being so subversive and confrontational would we care as much about their nuclear ambitions? Pakistan is not far behind Iran in their view of the US, but we work with them because they don't threaten us every chanc they get....
As usual, CNN is interfering with a legitimate post.
CNN is pathetic. they are afraid of the truth.
The one thing I've learned in reading this guy is that what ever Zakaria says is either:
A) The exact opposite of what is actually true.
B) Propaganda for the Obama white house.
C) Both A and B.
Most of the time the answer is C.
Zakaria, you have no creditability. You are a schill.
Most of the writers do both A and B. Some do for Jews, some for Iran and some for Muslims. Naming just Zakaria is not fair.
India is playing a double game with Americans in Iran as in Afghanistan. Time for American taxpayers to stop subsidizing the indian economy and transfer of technology particulalry nuclear. Let the Indians fend for themselves in the region rather than the Americans and Israelis babysitting them. Either the Indians are with Americans or against them. Time to draw a line in the sand. No more subsidies!!!
Being an Indian I partly agree with you.
India's policies in the ME had until recently been dictated by MUSLIM PANDERING.
It's only over the past decade or so, India's relations have improved tremendously with the Jewish state.
Let's not forget that a BILLION HINDU INDIANS LOVE THE JEWISH STATE!
While MErn plicies in India are a hostage to Muslim pandering which is a reality in India .....Thanks to people like lslamic scholar Mr. Rafiq Zakaria late father of our Mr. Fareed Zakaria
It's true right here in the US .... Thanks to Mr. Fareed Zakaria & others!
India is the america's baby gangster in the region, bullying bengladesh, bhutan, srilanka, nepal and all.
Okay. Perhaps if I send my post a bit at the time it will work.
PART 1.
Burtus9448: What do these words mean to you; “Our dear Imam (referring to Ayatollah Khomeini) said that the occupying regime must be wiped off the map and this was a very wise statement. We cannot compromise over the issue of Palestine. Is it possible to create a new front in the heart of an old front? This would be a defeat and whoever accepts the legitimacy of this regime has in fact, signed the defeat of the Islamic world. Our dear Imam targeted the heart of the world oppressor in his struggle, meaning the occupying regime. I have no doubt that the new wave that has started in Palestine, and we witness it in the Islamic world too, will eliminate this disgraceful stain from the Islamic world.”
Israel is only protecting it's small strip of land that they have had since before there even was a 'Palestinian' people. Palestinians are nothing but ancient Saudi refugees with no place to go. You have to ask yourself why so many nations are SOOOOO concerned with one small strip of land a people have had for centuries. Any countries president that makes statements like Ahmididnidididihad have made is not 'rational' and 'protecting their peoples future'. Israel would not attack Iran if they were making nukes while calling for a states dismantling and destruction. Twist it however you want.
How is it rational to want to wipe a country off the face of the Earth after denying a the sad history the people of Israel has gone through? As well, if Iran's program is so "rational," why won't they let in UN inspectors?
You are talking like a child. Have you not seen what happened with the inspections in Iraq.
Many people confuse Mr. Zakaria to be just another CNN liberal like Anderson Cooper, John King, Wolf Blitzer etc.
They are mistaken.
Mr. Zakaria has a clear Islamic agenda.....and that may not seem too apparent in his sometimes cleverly disguised sugarcoated/pseudo-patriotic language. You need to decode that often times hidden message.
Everyone has hidden agenda. It is not fair to say that just Mr. Zakaria has hidden agenda.
Ironically this behavior is carbon copied of Israeli regime when they were developing their nukes before don't ask don't tell was in plemented. It has solidify israel spot in the middle east and iran wants a grantee that no matter how aggressive west is toward them they have some assurances that when push comes to shove, western government wont do what they did to saddam and ghadaffi. Furthermore The west objection to iran's program is they want to do what they did to ghadaffi and saddam in regard to iranian regime when they feel nesassery. As I have said if saddam and ghadaffi didn't give up their program they would have died of natural causes like Kim Jon. All Ahmadinejad and khamenei want is to die of natural causes and what they have seen in the past 12 years is that nuke is the only way. To give an example of how rational Iranian government is. few years before The US invaded afghanestan, taleban got hold of ghandehar ( I think it was ghandehar) that was previously under northern alliance and where Iran still had their consulate operating. They massacred any one that they saw inside but one who faked his death and escaped to Iran (10-20 diplomats). Iran had every right to attack taleban in retaliation but as hard as it was they showed restrain and privately said that as hard as this loss was for them they had no clear objective and realized an attack would only cause innocent casualty. My question for all does that sound irrational???
the best way to live and prosper and die of natural causes is to not pursue weapons of mass destruction that will ensure that natural causes will not play a role in your demise. If iran's leaders are truly rational, knowing that israel has no intention of ever attacking iran except when its existence is threatened , but will destroy Iran if attacked, a truly rational iranian government will give up aspirations for nuclear weapons.
Is that true with ghaddafi?? Or saddam?? I don't believe they ever found weapon of mass distraction in Irag and ghaddafi gave up his after he got involved in the world community in a "productive manner". I don't blame the west as they are looking after their own intreats. Iran or any middle eastern country will never pose any threat to Israel as long as the USA is behind them as no one would ever be able to compete with the us army ever. Iran spend 7 B $ on military compare to 600 B $ in states. Us has been calling for regime change in Iran since the revolution and has not always been on people's side so I can see the skepticism when the Iranian regime has when the western government are so worried about the human right in Iran. There was 50 injuries in Saudi Arabia today, how come you don't hear about that on the news or Obama doesnt comment on that! I guess Saudis aren't human or don't have the right
Lots of responses here for no reason........the author is a buffoon not to be taken seriously.......really people,,,,,he has nothing to offer to the conversation......and has no understanding of American history/culture/values.......
British cultural/historical values are being eroded daily by these buffoons.
Zakaria is a moron!
That is insulting to morons...
So much for looking to Fareed Zakaria as someone who provides insight into situations. You are crossing the line this time, buddy. How could one label Iran as rational in the slightest? You can redefine the word in your article and say that they fit that definition, but really? Delusional is not equivalent with rational. In fact it is quite the opposite.
I am no longer reading an article from this man. He has lost all credibility in my eyes for his commentary on Iran. It is incredibly biased and borderline anti-semetic.
We have to keep up with Fareed so that we can correct what he says.
Absolutely agree!
It is amazing that this guy is provided a legit forum via CNN. This really has to make one wonder why?
Qur'an:33:22 "The Believers said: 'This is what Allah and his Messenger promised us.' It added to their faith, obedience, and submission. Among the Believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah and have gone out for Jihad (holy fighting). Some have completed their vow to extreme (and have been martyred) fighting and dying in His Cause, and some are waiting, prepared for death in battle."
Bukhari:V4B53N386 "Our Prophet has informed us that our Lord says: 'Whoever amongst us is killed as a martyr shall go to Paradise to lead such a luxurious life as he has never seen, and whoever survives shall become your master."
Truth stems from covenant and hindu Jews, criminal self centered deny truth absolute in their hindu Judaism, criminal self center ism like Allah themselves and than claim their hinduism, racism through covenant they deny in life. Bunch of hindu Jews, criminal secular pretending to be Hebrew truthful Israelite to fool humanity.
Hindus and Jews together. Two great but very different religions with similarities in love and respect of all living beings. At first, when I first saw this connection from Islamists, I was confused-I even thought it was a joke. But sadly, you mean what you say and that equates your mentality into that of an idiot. By idiot, I mean that you have not had enough time out from living in caves and, unfortunately, at the current rate of development, your IQ will not need to be checked again.take another 1000 years.
hinduism, absurdity of a hindu, absurd, believing himself to be educated, knowledgeable, but a hindu gentile, ignorant slave of hindu santans, criminal goons pretending to be truthful under the fake banner of a Muslim.
