On Sunday, I interviewed the former Prime Minister and current Defense Minister of Israel, Ehud Barak. We spoke about Israel's "window of opportunity" to strike Iran and the future of the Palestinian Authority.
Here's a transcript of our discussion:
Fareed Zakaria: You have long argued that we need more pressure on Iran. President Obama announced recently that he believes that the supplies of oil in the world are sufficient to pursue an even more stringent set of sanctions against Iran. These will be the tightest, harshest sanctions that have ever been put in place, I think, against any country.
Do you think that this will be enough to put the kind of pressure on Iran that you have wanted?
Ehud Barak: No one can predict, Fareed. It is clear that the depths of the sanctions is different for what we had in the past, and it has its impact both the closing of the swift clearing system as well as the sanctions on the oil export and, of course, the coming negotiations that will probably encourage them to move.
But to tell the truth, we hope for the better, but I don't believe that this amount of sanctions and pressure will bring the Iranian leadership to the conclusion that they have to stop their nuclear military program.
Fareed Zakaria: If the Iranians were to make some proposal or agree to some proposal, would you be satisfied, would the Israeli government be satisfied if they were to accept some version of a very intrusive international inspections regime, or to accept that the enriched uranium be made in Russia? Are these kinds of compromises ones you could accept as a solution to this problem?
Ehud Barak: Fareed, we see the Iranian nuclear military program as a challenge to the whole world, not just to Israel. We are convinced that to deal with it once it's nuclear will be much more complicated, much more dangerous, much more costly in terms of both a human life as well as financial resources.
But at the same time, we are not against any kind of effective and urgent sanctions, not even against negotiations. But we told our American friends as well as the Europeans that we would have expected the threshold for successful negotiation to be clear, namely that the P5+1 will demand clearly that, number one, no more enrichment to 20 percent. All the already enriched 20 percent material out of the country to a neighboring trusted country. Then all the material enriched to 3.5 percent, probably except for a few hundred kilograms, should be taken out of the country, once again, into a neighboring trusted country.
Number three, the installation in Fordo near Qom under the ground should be decommissioned in order not to enable them to resume enrichment to 20 percent, and tight inspection by the IAEA, according to protocol 3.1, should be imposed. If all these are met, even if they get in exchange fuel rods for their TLR, their research reactor and so on, that could be OK. It would be a different regime.
But if the P5+1 will settle for a much lower threshold, like just stop enriching 20 percent, it means that basically the Iranians, at a very cheap cost, bought their way into continuing their military program, slightly slower, but without sanctions. That will be a total change of direction for the world.
Fareed Zakaria: And if that were to happen - if you were to end up with what you regard as a suboptimal or less-than-perfect solution, you have argued that Israel has a closing window of opportunity to act because, at a certain point, the Iranian sites get hardened.
Is there time pressure on you? Do you believe that you have only a certain amount of time before which military strikes would not be effective against Iran?
Ehud Barak: You know, by definition, we have a limited time. Every quarter it becomes shorter by a quarter. But I expressed already my view that we don't have to make a decision next week and we cannot wait years, though.
It is not a matter of weeks, but it is not a matter of years on the other hand, before Israel will be practically kind of deprived from the possibility to contemplate what could be done.
But that is not the real issue. I really see it as a major change for the whole world. I really see it as a critical time for the rest of the world as well. And I really think that the tightest possible sanctions and steps against Iran should be ratcheting in a way that will effectively corner it.
Fareed Zakaria: But Mr. Minister, you said you don't have to decide this in a week, but you don't have much more than a year. So, in effect, you're saying that there is a fairly clear timeline here, that around some time in the next nine to 12 months, something has to get negotiated that stops Iranian enrichment. Otherwise, Israel will feel compelled to act.
Ehud Barak: You go much beyond what I've said. We don't have any decision about what to do, a date for the decision.
But it's clear, that for us, it's critical. I strongly believe it's not critical for us. Actually, I believe that it's critical for you as well.
I read into your articles, right, that we - you, Fareed, and me - have differences about it, but I think that you are wrong and I'm right about it - that no mutually assured destruction kind of situation will serve as a modifier or stabilizer in this case, because we are not a continent and Israel is not either the United States or the Soviet Union.
And it's basically - sanctions are the only option by now. And the fact that Khamenei says that he doesn't want to get a nuclear weapon is just the kind of a tricky kind of rhetoric. Amano's report could not leave doubt in the mind of any serious person that Iran is now determined to reach nuclear military capability in spite of the determination of the rest of the world to block them.
And looking into the past, drawing from the examples of both Pakistan and North Korea, we can realize that it can happen. So we feel it urgent. Of course, we look at it slightly different from other nations, but we think that it's important to deal with it extremely seriously and not to remove any option from the table, except for containment.
Those who believe in containment see a ray of hope. I don't believe in containment, so I don't see how easily it's going to be solved. I will be happy to be wrong.
Fareed Zakaria: Mr. Minister, there's a new book out in the United States, called The Crisis of Zionism by Peter Beinart.
And in it he proposes that the West Bank and Gaza should be described not as the West Bank and Gaza, not as Judea and Samaria but "undemocratic Israel," the argument being that you have millions of Palestinians there who have no vote and no state. Is that a fair characterization of the West Bank, as "undemocratic Israel"?