I just watched Ahmadinejad's speach again and i speak farsi, and it amazing a=how american jewish media changes or mis-translates his words to make him seem more evil, he didnt say he wants to wipe israel off the map, and he never said holocauss was a lie , he said he meant the zionist regime should be wiped off the pages of history and that somethings that has been written or said about WW2 has been changed now, not that holocaust was a lie, but some .things had been changed and they are not educating us eith the full true story of what had exactly happend
Nothing wrong to wipe out hindusim criminality of hindu Judaism , criminal self center ism with hindu Jew's, criminal self centered like animals in defiance of truth absolute. cause of war's among humanity.
But, my little muslim friend, you call all Jews Zionists.
Zionist is a hindu, fabricated word of 18th century, hindu Jew's criminal self centered have more in common with hindu Hitler and his hinduism, racism by blood and belief in hinduism, racism than true Israelite or Muslim.
And I have read some completely wrong translations of Quran in American. Like opposite!
hndu Jew's and their hindu denire of truth brithers from hindered land india have published fake Quran in America and sold in reputable book stores in Islamic sections to hind, fool humanity to hide their hindu Judaism, criminal self center ism.
Really? and your point Zippy??? Oh Oh Oh I know, you were being sarcastic. OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Factual to be correct.
Zackaria is an irrational muslim. Like all muslims.
Factual to be correct. ;0
I luv zacharia's arab wang
Israel should never listen to people like this author, he is giving an excuse to save Obama politically because he knows that an attack by Israel might end the second term campaign of Obama (Obama even asked Israel to wait till 2013 to attack). This is all politics. Israel knows the threat is real to them and should do what it sees best.
A hindu, criminal is always under the threat from La. truth abiding and hindu Jew's, criminal self centered are no exception. Nature of a hindu, criminal.
Yeah Fareed, and what if you're wrong and Iran does attack Israel with a nuclear bomb?? well, then you would say "oops!! I was wrong!!". Nah, Israel cannot rely on idiots like Zakaria or believe any of their nonsense.
Neville Chamberlain was once hailed for saving Europe from war when he signed a peace treaty with Nazi Germany. Mr. Chemberlain was wrong and said – oops!! I was wrong!!
Guess what – 6 millions jews died as a result of his oops!!
NO MORE OOPSES Fareed – if YOU insist on remaining ignorant and being stupid, we cannothelp you. But rest assured Israel and israelis don't even know who you are and could care less about the pseudo-sphisticated analysis of yours !!!(to those of you, and I know there are many, whp do not understand what "pseudo-sphisticated " means – it means IDIOTIC)
Iran is not getting ready to attack. Israel is getting ready, so the 'if' should be used here.
If you live in fear of your neighbor you build a DMZ NOT Civilian Apt.Condos...PERIOD
"A rational actor is not a reasonable actor. It is not somebody who has the same goals or values as we have."
so you're saying anyone who does not have same goals as you is not reasonable? huh? are you on dope?
Sam,
Zakaria's not saying that all contrary positions are wrong, just some.
There are plenty of contrary views that are reasonable. But not all.
Man never landed on the moon!
that's a contrary statement, but it's not reasonable.
I will create a perfect world!
That's an unreasonable plan.
And no matter how you feel about the author's logic, you hurt your own point by calling them names. It makes you sound petty. If you have a logical argument against Zakaria's position, say it, by all means. But don't belittle.
Iran doesn't want to become part of a 'Greater Israel' which is getting bigger by the day.
This reporter seems to be out of touch with what is going on. Everybody knows why Iran is helping and protecting terrorist groups that are attacking Israel and others, and we know why they want a nuclear weapon, it has nothing to do with the US having troops in some places. Make this reporter study a bit before he writes soething silly again!!!
Zakaria is right. It doesn't matter if the have nukes, they won't use them.
Say they cobble together a few crude missiles. They might be able to cause a lot of damage in Israel, but between us and what's left of Israel, Iran would be GONE. They might be violent, but they are not derranged. They will realize that no matter what they do with their weapons, there will be enough opposition left to destroy them utterly.
Besides, I'd call the 'wipe of the face of the earth' statment saber-rattling. The Russians said similar things during the Cold War, and we're all still here. (We will bury you!)
And note what that Iranian offical said. The Iranians have full justification for arming themselves. They are surrounded by possibly hostile nations. The Middle East is not one coilition. Just like we thought Russia and China were united, when in fact they were trying to destroy each other.
Instead of trying to stop Iran, or Korea, or whatever other dictatorship, from building nukes, we need an effective missile detection/destruction system. Because even if we stop Iran, someone else try in the future. The other advantage of such a system would be that when and if a terrorist group got ahold of a nuke, we could stop them once they launched it. (they'd have to launch it, rather than place it in position and then set it off, because it's hard to sneak a nuclear missile inside any target worth hitting.)
Guys, Seriously reading all the comments I have one simple Question..Where does your discussion lead to???...Answer : NoWhere......we discuss , discuss and discuss..comment, comment and comment ...fight,fight and fight..loose our brothers, sisters and children in the fight of ideologies..BOSS! where is it leading to??. I am not pro-israel, pro-iran, pro-america..but THINK..who wants a war??...If on a street you find some one abusing and throwing stones for no reason..wont u call him a derelict Or mad..?...in a tense moment if someone asks you to be calm and think for right action..is he a mad man?....Cmon guys, we are all flesh and blood....where it hurts me ..it hurts u as well...then why cant we think at same level....Just IGNORE war-mongers...we pay taxes to get our brothers killed just because someone tool lame decisions ...War is the Stone Age conflict resolution tactics......Sitting across over cup of simply sugar tea can do more wonders than spending billions to kill people....THINK GUYS THINK....War mongers on both sides are Frog In a Well..who think the world is like they think..COME OUT OF WELL...meet each other...Surely everyone would be happy
Unless we address Israeli Nukes, everything else is immaterial, why should they be allowed to have them but NOT Iran? Explain how that would make sense to ANY Iranian?
For the umpteenth time, Iran is not allowed to have Nukes because it would use them against everyone, starting with the Holy Land. And then, it would hit anyone who was not Muslim. And then, it would hit differing Muslim sects.
Has God revealed everything to you about Iran. Tell us what you know more about Iran as revealed to you by God
I know, my little muslim friend, because I have an education and I use it daily to either follow the news or read a book. You are not able to understand, I know.
The synonyms for rational are: reasonable – sensible – sane – logical
Ahmadinedork fails the test on all standards.
What about you?
What???????????????????????? Speak English my little muslim friend.
"Before giving a verdict upon this arrangement, we should do well to avoid describing it as a personal or a national triumph for anyone. The real triumph is that it has shown that representatives of four great Powers can find it possible to agree on a way of carrying out a difficult and delicate operation by discussion instead of by force of arms, and thereby they have averted a catastrophe which would have ended civilisation as we have known it. The relief that our escape from this great peril of war has, I think, everywhere been mingled in this country with a profound feeling of sympathy."
Guess who said that??? GUESS!!
The GOP has made the statement of "Wiping the Obama Administrations off the face of the earth" or a reasonable comparison. It has been stated that it is the first (and only, by the way any work has been getting done in DC) priority. That is what the US does. Put in a government that will bend to the will of the check writer. would not that make them as dangerous as Iran or some other terrorist-tic nation!