Ehud Barak: I did not read the book so I cannot make kind of a statement about, but it's clear that the deeper reason to have this solution of two states for two people is in order to make sure that Israel, we would delineate a borderline within which we will have a solely Jewish majority for generations to come, and beyond which we will have a viable Palestinian state with a Palestinian majority, that will express their identity, their dreams and their aspirations.
And I think that it's possible - it's not simple, it's possible. It needs goodwill from both sides, a readiness to take a tough decision and certain weights toward it, if Israel remain the only political entity, west of the Jordan River, the fact that there are blocks of millions of Palestinians and they cannot vote to the Knesset makes a problem.
And if they can vote to the Knesset, it make Israel by a nation of state. But that's exactly - it's clear to all of us Israelis, including right-wing Israelis, and that's what drive most of us, including the right wing, to understand that the only solution is a two-state solution. And that's what Netanyahu said more than once.
The only issue we care about is that viewing the execution that the possessing of these two states for a solution, the security considerations of Israel and its national interest, it will be taken into account.
Because, however complicated the Palestinian state will be, a part of community of 20-odd states of Arab nature, and Israel will remain the only Jewish state in the region, and probably the only member of the U.N., which has explicitly threatened to be destroyed by other members of the U.N. That's a situation that needs to be taken care of by us.
We realize we are living in a tough neighborhood, no mercy for the weak and no second opportunity for those who cannot defend themselves. We want to be strong, ready to protect ourselves, under whatever kind of threat, but at the same time, stretching out our hand to make peace with any neighbor who is ready for it.
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الدولة الكردية
البارزاني يهدد المالكي بسحب الثقة
البارزاني حذر من أن العراق يتجه إلى "كارثة وعودة الدكتاتورية" (الأوروبية- أرشيف)
جدد رئيس إقليم كردستان العراق مسعود البارزاني هجومه على رئيس الوزراء العراقي نوري المالكي متهما إياه بالدكتاتورية، وملمحا إلى إمكانية طرح مسألة سحب الثقة من حكومته. كما هدد الزعيم الكردي أثناء زيارة للولايات المتحدة باللجوء إلى استفتاء بشأن إنشاء دولة كردية.
وقال البارزاني في تصريحات صحفية الأحد إن "العراق يتجه إلى كارثة، إلى عودة الدكتاتورية، والاستئثار بالسلطة في كل مرافق الدولة"، في إشارة إلى المالكي من دون أن يسميه. ورأى أنه يجري حاليا "تهميش الجميع، وكأنه تم إسقاط النظام الجديد في العراق على يد شخص، فيما الباقون يعيشون على مكرمات القائد الجديد".
وأعلن البارزاني -الذي يقوم حاليا بزيارة إلى الولايات المتحدة- أنه "عندما أعود إلى كردستان، سأدعو إلى اجتماع كل القادة العراقيين لدراسة الوضع بمسؤولية، وليس للمجاملة أو إيجاد حلول وقتية أو مسكنات للأزمة". وتابع "إما حلول جذرية، وإما كل واحد يعرف طريقه ويجب أن يكون اللقاء جديا وحاسما، وإذا لم يستجيبوا، فثمة حديث آخر".
وهدد رئيس إقليم كردستان العراق باللجوء إلى استفتاء بشأن إنشاء دولة كردية في حال رفض نوري المالكي حضور اجتماع عام للقيادات العراقية في أربيل لإيجاد حلول لمشاكل الإقليم مع بغداد. كما شدد على إمكانية سحب الثقة من الحكومة العراقية في بغداد.
المالكي والبارزاني دخلا في شراكة سياسية منذ انتخابات 2010 (الأوروبية-أرشيف)
رفض المالكي
وفي جوابه عن سؤال بشأن احتمال رفض المالكي حضور الاجتماع إذا تم وضع شروط، قال البارزاني "نريد اجتماعا لتفكيك الأزمة، لإصلاح الوضع، الاجتماع ليس لمجرد الاجتماع، إذا رفض المالكي حضور الاجتماع لحل المشكلة، فنحن نرفض بقاءه في الحكم".
وأوضح الزعيم الكردي أنه يجب "إما معالجة الوضع وإما مواجهة وضع لا يمكن القبول به وفيه شخص واحد يستحوذ على كل مرافق الدولة ويتصرف وفق إرادته ويهمش الآخرين ثم يبقى رئيسا للوزراء، هذا غير مقبول على الإطلاق".
من جانبه قال القيادي البارز في الحزب الديمقراطي الكردستاني علي حسين إن تصريحات البارزاني تتفق مع الدستور وليست لإثارة الرأي العام.
وأوضح "نشعر أن السيد المالكي يتصرف منفردا بعيدا عن بنود الدستور والديمقراطية، نحن ندعو إلى الالتزام بالدستور، لأن بقاءنا مع العراق مرهون بالالتزام بالدستور، وهذا ما يشير إليه الرئيس مسعود البارزاني عندما يلوح بالرجوع للشعب ليتخذ قراره، ديباجة الدستور العراقي يجعل بقاءنا مرهونا بتطبيقه".
".