Seriously? Are the anti-war crowd so glossy eyed that they are saying Iran doesn't want Israel wiped out? They merely want a regime change or new government in Israel? Are you kidding me? All you Farsi speakers out there (my nephew being one), are so eager to tamp down talk of any war, as Obama has commanded, that you wish to alter your minds about the terror activities of Iran and their threat in the region? We were silent when the Iranian people tried to rise up. We are silent on SyriaI think the Iranians know the USA has no stomach for war anymore and now they will seize this opportunity. Yeah, there is no nuclear threat. The thousands of nuclear centrifuges hundreds of feet under ground are for peaceful purposes. Yeah. Right. Are you going to tell us this is also a "new normal" for us to get used to, President Obama?
No need to hind, lair, hindu Jews. criminal self centered are none but Persian and Egyptian hindu's, deniers of truth, pretending to be Hebrew Israelite, they always oppressed, how about some true history lesson.
@livingfree
What part of the western world does Israel belong to? Israel has indeed survived by unjust war atrocities and genocide of civilians and off American dollars, sweat, blood and tears. Let's face it, israel is an evil form of cancer spreading across the western world and hopefully we can severe it before it spreads more.
Its not a matter of if a war between Iran and Israel will happen, but when. I'd say soon. And, Iran is a "rational actor" in the same sense Hitler was.
And Israel in rational in the sense of Hitler willing to exterminate a few jews!
Hitler oppressed none other than his own blood relative and believer of his hinduism, racism, hindu Jew's, criminal self centered and living by hinduism, racism. it is a problem between blood brothers in hinduism, racism, and world has nothing to do with it.
Because you see Hitler as a Jew, then it makes no difference to you that he butchered millions of Jews. You are so stuck in your cave and your tribe, you are still such a caveman.
most people around the world beleive khomeini was living in france before 1979 revolution (he'd been living in iraq with saddam for 15 years up to 6 months before the revolution)!!! Same people don't know that those who built up the entire islamic system/regime in iran, had been actually trained and set up in united states!!!!! They were quite clear about the mission they had at the time (creating an islamic power against then communist superpower, right next door, Carter's g00f up!), and very intelligent ..........................
nothing has changed within those in power in iran, they just got smarter, and learned how to plow money and power and to do that, they need a country....... Zakaria is right ............ they are smarter than doing stupid stuff,........... all they want is to hold on to the country with any game they need to play, but they never do stupid stuff .........
References???????????????????
So many war mongers. Seriously, this is our answer to the defuct shuttle program....load up all these people and fly them to the moon, where they can establish their huge militaries and constantly, pre-emptively, illegally attack one another until they're extinct or somehow grow bored. Iran hasn't invaded another country in centuries. It's facing huge, illegal economic sanctions, computer viruses causing the overspeed of nuclear centrifuges which threaten the lives of workers near the machines, having it's civilian scientists literally murdered by assassins from Israel and the US, and faces constant, daily, threats of what would be an insanely illegal military attack of it's soverign lands by Israel. Are all you people THAT STUPID to think all of this is somehow ok?? Imagine if there were two military, nuclear armed superpowers (e.g. USA and Israel) threatening to flatten your country on a daily basis, telling you you can't develop your own nuclear technology or nuclear defenses, assasinating your civilians, and causing direct economic hardships. You Americans would go ape-sh *t is what would happen. You'd start a war, guarenteed. Yet Iran has not lashed back one iota. Their leader has more sanity and patience than most of the people writing these comments. War mongers, please go to hell!!!
Totally agree! But there's a saying what goes around comes around and I believe its on its way to Israel!
War is a American behavior. See the difference how US Congress votes for wars and for other things.
The reality is that the US cannot tell Israel when to defend itself but it sure as hell can tell Israel not to attack a sovereign country that has not attacked it! To attack a country that has attacked you is one thing but to attack a country over speculation or assumption that it COULD or MAY attack you is the future is total insanity! And as I stated before, if Israel is allowed to attack Iran and there is no condemnation by the UN and the US, then that would simply send a clear message to rougue states and dictators around the world that it is OK to attack your neighbor because of a perceived future attack! That is plain insanity!
No need to hind, lie, hinduism, illegality labeled as Israel is nothing but a American colony, settled by hindu Jew's, criminal self centered, USA has every right to control hindu Jew's, criminal self centered settlers, Why? eventually America has to pay price of their hinduism, criminality.
To: CALL YOUR BLUFF AND SHOW YOUR TUFF
Ok, so the concept of premption is unacceptable and in your own words you state its ok to respond to an attack but not to "speculations and assumptions". So, if your adversary has nuclear weapons following your logic you have the legitmacy of response only after you have taken the first strike....now that is total insanity!
But is there concrete proof that Iran is building a nuclear bomb to attack Israel? Remember the WMD's blunder that has killed tens of thousands and destabilized Iraq for perhaps a hundred years? And what if a diplomatic resolution is possible but we strike prematurely and derail our chances of a peaceful resolution? Now, that would be irrational!
Any country ruled by religious extremists is inherently an irrational actor.
Mr. Zacharia you are a direct decendent of Neville Chamberlain's thinking who believed Hitler was rational. You (and Neville) forgot that people will kill you for what they believe in and what they want. Your eyes will be opened one day when they put a blade to your neck and make you choose between Allah and death, until then your rose colored glasses will keep you happy.
Making thereat s in hinduism, criminality is the way of hindu's, criminals, no truthful fears a hindu Jew, criminal self centered, blade will be on neck of a hindu, criminal, desires blade to be on truthful's neck.
Moh A Dar...are your acronym suggests ...MAD..so u are...God know what are you writing?..My friend this is forum where people are writing in English..I am afraid what you are writing may be considered abyss of English literature, meaningless and shameless use of words...No sense of knowledge, opinion or idea comes out of your reel....You are indeed a clown who is there to entertain us
English is nothing but an off shoot of Sanskrit, a corruption of Latin, Truth by hindu's, criminls to fool humanity by addition of 10 letters, English literature? language of hinduism, criminality has no place but to be where it belongs, pile of rubbish.
My Dear MAD....sorry to pay attention to your callous writing . I am sure you would have got high to receive a comment to your post...Still didnt get your message.
Keep posting your martian opinions, educated would do rest of the job . Keep entertaining!
Truth is some thing of a alien nature for a hindu, ignorant, borne in hinduism ignorance of hindu, uneducated in truth.
International Reactor he means, not international actor
No one is going to stop Iran but Israel. We in this country cannot count on a shiite president named Hussein Obama to defend us or Israel. Israel should do what they have to do even if they have to nuke Iran and not worry about Obama who is flurting with his uncle Khamenei.
No need to make some thing hindu, criminal, legal, hindu Jew's labeled as Israel is nothing but hinduism, illegality and have no place in civility as a country.
Do the math idiots. he is refusing to interfere in Syria which is a shiite ruled country that is butchering its sunni population Worse than pumpkin head. He is refusing to interfere in Iran another shiite dictatorship and guess what he pulled out of Iraq and opened the door for Iran to come in easily to take over which is again a shiite dictatorship.
hinduism, crookedness of a hindu Jew, criminal self centered, first it was Suni Sadam killing Shiites and succeeded in their hindu criminal design and now making Suni;s fight Shiite to gain their hindu criminal aim, take your hindu Pandora, trick box some place else, hindu Jew, criminal self centered.
Current Israel regime = the visible presence of EVIL on the planet
Proof = continued and repeated unlawful & inhumane occupation /genocide of the Palestinian people
Proof = continued and repeated exploitation of the American Taxpayer public to pay for continued bullying & terrorizing Palestinians/ world with threat of war that affects global peace.
Proof = continued warring presence & actions to destablize peace within region.
We are tired in America. We groomed and raised a Bully and now time for tough love.
Contrary to what you say:
Israel has STRONG backing from a vast majority of Americans and nearly a BILLION HINDU INDIANS......anti-Semite Indian-Americans like Mr. Fareed Zakaria withstanding!
Only in hinduism , absurdity of a hindu, absurd, neither Majority American favor hindu Jew's, criminal self centered nor whole hindered land india supports hinduism criminality of hindu Jew's, criminal self centered but hindu government of hindered land licks boots of Arab Muslim, contrary to to your hinduism, absurdity.
I am going to file this under 'Whoopty Fricking Do'. The Rational Actor Model has been around for a long time and you're just finding this out?
Read Allison's book Essence of Decision.
American zionists are the absolute worst. Warmongering hypocrites (they are progressive on every issue, BUT Israel).
Israelis (not the neocon hawks) for the most part at least have a fair understanding of what their State does, American zionists are ignorant fools consumed by their allegiance to judaism.
nothing like an educated moron
Moron=self centered=hindu=Jew=pig. all meanings self centered.
Mohammad, you should go live with Hussein and Zakaria but not here, in Iran.
Maybe not so educated. After all, an education requires the ability to synthesize information. My little muslim friend does not seem able to do that.
human are required to alligne with truth absolute not hindu Judaism, criminal self centrism, cause of conflict among humanity.
So rational they tried to blow me out of my HMMVV a couple of times, shoot at me and drop 120mm mortars on me.
What Americans did in IRAQ, triggered the killings in IRAQ was also very rational.
Very simple, Obama does not care about this country or Israel. as a matter of fact he is pondering for the jewish vote which he will NOT get. Lying thru his teeth "cares about Israel's security". We all remember a year ago when he said that "Israel should go back to 1967 borders". Is he stupid enough to believe the Israelis are going to believe him, let alone vote for him!!
Your article made me very sad....Most of us will never take a chance on the Genocide of the past....Israel will live and and If we have to sell our homes to arm them and help them we will!!!!
Israel is created with the killing of Muslims and throwing them out of their home.
Wow, you have been told this for so long that you really believe it. We have places that will deprogramme you. You will be alright.
Well given the way the article is written I agree with Zakaria on some points. They are rational in that they are calculating. They understand world politics and how to use it. Sanctions have been put in place to stop them and it has had some affect but not a complete turn around which is what is needed.
The threats alone on the Strait of Hormuz or stopping oil imports to the EU was done to show they can affect oil markets strictly on new worthy events.
They have called for more meetings, then stonewalled then called again for more meetings. They are scrubbing sites clean so they can show them off, and continue to buy time. that is all it is, and everyone knows it but they are going through the motions none the less. Israel will not stand by idol and let Iran achieve it's goals. The line for Israel is much closer than the US. A lot of talks with the two sides have been about where that line is and when to make a move.
Given the ideological goals of Iran I don't feel is in line or even something anyone can support. The countries in the region which posses nuclear warheads or nuclear technologies know they can't use them. Russia, China, and Israel all know that any nuclear action is not reversible and a final solution. Iran also funds terrorist organizations. 19 kilograms of uranium is already unaccounted for. If they are allowed to continue enrichment to higher levels it is quite possible this material would wind up in the hands of terrorists to be used as a dirty bomb or something else.
We can't dance around the issue, a military response will happen if Iran continues period. When is speculation but it is assured.
Warmongering American jews. You are a disgrace to your religions progressive past.
Go live in Israel and fight your own wars, don't drag Americans into it.
IF Hitler was nuked millions of jewish lives would have been saved. When Iran is nuked millions of jewish lives will be saved. Doesn't take a brain surgeon and a physicist to figure that out.
Germany had the strongest military forces in the world when Hitler decided to carry out his insane plan.
Iran is a state rattled with economic problems and a vastly inferior military to Israel's. Stop your senseless warmongering, please.
Israel is the agressor and victimizer, not the other way around.
you must be living on Mars. Go read your history book before you open your mouth!!
Iran is a rational actor, I cannot understand this. As far I know there are only two rational actors Israel and USA, the rest of the world is full of fools.
Are you guys using sarcasm again. Sheesh you guys are so smart!!!!!!!!!!!!! hehehe...
Fantastic! comment
I think the issue is that most Americans are pre-labelling Iran as "just another terrorist, bloodthirsty regime". This is a very young people, well educated, who aren't unaware of Western influences. President Members Only has no real power. Alot of this latest nuclear postering is him puffing out his chest and trying to hold onto what he already has, because there is a power struggle going on. They truly are a rational actor just taking calculated steps forward to see how far they can push before getting pushed back.
When you say educated, I have to know the curriculum. Then I can follow with a Needs Assesment.
Then, if we are lucky, the problem can be identified for these poor little muslims(well-educated People.)
Why is everyone so worried about Iran having nuclear weapons. In the history of the modern world, many other countries have nuclear weapons, but only one has ever used them on an opposing force. So people need not wonder why the rest of the world doesn't have some skepticism when the US talks about nuclear disarmament.
Generalization is the derivation of a general statement from a particular one, formally by prefixing a quantifier and replacing a subject term by a bound variable. If the quantifier is universal (universal generalization) the argument is not in general valid; if it is existential (existential generalization) it is valid.
You are so bright, a star in your own mind, I am sure you can figure out where your statement belongs.
Prefixes are quantified, not the other way around by hindu's deniers of quantified, truth absolute, human have no power to change quantified but to obey what ever is quantified for human existence, Quantum Physics. Rest of it is hinduism absurdity of hindu's, ignorant.
Yes, Iran is very calculating and conniving. They care about and calculate costs. Whenever they execute a kid they go collect the cost of the bullets from the kid's parents after informing them they executed the kid. You can verify this with anyone in Iran because everyone knows at least one family that has had a dear one executed by this thugish regime.
I stopped watching this show a long time ago when I realized the host's agenda
That was a good analysis. Not that I particularly care for the author.
Again with a ridiculous article by Zakaria. Our weekly taste of boobhood.
In this piece, Zakaria shows no evidence that Iran is a rational actor at all other than stating he ASSUMES they are. He uses this word over and over. He ignores what is going on and simply ASSUMES that Iran is a rational actor, then he states unequivocally that Iran is obviously rational because he ASSUMES they are.
When he talks of Mao's China - all the while ignoring Kim Jong's North Korea - he seemingly is unaware that action on Iran's leaders' statements about wiping Israel off the map would also lead to the mutual destruction of Iran as Mao's statements would with China. Is that rational? No.
Is it rational that they would suffer severe shortage by their people to the point of revolt? And to what end game? The bravado of alienating the rest of the world only to accede to their demands anyway? Is that rational? No.
Now Fareed. I know your last few paragraphs are there to basically make your case that poor, poor Iran deserves to and should be allowed to become a nuclear state, but let me ask you this, "No nuclear weapon has been used in nearly 70 years. Or to put it in greater perspective, they were used one week thirty-five hundred weeks ago. The only time they were ever used was to end the bloodiest war of all time. We've had war after war since then without one hint of their possible use. Is it rational now to think that a country who has not used a nuclear weapon in that time would suddenly decide to risk their own complete and utter annihilation just to pick on an insignificant country the size of Iran for no reason?"
If you honestly believe that is rational, then Fareed, you are not.
Zakaria the terrorist enemy apologist. Iran's leaders are anything BUT RATIONAL. They have been our enemy, let alone Israel or the Gulf States enemy since 1979. Containment of a loose cannon like Iran is impossible.
Petulent child fits better,Iran is daring the world,waiting for the hand slap,if the rod is spared the child will have nukes
Rational people don't deny history,Iran denys the Holocost ever even happened
No, it does not. Stop misrepresenting the truth. Go and read what he actually said about the holocaust.