إن بارزاني يعي ما يقول وإن المالكي وأصحابه الذين أتو من على الدبابات الأمريكية أصبحو طغاة ويحاولون بناء الديكتاتوريات في زمن انتهى زمن الظلم وإن البرزاني تأخر كثير على هذا الموقف وكان يتوجب منه منذ زم أن يعلن الاستفتاء على إقامة الواة الكردية فالعيش مع المالكي واعوانه كارثة لكل الأكراد وجريمة بحق الانسانية
I apologize for not being able to read what I believe is Arabic writing. I wish CNN had a translate button that I could press so I could read what you wrote in English, but thank you for your contribution.
You don't have to understand arabic... just copy/past it into google and translate.
He posted about the kurdish leaders in Iraq – nothing he posted has anything to do with the article at hand.
the guy's a troll who does nothing but copy pasting his idiotic rants...
There's something unclear in Ehud Barak's statement: "Israel will remain the only Jewish state in the region, and probably the only member of the U.N., which has explicitly threatened to be destroyed by other members of the U.N."
Who are the "other members of the U.N."? Can he name them? How long will it take before this fear disappears?
j. von hettlingen... The "other members of the U.N." are the member-states of the Arab League and the Palestinians who do not have a state yet but have full membership in the Arab League and an observer status in the U.N.
I appreciate the Government of Syria for these killing American pillars
they should be killed and they deserved to be killed.
The only thing that matters is for you stupid Americans to stay stupid. Don't think. Do what we tell you to do.
For some reason the Jews think that God has chosen them, and the rest of the Middle Eastern countrian countries think that they are infidels. What an impasse. If I remember right, the British decided to move Jews from Europe to Palestine, because nobody in Europe wanted them (NIMBY). Trouble is the land belonged to the Arabs.
In this country taking someone else's property is against the law.
The religious differences are a bunch of nonsense as are the hundreds of other religions around the world. If one is right then the others are all wrong. What's the difference?
Why don't we invite all the Jews in Israel to come here to the United States. There are already as many if not more Jews in the United States than there are in Israel. Here they could prosper without any government aid. They can easily assimilate into the rest of the population, and pursue happiness like the rest of us. They may even have Arab neighbors, and nobody would care.
God Bless you all.
The land was mostly empty. The 'Palestinians' could have lived side by side with the Israelis except for strong religious beliefs that compelled the Palestinians to murder the Jews.
The 'Palestinians' are just arabs. They hold now cultural differnces except that they were in Palestine.
If you google British Mandate for Palestine 1948, you will see the huge area that is really Palestine. You will also see that the arabs are now in control of 80 per cent of the Mandate of Palestine.
That's not enough for the 'Palestinians' and other Islamic nations of the area. They want to exterminate the Jews. It's not going to happen. Israel exists! You might want to address your own denial. The Jews aren't going anywhere. Anybody who wants to try and move them now will suffer the 'wrath of God.' No kidding.
Wrong assumptions always lead to wrong conclusions, bro... It is wrong to assume that you know what the Jews "think". When they think and what it written in the 2,000-year-old book may be different.
Well, Joe, you remember wrong. Jews have been living in the Land of Israel for more than 3,000 years, and they never gave up on their land even after most have been deported to Europe by the Italians (a.k.a. "Romans"). Arabs have been infiltrating the land for centuries, but their homeland is Arabia, far away even from the East Bank region of the Jordan river. So I don't understand how the claim can be made that Jews don't belong in the land of Israel. Even the Persians knew that 2,500 years ago when Cyrus allowed the Jews to return and rebuild Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple.
Hey Pharos - WRONG. Good job showing the world that you're a good little GOY though and can parrot the B S that your SELF-CHOSEN MASTERS tell you to repeat.
Excellent idea. That would solve the problem and eliminate need for foreign aid. The US government might even collect some taxes from new citizens, It is a win win situation.
Joe... Why don't you invite the poor stateless oppressed Palestinians to the United States?
Parabolic... Can you explain how moving of Jews to the US will solve the foreign aid problem considering that the Arab countries receive FIVE TIMES MORE AID than Israel?
Don`t be silly. Jews are not the chosen ones. If they were, how come they got the only country in the Middle East with no oil?
Punisher2000... You may compare the level of living the Jews of Israel have with the level of living of the Arabs in the neighboring states (with or without oil) and you'll realize that BRAINS are a better asset than oil.
Joe. if only our politicians were as smart and free as you are ... tens of thousands of lives would be saved on both sides.
Seriously, what's wrong with giving Nebraska or Wyoming to Israelis. Much bigger and better land, Christian neighbors
aren't going to be as hostile as Arabs. Put all this arm money into business. Just think about it, the 4 million Israeli immigrants needing homes, cars and everything else can turn the economy upside down and create the millions of jobs
we are dying for.
Think further ... if that happens, what would Alcaeda and other muslim extremist would blame America for?
This is shooting many birds with one stone.
resa... Why don't you give Nebraska (or anything else you may own) to the poor, oppressed, stateless Palestinians? Israelis already HAVE a state.
Thinker23. The Israeli land has captured by displacement of the owners, Palestinian. Just because my grand grand grand pa lived somewhere 3000 yrs ago, it doesn't mean I now can go and kick today's owners out. But that's what Israel from the start. Doesn't matter who lived there thousands of years ago, Palestinians had the deeds to those lands and they were kicked out of their house. This was facilitated by direct support of the UK and kept going on with direct support of the US. See how they are making more and more settlements in Palestinian lands with American support?
If we are not really doing this because we don't want Jews in our own backyard, then we should bring them here.
I don't mind having a Jew as a neighbor, I have gone to school with them and my two of best friends at school are Jews.
But the poor Arabs who lost their lands dont want them there and no because of their race, because they are occupiers. Making state on stolen land is not neither nobel nor sustainable, not anymore, not with this style.
Canada and Australia started new countries 100, 200 yrs ago but based on equal rights for all. Not just one group
who came here at the expense of others. If Israelis gave up the idea of a Jewish state and wanted to have a Canada in Palestine, even Palestinians would consider that. But keeping millions of people in refugee camps is not humain.
Jamor menuval kk shel gamal. أمهات الكلب
We own America! No matter what . . . everyone will bow before israel. Today it is Iran, tomorrow it will be Georgia and Turkey. After that it will be Pakistan. We zionists are on the march. For all you zionist haters out there, we're watching you! For the rest of you stupid Americans . . . just do what you are told to do and believe everything you hear and read on CNN, NYTimes, NBC, Fox News, Time Magazine . . . and keep your children in front of the television at least 6 or 7 hours a day. For your children we want you to have them watching the Disney Channel and nothing else.
We like our slaves to be stupid.
For the rest of you . . . like I said we're watching you! And soon we'll be coming for you in the night.
israel forever . . . .and keep that money coming to us!!
Georgia and Turkey? What is this to do with Georgia and Turkey? What did Georgia do to Israel? You are out of your mind. As far as Turkey goes, yeah I see where you are coming from. Turkey being the leader of the region, Israel is threatened. But, hey unlike arab nations or suppressive Russian regime or zionist Israel which has been torturing Palestenians for decades, Turkey is the sole democracy in the region. So, Turks won't be bothered by a handful of jews...
hitler had the right idea. now i guess its up to iran. let isreal be vaporized. please!
It is funny to me how many people post things when any mention of Israel comes up. It is mostly two sided as well one all about Israel the others all about Arabia and the Palestinians. The bottom line is Israel is not going to go anywhere unless they are nuked off the map. If that happens world war 3 will begin and most of Arabia will also be wiped off the map. Also when Israel is nuked off the map it will take all of Palestine with it. This is obviously a really stupid idea but I am not sure if the Palestinians care that much. They seem to hate Israel so much they would be ok with dieing with them. As crazy as that sounds it is quite possibly true. Israel and Palestine need to get over this crap and deal. They will live together or die together there is no one or the other any more. If Israel tries to kill all the Palestinians then they will have to fight all the Arab countries and both Palestine and Israel will be no more.
Learn to coexist or both nations will die. Some of the issues you have is the lack of land but land can be made from the sea you live next to. This is not impossible if you put half the effort you put into destroying each other in creating new land from the bottom of the sea your land issues would not even exist. Man made islands are quite possible and profitable. Work together for a greater Israel and Palestine learn that you must coexist. Anything else is an object of futility and stupidity
Can you put that in English?
Mr. Barak, just like most warmongers, you managed to explicitly express your disapproval of Mr. Zakaria's Mutual Assured Destruction theory, while not giving any decent counterargument in return. "Israel is not a continent and Israel is not the US or Russia". What kind of argumentation is that? What does that have to do with the fact that both Iran and Israel are (relatively) strong nations in the ME and that both nations would be destroyed if any of them tried to nuke the other?
Whether Israel is a continent or not, I believe the effects of a nuclear bomb (which you pretend to fear so much) would still be the same. As for "Israel is not the US". Errr there are many who would disagree on that. The ONLY reason why Israel still stands is BECAUSE Israel is practically the US' 51st state. If it wasn't for MASSIVE US support, there would be no Israel. So don't pretend to be the victim when you've got the world's n°1 military backing you up.
You know fine well that Iran is a rational actor on this stage. If the Islamic Republic was that keen on self-destruction and "jihad" and all that crap, Israel would've felt it already. Iran may support terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah, but if the almighty US can arm sick psychopaths such as the Mujahedin (present day taliban) to slaughter communists, half the globe away from US borders, I do not think it is Israel/ the US' place to point fingers at Iran for funding organizations that fight for the IR's benefit in the Middle-East.
Not that I approve of funding terrorist organizations or the IR's ambitions, but facts are facts. The US has supported more terrorist organizations than Iran could ever wish for yet no one seems to care about this.
Iran desperately needs a regime change, but it should not be invaded under false accusations. You want to bring Iran down? Focus attention on the Human Rights abuses! Focus attention on the voice of the Iranian people! But for the love of God stop turning this into a "we are the victim" kind of scenario when all the world's weapons are aimed at Iran!
...neither Arabs nor Jews are good for US. Civilizations didn't started now. America and the rest of the Christian Countries were better-off without them.
However, they both have One common motive, which is to destroy Christians for once and forever. It is according to their Religious guidance.
In the Year 1995, Yiessac Rabbi, the former PM said,"The World body hated Jews", and hereafter, the Arab League said,"We must stand against whomever different from Muslims".
So, what are we waiting for? Do we have to assist anyone whose motives and consequences are to destroy US and the rest of the Christian Nations around the Globe??? I believe, the US and World Christian People must do very intense RESEARCH and INVESTIGATIONS to protect the future of Christian Religion and Christian Nations.