But then again, remaining ignorant and being lazy helps your beligerent cause
So called Holocaust is nothing but a quarrel between hindu's denier's of truth absolute, one hindu Jew, criminal self centered in his hinduism, racism and other with his hindu criminal Pharaoh ism, both of same race of Egypt and both claimant to hindu criminality of human god hood, hell with both of hindu, criminal brothers, humanity has nothing to do with their hindu criminality of superior to each other.
We are so fortunate to have Zakaria giving us his wise guidance as an expert on everything. Who is this guy and where did he come from?
No one will do anything to wipe the Zionist state of Israel off the map. They will do it to themselves.
Hey cheeky, my little muslim friend, are you now saying that you want to obliterate Israel. Sheesh, make up your mind!
Jewish hindu ism, self centered criminality has no reason to exist, it may have been hidden as Israel to fool humanity.
Fareed, you tend to come to your sense once in a while maybe when rational hits your thinking. If you were in the shoes of the Iranian would you be seeking nuclear bombs to defend yourself? If Iran had nuclear bombs would the world be more stable and worried about not starting a war rather then starting a war with Iran? It takes guts to tell the truth and I understand not all of us have them specially when your paycheck comes from the ones who spread lies. Best to you, Fareed.
Even Joint Chief of Staff General Dempsey says Iran is a rational actor. If you choose to ignore the advice of your top general, you are pretty darn stupid.
If Israel attacks Iran, it will be the worse mistake they have made in the over 60 years of their barbaric history.
G-D has no special people. The consequence of the evil carried out by Israel will lead to its' destruction.
So was written and so will be done, End of hindu Judaism, criminal self center ism along with hindu Jew's, criminal self centered. hinduism, denial of truth has no place in kingdom of truth.
keep dreaming.
Fareed Zakaria in on the Iranian payroll!
Who cares about what Fareed says!! not me. after this one i won't read his articles anymore. He should be deported to Iran.
This assumes, or at least, only considers, that Iran is monolithic, and that the perspective of the Iranian official quoted is the dominant one. This is the type of response that I would expect from an Iranian bureaucrat or regular military official, who is committed primarily to the survival, continuation, and prosperity of the state of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
However, there are many within Iran whose priorities (by their own words) clearly also include the destruction of Israel and the survival and continuation of the "Revolution". Their perspectives, and their cost and benefit calculations for possessing nuclear weapons, may be entirely different. We cannot be certain which perspectives and sets of priorities control the development and potential use of nuclear weapons NOW, much less 5 years from now.
I don't know what Israel is waiting for to bomb the iranians. Certainly not approval by bumble bee king Obama. The sooner they reduce these mullahs to rubble the better for the whole middle east. I wouldn't count on their cousin Hussein Obama to do it, that is for sure.
Zion....... A sixty year old ETHNIC CLEANSING experiment gone bad. Sooner or later the entire experiment will SELF-TERMINATE.
You all forget that Iran supported militants in Iraq that killed many of U.S. soldiers.
They supplied IED's that killed US troops.
They sent specialists to train Iraqis how to blow up armored vehicles, supplied weapons and munitions, training, money, and in some cases conducted outright raids on US posts that resulted in many KIA's.
They sent special forces and spies into iraq that killed US troops.
They supply IEDs to Afgahns.
They arm Syria and Hezbollah.
They attacked our soldiers in Iraq which is an act of war.
They have already killed our soldiers in Iraq. Probably some in Iran. Who knows the exact count since the borders are so large armed and porous. We cant even defend the US – mexican border properly. imagine how many weapons get through?
I wonder how many US soldiers were killed between 2003-2011 from Iranian trained munition experts, IED's, snipers and other personnel.
We probably won't know. Think of that before you start defending Iran.
They always hide behind deniability for their actions.
typical American-centered comment.
What do you think the U.S. would do if Iran ILLEGALY (yes, look into it, the U.S. illegaly attaked Iraq!) attacked Canada?
Do you think:
a) the U.S. would respect International laws and remain neutral
b) Attack Iran in every shape possible to defend their sovereignty and prevent Iran from succeeding and attacking them next?
American self-centeredness at its best. Your troops were killing children and women in an illegal war, accept it.
If us(iranians) had claimed that unattended ,Unclaimed land in1948 ahmadinejad could had found more times trying to wipe U.N off the map an spare israel. We have some unattended land in persian golf.. You guys are more than welcome to move in and call it Jezraiel.
No peace in the middle east without extermination of Big bug Iran, junior bug Assad and little bug Hizbollah. The only difference between them Iran will make a bigger mess.
Wish of a hindu Jew, criminal self centered, only way to peace in world is elimination of hindu hinduism, criminal racism along with hindu Judaism, criminal self center ism.
the logic of "Everybody else has nukes" sounds like Yossarian from Catch-22.
Foolish foolish man 6 years of negotiations have gotten us just a few months away from a Bomb. Once they have it, Im really going to be interested on in what you have to say.
Peace! and love Peace and Love. Please Fareed tell us how the world will be better with a less powerfull United State. If it wasn't for the power of the usa the world would have been engulfed in flames long ago. Looks like with Obama you' may get your wish. Let's see what happens next. Good Luck.
It is such a joy to hear from an educated intelligent reasonable newsman, Fareed Zakariah. Now if CNN would get rid of Erin Burnett and Fredricka Whitfield, and hire back Aaron Brown, it would do a lot better in the news department.
I'd second dumping Erin Burnett. Holy cow, that woman CANNOT handle an interview.
Iran is rational and Fareed Zakaria is rational. Also, Santa Claus is real and the Easter Bunny is real.
THE SHIIA Debuty embassador killed his boss by poison as his boss is sunni and UK now try to find what happened , they think poison is involved,,,those shiia thugs from iraq are trying to take over and control iraq with the help of iran weapons and money so they dont lose ellection and they are trying to protect the syrian killers as they are shii 8% controling 92% of syrian sunni...
الملحقية الثقافية العراقية في لندن
الحكومة البريطانية تغلق الملحقية الثقافية العراقية في لندن بعد وفاة السيد الملحق الثقافي في ظروف غير معروفة
وقد تم استدعاء السيد معاون الملحق الثقافي للتحقيق …
علمأ ان السيد الملحق الثقافي الاستاذ باقر الهاشمي كان قد تلقي تهديد قبل يوم من وفاتة بعد عراك داخل الملحقية الثقافية مع السيد معاون الملحق الاستاذ احمد عبد الرسول البغدادي بعد ان كشف الاستاذ باقر الملحق الثقافي ان السيد المعاون اي السيد البغدادي قد زور اكثر من 45 شهادة لوزراء واشخاص في حكومة المالكي الشرطة البريطانية تعتقد ان هنالك مادة غريبة قد دست في طعام السيد الملحق الثقافي الاستاذ باقر الهاشمي
Hey,
Stop this sectarian nonsense. When Saddam was killing Shia and everyone else, no one said he is doing it because he is a Sunni. How soon we forget and how idiotic we have become.
Well.......... you said alot there Fareed, but I don't think it means anything. So what if Iran is calculating? What difference does that make? I see you reference in your comment countries near Iran that have nuclear weapons, such as Russia and India, and that the US has 100K troops next door. So what? If Iran could act like a normal country, none of that should mean anything to them. But the fact is, Iran does not want part of the normal world community. How could they? They are the biggest sponsors of terrorism in the world. And Fareed, are you going to mention anything about how Iran helps that thug regime in Siria, and the killing of innocents there? It seems to me, that you are trying to convince the people of the US that it is ok for Iran to have nuclear weapons so that they can impose their ridiculous religious views and ideology on everyone else. Since you are a muslim, you may not think this is such a bad deal, but keep in mind that 82% of the world IS NOT MUSLIM and do not follow its practices. Case closed.