And also, if it is necessarily, the US must build THE GREAT PACIFIC WALL, to create peace among its Christian People. Because, the problems of Arabs and Jews are like Seasonal epidemic FLU.
It's actually people like you that plague this world. You're a desease.
Oh shut the hell up. We Jews love the U.S. and that's why more than 6 million of us live in the U.S. Most Christians I know are very tolerant and they support Israel. You happen to be one of the fools who don't. America is not your country alone, it's mine too. Anyone who hates Israel and hope for her destruction is a piece of mule dung. Israel will never be destroyed, the only thing that arabs like Zakaria want is to try and come off as being "moderate" while trying to portray Israel as an extremeist country enslaving Palestinians. That's what all the arabs do, and stupid leftist Europeans and some Americans lap it up like dogs. Ready and willing to beleive lies about the jews and Israel.
The Christians I know are very nice; and I certainly have no designs to do any harm to anyone, regardless of nationality, race, or anything else, as long as they don't want to harm me. It is better not to generalize because most people would not agree with your statement. I do think, however, we are living in fool's paradise if we think Iran will keep from making a bomb. Their leaders have openly stated that Israel and the United States are on their list for destruction. I don't know what we're waiting for.
Well said Chimo. I wholeheartedly agree.
You do understand that neo-Nazi and KKK "demonstrations" in the U.S. have to be heavily guarded by the police in order to keep the rest of us from beating them all to death on the spot, right? Maybe you could do the rest of us a favor and go play with something sharp. In traffic.
You are wise beyond your ears. You are full of divine bovine excreta. You play with buffalo chips. Your words flow like diarrhea. Please say no more.
Well stated!
But what I don't understand is why he keeps referring to Iran's nuclear program as "their nuclear military program." I wonder how he knows for sure that Iran is trying to build a nuclear "military" program! Sort of like saying Iraq possessed WMD's! How f-ing pathetic!
He knows because all of us who have been reading the reports of the International Atomic Energy Agency see that they have found evidence, and believe, that Iran is on the road to building an atomic bomb. Remember, civilian medical and energy uses require low grad nuclear material. They don't require the 20% enriched uranium that the IAEA found and Iran admitted to having. That stuff is a halfway point to making weapons grade uranium.
AZScott – The IAEA found NO EVIDENCE that Iran is building a bomb or intend to build a bomb and anyone who says otherwise is LYING through their teeth. The IAEA said the Iranian nuclear program "could" have "possible military dimension" which is less than not saying anything. Ehud Barak can call it whatever he wants to call it, but there is ZERO CONCLUSIVE EMPIRICAL evidence to back up his contrived nuclear military program nonsense.
Oh and by the way. The IAEA didn't "find" and Iran "admitted to having". It is totally legal to enrich uranium to purities of 20% for medical isotope purposes and this is done by many countries including switzerland, sweden, norway, Brazil among scored of others. Iran notified the IAEA that it was going to start enriching Uranium to the legal 20% purity and the IAEA witnessed it. AZScott is just attempting to deceive the ignorant.
The fact tha Saddam USED weapons of mass destruction killing some 60,000 Iraqis is a pretty convincing proof that he HAD these weapons, don't you agree? Futher, I dare anyone claiming that there is no evidence of Iranian nuclear weapons program to explain HOW WILL IRAN USE hundreds of its intermediate- and long range ballistic missiles that cost at least 3 million each but are virtually harmless without proper warheads. BE MY GUEST...
I don't care about the political side of this discussion, but want to correct AZScott on the enrichment needed for energy purposes. It is indeed 20% enriched U that is needed for energy production. For military applications you need 95% enriched U.
VERY WELL ARTICULATED SHAHIN. Barak gave a non-answer to a legitimate question.
Shahin,
Your statement "Whether Israel is a continent or not, I believe the effects of a nuclear bomb (which you pretend to fear so much) would still be the same" shows you have no clue about geography.
Isreal has about 8000 square miles; Iran 636,000. You could fit 8 Israels in Florida; that is how small the country is. Therefore, taking a 25 megaton explosion with a complete destruction radius of 6.5 miles, you would need 132 bombs to completely destroy Israel. Iran is 80 times larger, so you would need over 10,000 bombs for MUTUAL destruction! Size matters, thus the comparison to continents!
With Iran saying they want to wipe Israel from the map, I don't see how you can disagree with Israel's concern about "mutual destruction" when muslims clearly have no qualms about suicide bombings. And with size on their side, they may be willing to take the chance.
ISRAEL HAS MORE THAN 200 FREAKIN NUKES, IRAN HAS NONE, 0, NADA, RIEN, NIETS, NICHTS, HICHI.
If anything, it is Iran that has to fear Israel for being nuclear!!
And why would the IR be suicidal if they have been in power for the last 35 years??? The IR was against Israel the day it came to power yet 35 years later they still haven't touched Israel!
Thinker: You know damn well that Iranians are not terrorists. 9/11 and all other suicide bombings were done by arabs, pakis and afghans. I have never heard of an Iranian blowing himself up so cut the BS.
Shahin... If my neighbor was running around with a knife yelling that I and all my family members would be dead soon I would be worried EVEN if I had five guns in my gun cabinet. Further, Iranians are SHIA and I've hears about THOUSANDS of Shia Muslims in Lebanon and other places blowing themselves up for the glory of Allah.
Thinker: IRAN DID NOT THREATEN TO DESTROY ISRAEL IN ANY WAY, GET THAT THROUGH YOUR THICK SKULL.
And "shia" is not a nationality or ethnicity, so I don't give a S about what other shia muslims do, Iranians NEVER blow themselves up.
And you don't have any clue of geography either. Do you really think Iran would use a nuclear bomb on such a small area where Palestinians also live? And that they would risk utter destruction by Israel's 200 nuclear warheads and/or 2 or 3 American CBG's?
Please, get your facts straight. Nuclear bombs will never be used by states when severe retaliation is likely. Non-state actors are a different thing, but in that regard, Pakistan seems a more troubling case.
Shahin... I've asked you many times to explain the MEANING of Ahmadinejad's statement regarding "the regime in Jerusalem" that will "vanish from the page of time". I'm still waiting...
Vince: Can you elaborate HOW the presence of SUNNI Palestinian Arabs in the area will prevent the SHIA Iranian Persians from using nuclear wewapons against Israel? You may recall that SHIA Persians love SUNNI Arabs about as much as they love Jews.
Do you have any source for that? No. Iran has repeatedly stressed their support for the Palestinians' cause and for the Arab revolts in general (though they are far less successful with the latter). Until proven otherwise, the Palestinians have an ally in Tehran.
Vince... The "love" between Shia Iranians and Sunni Arabs was demonstrated by the Iran-Iraq war for which more then one million Muslims paid by their lives. It continues to be demonstrated by the lovely words Iranian and Saudi leaders talk about each other... but you may believe that presence of Palestinian Arabs in the area will stop the Iranians from bombing Israel if you wish. Just don't try to use this argument in a debate with someone who knows what he is talking about.
Please do not utilise personal arguments here. I am currently involved in an independent advisory think tank and have spoken to many experts in the field, including Western and Iranian diplomats. In that sense, I do know "what I am talking about."
While the Sunni/Shi'a divide is sometimes great, it is by no means always a cause for conflict. The Islamic bond is stronger than the hatred, and they have a common foe (Israel). Get some realpolitik 101 classes while you're at it: Saudi-Iranian rivalry is rooted mostly in geopolitical rivalry. Even if Iran were to seriously consider using nukes, they would not do so because of the destructive consequences for their own population.
If you give me any substantiation for your arguments, I am willing to reconsider my points. But if you believe Iranian leaders' sincerity in wanting to 'destroy Israel['s regime]', you should not be a hypocrite and not believe them when they say that the Palestinians are their 'brothers'.
nail on the coffin. facts are facts, period.
The counter argument is pretty simple: Mutually Assured Destruction only works when EACH party values its own lives (states, etc.) more than taking these things from the other party. It DOES NOT WORK in case one party is willing to sacrifice its own country and its population in order to destroy the another country. As an example you may consider the 9/11/2001 attack of Arab terrorists on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon when these terrorists KNOWINGLY sacrificed their own lives in order to kill as many Americans as possible. There is no reason to believe that Iranian leaders are any different from the 9/11 terrorists and their commanders.
There is also absolute no reason to assume that they are the same, considering the Al Qaeda terrorists were Arabs, which Iranians aren't. Even within ethnic groups, such a generalisation is completely absured and ungrounded in reason. It serves merely to prove a point which cannot be proven by rational observation.
We accuse the Iranians of being fanatical and irrational, but we're often no different. In fact, the Iranians have often acted rationally and cautiously so far, though their actions have always been coated with rhetoric and bombast. If they were irrational, why would they even bother complying with the NPT and submitting to IAEA inspections?
Vince... I do not have any reasons to believe that Iranian leaders LIED when they've promised to their own population and to the neighboring Arabs that Israel will be destroyed EVEN if half of the Iranians will perish as well. I do not have any reasons to believe that YOU know Iranian plans and intentions better than the Supreme Islamic Leader of Iran or the Iranian President... with all due respect, of course.
Surely you can provide me with a source for that? I would be sincerely interested in reading those promises.
Vince... Of course I can provide a source... It's the IPS (Iran Press Service):
iran-press-service:com:articles_2001/dec_2001/rafsanjani_nuke_threats_141201:htm
See later in the article: "Though Mr. Salamatian is of the opinion that Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani’s words are part of both his own show and the ongoing internal tensions between conservatives and reformers, however, he also agrees with other Iranian analysts that his "untimely" menace could backfire, becoming a justification for threats against Iran, at a time that the United States and its allies are determined to continue the fight against international terrorism."
I'm not denying these recommendations by Mr Rafsanjani are a terrible display of brinkmanship (he does admit the Muslim world will be damaged as well), but they have never been reiterated by people in power later on. Even Mr Rafsanjani stated in 2007 that the Iranian nuclear programme was entirely peaceful.
shahin, you don't get it?
It's not just a war for Israel. It's a small country. A nuclear strike means destruction of the entire Jewish state. It is not complete genocide, since Jews exist elsewhere. Still, it's a huge step towards genocide. The Arabs have land and people to spare.
The answer is clear. Iran needs to stop enriching uranium, turn over that which has been enriched, shut down Qom, and allow unfettered inspections by the IAEA. The time for phoney arguments is over.