I see you are very passionate here, and i think our biggest problem in many cases is that we know very little when it comes to recent world history. In this particular case Iran. Here is a mini history lesson for you. In the late 70's the US CIA orchestrated the desalinization of the more secular Iranian government which in result give us the regime Iran now has. Then From 1980 to 1988 The US Financed Iraq to fight a war against Iran where thousands of people were killed in Iran. This is not some conspiracy theory. This is what actually happened. So in response Iran is financing other groups and countries to target US interests, and they are most likely working on a nuke. This is perfectly rational. It is exactly what a nation who feels threatened would do. Now don't get me wrong here. I don't think Iran should have a nuke just as much as you do. But I do think all the factors above play a big role on why Iran has taken such a position. See most of us Americans are nieve and gullible because we have no idea what the history is behind most of these middle east conflicts. And we never ask the question why? We just always jump to the conclusion that the leaders we put into office are always acting in good faith, and always tell the truth. Now Fareed Knows and understands the History of Iran. He knows the US financed Iraq to wage a war against Iran from 1980 to 1988, He knows The US Destabilized the Iranian Government in the late 70's which in result gave Iran the government it has now. But unfortunately in writing his editorial Fareed assumed wrong that his readers are well educated as it pertains to Iran's history over the past 50 some odd years. With all do respect Eric you should look into the US involvement In Iranian affairs over the past 50 years. Then you will understand why Fareed has the educated opinion on Iran as he does.
excellent comment, cuts through the hate mongering and propaganda. Also from the point of view of Iran consider the case of Iraq, would we have invaded the country twice if they had nuclear weaponry?? highly doubtful.
Iran is playing a shell game on us just like Iraq did. They are lying SOB's – and would just as soon lob a nuke at us as talk. Turn them into glass.
I have no idea like other's, what Iran is up to, but hindu Jew, criminal self centered deserve a nuke in no time to end hinduism racism of hindu Jew's, criminal self centered.
From Zakaria's article it appears that Iran is acting exactly as the United States would if it were in the same situation. Following on, it doesn;t appear at all that Iran is ruled by a clique of madmen who are bent on destroying the world. Tha article also contrasts that with what he states was Mao's creed in ruling and changing China. Even in the face of that and the semi-paranoia about Mao's China which gripped the U.S. China did not act out Mao's philosophy.
At least one aspect which fuels anti-Iran paranoia is invalid.
Irant is an Actor alright!!!!!
Did anyone really try to stop Inda and Pakistan from getting nukes not to long ago?
I understand Iran being a little skittish.. Massive troops on both side of the border as with living in a Nuclear neighborhood.
And why does a Nuclear power nation tells others you cant have it.
Kinda like driving a the fastest car in the race.. "I win and no you cant have the same car".. What the hell....
I wonder How many Israeli's have died by the hand of Palestinians VS how many Palestinians have died by the hand of Israeli's. I also wonder Why the British were occupying the land where Israel is in the first place, and who did it belong to before that. Not who did it belong to based off of what "God said" I mean who did it belong to based off of who was there before the British occupied it. Because if you look at history as your teacher you will Notice that Hong Kong Was Given back to who was there before the British took it, India was given back to who was there before the British took it, Iraq was given back to who was there before the British took it. So In all fairness who ever was on the land where Israel is Before the British took it, should be the ones with the most rights to have it back, weather it was Muslim or Jew. This would be the rational thing to have been done, and any actors involved who were not rational enough to see that then, are still not rational enough to see it now. So in result we have a complete mess that will never be resolved.
It will be the greatest day when Iran destroys Israel. On that day Arabs from around the region, will rush to celebrate in Jerusalem. Let it be known that Israel will soon be returned to it's rightful owner...THE ARABS... And then because of its crimes against humanity, no Israeli will ever be allowed back to the land.
Hey all,
Let's demand from the media that anytime they talk about nuclear program in Iran, they should mention that Israel has over 200 nuclear warheads. Do you think they would be allowed by you know who?
yah', as if....that'll be the day, actually their last day at work and next day they'll be forced to retire.
Ever wonder how a nation of 330 million people could be so ignorant as to let a minority of 2% control their entire mass communication industry and through it their government? The wandering tribe of neurotics is the real danger to America and the world.
No, the real threat is ignorant racism.
Former Head of Mosad and Fareed concur on this point....oy vey!
To Fareed Zakaria
The reason for writing the novel 'Twins in Arms' is because of an incidence of deja vu that frightened me. I informed officials at the American Embassy in Beirut on two separate occasions in August 1983 of a rumor regarding an imminent attack on U.S. Marines stationed at the Beirut Airport. Three months later, the Beirut Barracks bombing took place, killing 241 American servicemen.
I doubt if the CIA and the FBI would ever listen to me because they are overloaded with intelligent informations and don’t know what to do with them. I made sure the FBI know about the plot that will harm the U.S. for many generations to come. This is not a joke. I shortened my novel to 145 pages from 400 pages in order the common people could afford it. I humbly asking you to read it and be the judge if I’m fake or for real.
I'm real.
They me be rational, but they are radical Islamist of the most radical Shia faction which believe the whole world must be under their rule of Supreme leader. Lying (they call it Taghieh) for them is an act of rationality even a religious duty to advance their cause. Hardship for Iranians is not a source of concern for them, they are willing to sacrifice many Iranians to achieve their goal of regional or world dominance. They care more about Hezbollah of Lebanon than Iranian populace. With a bomb in their hand (secretly developed, never declared as their rationality advice them) , give them the option of passing it to a terrorist group working in line with their theology to take out Jewish Sate, Saudi Oil fields of populating center in US. They rationally will not take responsibility for it. US will not be sure about the source to retaliate and if they act, may invoke WWIII. Many innocent people will die as result of irrationality of the world to allow this happen.
Fareed,
I think that your quotes from the Iranian official about the level of threat to their nation is very legitimate. From the point of view of the Iranian people they live in a world where many of their neighbors are nuclear powers. Also the actions of the Untied States in that part of the world have created a situation where people fear that at any moment we could create a reason to go to war with them. If we consider the first gulf war as an example an important question has to be asked, does the US invade Iraq if they have nuclear weapons?? I think that the answer is pretty clear. one has to feel that some nations in the Muslim world may have taken a very important conclusion away from that situation, that a nuclear Iraq would till be standing.
Every time I see someone arguing in favor of Iran having nuclear weapons, it just makes me want to scratch my head. Seriously what ARE you thinking? Best case scenario, nuclear Iran starts a nuclear arms race. That's all we need is to have the entire Middle East armed to the teeth with nuclear weapons. Sometimes we must say "no." This is one of those times.
More insane babbling from Zakaria, Dempsey, and Obama. Repeating "rational actor" over and over while putting your fingers in your ears doesn't change reality – which is that there is no "Iran" – just various groups of fanatics vying for control.
Why not expand the concept of the European Union and invite Iran in?
Your current depiction of the Iranian regime as "a rational actor" is as rational as Neville Chamberlain's 1938 depiction of Hitler as "a gentleman."
Neville Chaimberlain was a liberal idiot, too.
Porkistan is allowed to have nuclear weapons. Why not Iran ? Where OBL was living ? Where Ayman Al Jawahari -#2 Al Qyda – is hiding ? Paki were collecting fee to find these two character.
Zawahiri still lives next door to Osama's old place. The problem is that big bump on his forehead glows red every time the Navy Seals get too close. Kind of like Frodo's sword.
Why Iran should not have a bomb, simply because you don't like a mentally retarded guy carry a gun in your neighborhood. Don't u c what Iran is doing to its own Muslim people, arming and supporting Syrian regime,....