Wrong. The country that has not attached another nation in 200+ years (Iran) needs to demand Isreal, the country that countinously uses its US military against kids throwing rocks to disarm thier nuclear weapons. If Isreal wants Iran to give up its nuclear capability, they should start with disarming, and continously showing the entire world that they are disarmed, and start treating the Palistians as HUMAN. Please stop your Zianist rants, the world sees your hipocracy. Isreal is the treat that will unstablize the world, they are a scared bunch of Jews that only know threats and war, they are not capable of negotations or peac talks, the world knows this well.
What an amazing amount of utter crap the two of your have written here!
shahin: Barak is the 'warmonger', is he? Yet it is Iran's leaders who incessant threaten to obliterate Israel from the face of the earth, not vice-versa. Since 1948 Arab countries that surround Israel have tried to over-run Israel and aspire to drive all Jews into the sea. The Qu'ran teaches Muslims to hate Jews first and foremost, and then Christians, so who are the warmongers, the moronically hate-filled Judophobes, Christophobes, and every other wretched 'phobe' on the face of the globe? Yes, the U.S. has supplied Israel and Israel has created it's own weapons, but the U.S. hasn't done the fighting and dying for survival, and doesn't endure incessant rockets fired on it from those 'peace-loving' Palestinian Arabs supplied by Iran.
100% Ethio Stronger: I'm not a Jew, but if you are in the U.S. I will tell you that Jews have done your country a lot of good. Unlike Arabs they've made a bigger contribution to science than any other group of people – and unlike Muslim Arabs they don't go around trying to blow up other people in churches, mosques, synagogues, shopping malls, cafetarias, business towers, bus shelters or underground trains – or military bases such as Fort Hood, Texas, or Times Square.
As to Jews 'destroying' Christians, evidently you've got a serious problem. Long before "Yiessac Rabbi the former PM", (I assume you mean Isaac Rabin. I couldn't find this Rabbi guy – even in Outer Mongolia!) said "The World body hated Jews", (and I'm quoting you) Muslims hated Jews and everyone else not Muslim. Hence why the Arab League would have stated, ""We must stand against whomever different from Muslims". "whomever", you get it? In other words everyone who is not a Muslim, just like the Qu'ran teaches them. After reading this I get the impression that have this you 'Seasonal epidemic'.
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FACT: Iran has not attacked another country in an unprovoked first strike in centuries and has never attacked or gone to war with Israel. Israel on the other hand has with the most recent that comes to mind is the UNLAWFUL unprovoked attack on Syria in 2007, and no amount of convoluted longwinded banter, voodoo or creatively worded nonsense will change that FACT, including KNOWN LIES about Iran threatening to destroy Israel etc. Mostly everyone knows Ahmadinejad said "the Zionist regime should be relegated to the pages of history/time". He didn't say Iran is going to destroy Israel. That's just a lie parroted by Israelis who want to destroy Iran.
Israel NEVER started a war in its entire history. The destruction of the Syrian nuclear reactor in 2007 was PERFECTLY LEGAL considering that Israel and Syria are AT WAR since 1948. It IS legal to destroy military installation of the enemy country during a war.
You say that Iran has not started a war, but what about the proxies they fund in Hezbollah and Gaza? They both have started conflicts with Israel. Iran has certainly been behind wars, but hide behind the terrorist proxies that they support.
Apostle 14. I don't know what you read, but in different sources on a few occasions I've read Ahmedinajad's threats to obliterate Israel. If you knew that a sworn enemy, such as Syria it to Israel, was building a facility that would enhance it's ability to wage war on you, would you simply sit idly by? Evidently you would, but I would smash it, as the Israelis did.
Please indicate where Ahmadinejad, or any other Iranian leader, has indicated that he would like to destroy Israel. They have never said such a thing. Instead, they want to remove the Israeli regime off the face of the map. Get your facts straight.
Can you elaborate on this, Vince? I'd like to know HOW, in your opinion, Israel "regime" can be removed without harming the state iof Israel and its population.
Ever heard of 'regime change'? The same 'we' want to do in Iran? Of course a regime can be removed without murdering its populace. Surely, the state itself will be harmed or removed, and the people will surely be harmed (like in Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea, the Balkans, etc.), but he's NOT talking about eradicating all jews or something like that. That's exactly what Ahmadinejad has said:
"Our dear Imam 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 [Israel] 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. But we must be aware of tricks."
It's the 'occupying regime' that has to be removed. It's just regime change from another perspective, subsumed in a layer of rhetoric.
Vince... "Surely, the state itself will be harmed or removed, and the people will surely be harmed (like in Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea, the Balkans, etc.), but he's NOT talking about eradicating all jews or something like that."
The number of Jews living in Gaza or the Palestinian-controlled areas of the West Bank leaves no doubts about "eradicating all jews or something like that" in case Palestinians will succeed. Further, in your statement above you've said that "[neither] Ahmadinejad, or any other Iranian leader, has indicated that he would like to destroy Israel. They have never said such a thing." This means that one of these two claims of yours was NOT TRUE.
Don't wage a semantic war on me please
"Israel" as a whole is something different from the "state" itself, or the "regime." The point is that neither the Palestinians, nor Iranian leaders, have ever admitted to wanting to eradicate the Jews as people, what I meant with Israel was the manifestation of that people.