The term rational actor is used in Game Theory and Decision Theory. It supposes an actor is doing what is in their logical best interest, not necessarily the best interest of opposing parties. Fact: we consider Iran a threat, Fact: we have military forces surrounding Iran, Fact: we have shown through our actions a willingness to use force to change regimes we find unfriendly. From Iranian perspective we are a real threat. Fact: the United States have never gone to war with a nuclear armed power. Conclusion: Develop nuclear weapons to preserve our regime. It's pretty simple.
They are on a rational course. Bombastic, but rational.
In his own country, the Islamo-fascists would saw Fareed's head off, throw his body in a ditch, and post the video on You Tube - complete with background music.
And Iran is a rational actor?
A rational actor doesn't say "death to America".
If our politicians were saying "death to iran", the US would not be thought of as a "rational actor". This is bs.
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I used to think Zakaria was a "rational actor"?
Sometimes I wonder whose side Zakaria is on. He goes from saying that Iran is a rational actor to defending their nuclear weapons program – all while ignoring the fact that they've been calling for Israel's destruction and threatening the West. Yes – the US has nuclear weapons. US isn't threatening to wipe out Iran off the map of the earth. This whole mentality of "let's blame ourselves" has to stop. We react based on very effective policy. The current balance of powers has made the world safe. We don't have wars where millions of people are being killed in the hands of a mad man. Let's keep it that way.
Mr. Zakaria has MASTERED the art of IRRATIONALITY very neatly tucked away in bits & pieces in a series of articles on the subject. So for anyone reading his articles in isolation, it may appear all fair & balanced w/o ever realizing the direction in which he's WEANING AWAY the reader's thougts.
But in this article Mr. Zakaria blows the lid off his STRONG ISLAMIC BIAS (more correctly AGENDA!) all in one go!
Just because zakaria is not on YOUR side, does not mean that he's on THEIR side. There are invariably multiple sides to any issue. Disagree with the guy if you must, but you certainly can't question his allegiance ......unless you subscribe to george bush and his idiotic "either you're with us or you're against us". But surely you're brighter than bush.....aren't ya?
Jewish sociopaths run the mainstream media and are always agitating for America to get itself involved in another war on their behalf. We don't need anymore wars and not especially another costly war where only our boys will die while jews sit fat and happy laughing as all the stupid goyim slaughter eachother yet again and the jew Bill Maher makes jokes about it. It was Jews NOT Muslims that committed the crime of the September 11th attacks in 2001 just as it was Jews that carried out the USS Liberty false flag attack and tried to blame their crime on Egypt.
And. on this same vein, Israel started all the problems in the Middle East just by existing. If it was not for Israel,everyone would get along and live happily with their neighbours. There would be flowers in everyone's pots and jobs would be plentiful.
What colour is the sky in your world?
Be rational, the main issue is not Israel, even the intellectuals in Arab world agree that if Israel was not there Arabs had slaughtered each other MUCH MUCH more. Open your minds to the facts that what is going on in Iran, Syria, Iraq,.... Israel has nothing to do with it. Who caused Iraq to attack Iran and cause 950000 casualties, who caused Iraq to attack Kuwait and ..... In 99% of Israel's conflicts the casualties has been caused to defense itself.
MARTY YOU ARE THE VILLAGE IDIOT HERE, SADDAM KILLED 40 STUPID IRANIANS SPIES SHIIA THUGS WELD AL MOT3A AND NOW THE SHIIA THUG BASHAR AL KALB KILLED MORE THAN 17,000 WOMEN AND CHILDREN, IRAN IS SUPPORTING TERRORISTS LIKE HIZBOALLAH AND SENDING WEAPONS AND MONEY ALONG WITH TERRORISTST MEN FROM IRAN AND IRAQ TO KILL SUNNI IN SYRIA. SHIIA ARE THUGS KILLERS IDIOTS THERE FAITH IS A CULT ALLOWE THEM TO KILL and kill....DONT FORGET THE USA HOSTAGES, DONT FORGET IRAN KILLING THE USA OLD MAN ON A WHEEL CHAIR....IRAN ALLOWED USA TO ENTER IRAQ, IRAN ARE SENDING MONEY AND ARMS TO ALQAYEDA IN IRAQ AND AFGANESTAN AND ALL ARE PROVEN. IRAN THREAATENED ON TV AND IN THE UN THAT THEY WILL DESTROY ISRAEL AND AHMEDI NEJAD SAID THAT AND IT IS ON U TUBE , CNN AND OTHER MEDIA....SADDAM IS AN ANGEL COMPARE TO IRANIANS THUGS AND SYRIANS SHIIA KILLERS, SADDAM HATE HIZBOALLAH AND THE TERRORISTS LIKE YOU...USA AND CANADA SHOULD KIK YOUR ASS OUT AND SEND YOU BACK TO IRAN. WE MUST ATTACK IRAN NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, FK YOU AND FK ALL THE SHIIA
And where did you get this in----–, inte-----, intelli-----, intelligence hahahahahaha........
UNTIL & UNLESS IRAN does the following even the US can't prevent an attack by Israel in the coming months:
a) Open up EVERYONE of its nuclear facilities to UNHINDERED IAEA inspections.
b) IMMEDIATELY start DISAMANTLING their underground nuke sites.
c) STOP all enrichment above 3.5% and VERIFIABLY surrender all Uranium enriched to over 3.5%
What the world should NEVER DO is let Iran BUY TIME in the garb of negotiations. That will be suicidal!
Nobody can blame Israel if they go to war even when the negotiations are on, but w/o fulfilling the above.
Our hard choices:
Any attack on Iran would be a disaster – TRUE
But, letting Iran go Nuclear – WILL BE SUICIDAL
You choose!
Eliminate hinduism, criminality of hindu Jew's, criminal self centered and nothing will happen.
Yes, most WARS are bad & undesirable, but some WARS may in fact be ABSOLUTELY necessary, IF ONLY TO PRESERVE WORLD PEACE........a war with radical IRAN to stop them from going nuclear, and
immediately thereafter, the mother of all wars with TERRORIST PAKISTAN to dismantle their JIHADIST INFRASTRUCTURE & seize their ISLAMIC BOMB.
War to eradicate hinduism, denial of way of truth and to eradicate hindu, criminals from face of earth is necessity not an option to have peace, Islam among humanity.
Mr. Zakaria has missed the essential point . . . the religious – not the political dimension to this conflict. Having been brought up as a Moslem yourself, Mr Zakaria, you should be aware that the Islamic leaders of Iran cannot tolerate the existence of a Jewish state in their neighborhood. Even if Israel consisted of just one city block of Tel Aviv they would use any means – even suicidal means – to destroy it. They consider this their religious duty. Their threats should be taken seriously.
Death to....! Death to.....! Death to .....!
Zakaria: Iran is a "rational actor"
Only a Pathological Altruist Cultural Relativist would believe so – Why?
Three reasons:
The Islamic construction of Other & the results of that construction coloring humanities walls.
&
The outcomes of a secular construction of Other = The outcomes of a religious construction of Other
&
Religions of Certainty can never be rational in their decision making process because certainty does not exist.
Religion is not the problem. The problem is that extremists have hijacked religion and, consequently, given religion a bad name.
Isalm is not a religion but Theen Allah, cons88tti333tu8886tion of truth absolute, calling Islam religion is nothing but hinduism absurdity of hindu's, absurds.
Iran is as rational as a theocracy can be I guess.
منذ بدأت مريم رجوي, الرئيسة المنتخبة من قبل المقاومة الايرانية عملها الديبلوماسي الدؤوب من أجل كسر جدار العزلة والاقصاء الذي فرضه النظام الايراني على المجلس الوطني للمقاومة الايرانية, شهد العالم كله تحولات نوعية في الموقف الدولي تجاه هذا التيار المعارض الذي يخوض نضالا مستمرا منذ أكثر من ثلاثين عاما ضد النظام الايراني وقد نجحت مريم في اقناع الدول الأوروبية باخراج منظمة مجاهدي خلق من لائحة الارهاب تقود الان حملة غير مسبوقة لاقناع الادارة الأميركية بتصحيح موقفها من المقاومة والشعب الايراني عبر اخراج منظمة مجاهدي خلق من تلك اللائحة السوداء.
«السياسة» التقتها عن قرب وأجرت معها اول لقاء تتحدث فيه مريم للصحافة الخليجية :
*كيف ستتعاملون مع الاصرار العراقي – الايراني على نقل سكان أشرف الى خارج العراق ؟
- أشرف بالنسبة للشعب الايراني بمثابة منار للأمل ونموذج لا نظير له في مجتمع ديمقراطي والذي يمنحهم العزم لكي يقفوا بوجه الدكتاتورية السوداء المختبئة خلف ستار الدين , وأود القول هنا ان النظام الايراني قلق من التحولات السورية فاذا سقطت الدكتاتورية في سورية , فان واحداً من أهم أركان نفوذه في المنطقة سيتلاشى.
لهذا السبب يريد النظام قبل سقوط النظام السوري أن يتأكد من أمرين : الاول القضاء على أشرف وسكانه , والاخر الحصول على القنبلة النووية , لكي يتمكن من خلال هذين المكسبين التغلب على مشكلاته .
You knowI could not understand your statements so, I translated your comments into English, and still, I did not understand.
why is cnn making like the positive comment about obama a good thing its NOT!
Farid has been indirect supporter of Iran for years, obviously. This is expected knowing Farid's background that is being raised in a observant Muslim family. Please open yourself to the facts that what atrocities Iran is doing to its OWN people. You interview experts on Iran that their opinion is known to be one sided and your interview with Israeli officials are confrontational list goes on and on.
America invaded and occupied Mexico, Haiti, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. America developed the atomic bomb and used it twice.
Israel was created by terrorist leaders(all of them), organizations( Irgun, Lehi, Stern Gang, Haganah) and acts( King David Hotel, Deir Yassin, Gaza, West Bank, Count Folke Bernadotte).
Neither Islam nor Arabs are culpable for the Crusades, the Inquistion, pogroms, destruction of the Temple or the Holocaust.
Iran did not overthrow a democratically elected American government and put a dictator in power. Iran did not support Mexico/Canada in a war against America that killed 4 million Americans. Iran did not shoot down a civilian American airplane. Iran did not declare America part of "an axis of evil" and then invade and occupy Mexico and Canada.
Iran is the model of restraint and realism compared to the rabid radical American Empire's exercise in the politics of Genghis Khan and Alexander the Great. The sun has set on empires. Ask the Soviets and the British.
A Theatrical Game of Opportunity
General Dempsey says Iran is a "rational actor". I disagree. Its is an “irrational actor. I would go further to say that Israel has also joined Iran on this "world stage" as an co-actor and that both nations have taken the “thread with caution” foreign policy the West has employed in the past few years as an opportunity to solidify their domestic and foreign political image. I'll explain:
Iran: The 2009 uprising in Iran could have very well been the trigger for the Arab Spring and that it was successfully quelled then is no guarantee that the same would be for future uprising especially with the uprising next door in Syria. There has been over the past year or so a certain strain in the relationship between the Ayatollah and Ahmadinejad with regards to political decisions and the administration of the State. Externally, the list is endless, economic sanctions by the West and an increased isolation from fellow Arab states. All this points to a regime that is under pressure and has sustained itself so far by using political rhetoric and posturing as a pre-emptive measure to keep its enemies at bay. However it is likely and I will want to emphasis “likely” that Iran has developed an impudence resulting from the combination of a United States which has almost unanimously decided that military intervention in the Middle East is not an option especially in an election year and as Daniel Levy pointed out on GPS an Isreal which will not attack Iran without United States backing. The ultimate goal of the administration will be to unify and distract its people and keep its international critics at bay by calling the bluff of the West and it seems to be working. Needless to say instigating a military action is not the goal of this regime.
Israel on the other hand or rather Netanyahu and the Likud party seam to be using the spotlight primarily for political reasons. Rula Jebreal and Daniel Levy pointed out that the idea of a pre-emptive strike by Israel does not sit well with the entire Israeli parliament and that furthermore the stalemate with regards to the issue of Palestine has prompted Netanyahu to look for a distraction, and I agree. This is evident by the fact that the Palestinian problem if you may which has always been the defining issue between Israel and the United State was not addressed publicly at least during his recent visit to the White House. The argument for a nuclear Iran as a reason for a strike is somewhat baseless because by now everyone knows that Iran’s experimenting with cold fusion has primarily been used as a deterrent for public relations. It is very likely and again I emphasis “likely” Israel knows that Iran is posturing and is counting on a reluctant White House to do nothing at least militarily for now. Sounds far fetched? I agree, but look at it from the point of view of a sitting Prime minister of Israel: with the support of parliament at stake and the preference of the United States for a two state solution to the Palestinian issue, a view that most Israeli’s don’t share. There is really nothing much for Netanyahu to write home about. Is the White House been used as a prop in this theatrical production? I am afraid so. And it is very likely that this production is going to be on stage and unresolved for a while much to the advantage of Iran and Israel.
One thing I do not understand, and have not heard mentioned, about the whole Iran nuclear program is this. For any nation to get a nuclear weapon, do they not have to test it first? Why rush to war until a test is detected and then plan accordingly? I can only think of the following reasons why we would not wait until a test is detected:
1) no test is needed because they have been given a working prototype to copy.
2) no test is needed because testing will be skipped
3) no test is needed because there is no weapon to test
4) The whole thing is a bluff on the part of Iran
There may be other reasons I have not considered. However, based on what I have listed, #1 and #2 above are the most disconcerting.
I agree, the nuclear weapons program is most likely an implied deterrent that serves to keep its critics guessing and a very well calculated one two. Think about it ever since the so called weapons of mass destruction were not found in Iraq, the West has become extremely gun shy about going into another middle eastern State militarily in the name of WMD's and Iran knows that. It has worked considerably well for North Korea as a deterrent against the South which is allied with the United States.
Iran is rational. Even the right wing Jerusalem Post says so!: http://bit.ly/wpPGoy Let us hope sanity prevails.
Despite all the talk of India busting sanctions by buying Iranian oil, India could be an excellent mediator between the West and Iran and this will help a)difuse the nuclear issue and b) reduce tensions in the Gulf, which will lower Crude prices and help all economies
SHIIAZIM = EVIL= terrorists= russia=666
it is time to take stand aganist Iran terrorizim and aggression, and aganist syrian shiia thugs aggression and Iraqi shiia thugs killers those are helping hizboallah and all terror group with money and russia send the weapons to those shiia thugs from iran, iraq and syria to destroy lebanon, bahrain hamas iraqi sunni and syrian sunni today along those shiia thugs killed 150 women and children just because they are sunni , this is what shiia islam all about, and make no mistake when those shiia evil gets the nic weapoins they will use it, YOU HAVE TO UNDESTAND WHY,,,THE SHIIA WANT TO SEE WAR, CAIOUS , ADULTERY AND KILLING BECAUSE THEY BELIVE THAT AL MAHDI AL MONTADHAR WHAT SO CALLED SHIIA MASAIA WILL APPEAR WHEN THAT HAPPEN...THEY ARE PURE EVIL BEILEVE IN THIS EVIL MAN CALLED THE INVIBLE MASSAIA...
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