Sure, you might give me some examples of extremists, but they will never mobilise the potential to actually pull through. Some have refused Israel's right to exist (which is unacceptable), but most of the sensible and rational world favours a two-state solution.
Ehud is a nice guy but needs to have some macaroons and chill out. Perhaps he should try some Iranian pistacchios ... or irani biryani .....they are to die for. Amongst all the war mongering and beating the hairy manly chests on pot bellies maybe some food diplomacy could work. They should all meet in Istanbul for a food fest and solve all the problems. Just like President Zardari of Pakistan and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India did over lunch yesterday. They had seekh kabobs, goat curry, Kashmiri stews, biryanis etc and resolved (or at least talked about) all their 70 year old problems in an hour!!!!!! Way to go...PEACE...!!!
That would be ideal
Well KRM, maybe Ehud eats that every day and does not need you.
Ok, then why don't you send him some turkish delights otherwise I will have Don Corleone send him some cannolis. Kapiche? La Chaim ! Salute !
I love Turkish delights. Most tasty.
Shut up Ehud. This is not a concern for the "whole world" but we understand why you want to make it such – so that others can do your fighting for you. You want a fight, go for it.
I will have no respect for all the hissy fits Israel is showing as long as they want to keep their nuclear weapons while fighting to keep everyone else in the neighborhood from getting it. Bottom line: if nuclear weapons are a good idea others should be allowed to acquire them; if they're a bad idea then get rid of yours. Hypocrits. You can't keep a nation from exercising the same rights you enjoy!
Why does Farheed think that the "Palestinians" and the absurd book "The Crisis of Zionism" (read the Amazon page) have anything to do with Iran's nuclear policy? I guess he ran out of good questions and decided to throw in a red herring to take up the remaining time. "Peter Beinart lays out in chilling detail the looming danger to Israeli democracy and the American Jewish establishment's refusal to confront it. And he offers a fascinating, groundbreaking portrait of the two leaders at the center of the crisis: Barack Obama, America's first "Jewish president"... and so forth an so on. Nonsense. The danger to the Israeli state is the Muslims and the "Palestinians" themselves, as it has always been.
It's obvious that the Iranian policy is to lie and stall until they have The Bomb. Any other conclusion is contrary to past history and Islamic policy.
It's obvious to noone except people trying to conjure up a reason for war.
Well, WHY would these people try to conjure up a reason for war against PEACEFUL Iran? and WHY would PEACEFUL Iranian leaders do everything in their abilities to convince the world that Iran is developing nuclear weapons and that it is going to use these weapons against Israel?
Firstly, I wonder why Mr.Ehud Barak agreed to come on Mr.Zakaria's GPS knowing fully well that Mr.Zakaria was a well known Islamic supporter!
Mr. Barak did mention rather midly that he & Fareed do not see eye to eye implying that Mr.Zakaria will never stop drumming up support for the Iranian nuclear program under the facade of the principle of MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction) and Iran's right to acquire nukes in response to Israel, India, Pak, and DPRK having it.
Mr.Barak also knows only too well that Mr.Zakaria's agenda is only to unite all the bickering worldwide Muslims, mislead naive & liberal people in the west against Israel, ultimately to see the Jewish nation wiped off the face of the earth.
Now let have the dear defense minister address his country bullying its neighbors. Such a very sick nation indeed.
Considering that Israel DID NOT attack any of its neighbors without being attacked first and that it offered peace to all of them since the first day of its independence and that the neighbors of Israel REJECTED all peace offers (with two exceptions) declaring that nothing short of destruction of Israel would satisfy them saying that it is Israel who is "bullying" its neighbors is... well, strange to say the least.
H Thoreau
Regarding Israel offer of peace to all its enemies since its founding: I was told this in Hebrew school and believed it. Subsequently, I found it not to be true when I learned about the Deir Yassin massacre against a Palestinian village that was not belligerent (and later led to the Palestinian exodus) in which atrocities were committed by the Irgun and Leti military irregulars. (The village's Jewish neighbors tried to stop the massacre but arrived too late.) This was the equivalent of pogrom. The Palestinians may have had stupid leaders, but what is stopping Israel from doing the 'right thing' for the Deir Yassin victims? Crimes were committed against the Jews in Hebron circa 1920 so take revenge on innocent people in 1948? Sophie Scholl of The White Rose bravely told the Nazis that 'Each life is precious' and spoke out against crimes against the Jews and paid for it with her life. Does Israel believe that each and every life is precious? That is the problem. The fact that Iran obviously 'agrees' with Israel that all lives are not precious should be even more reason for a rejection of this way of thinking that only benefits arms manufacturers. I suggest everyone read Sophie Scholls leaflets against the Nazi regime and ask themselves: who amongst us is not falling short?
H Thoreau... Can you explain HOW the battle of Deir Yassin makes the fact that Israel offerd peace to all its enemies since the first day of its independence NOT true?
I do not believe he is disputing the reality of that offer, merely that he was saying it was insincere or unenforcable
Screw Israel! Instead of worrying about preventing a possible nuclear armed Iran, what can the world do to de-nuclearize your illegal, terrorist, atomic weapons which destabilize the Middle East and MUST and WILL lead to other countries in the region protecting themselves against your paranoid, vicious, war mongering state.
You may consider that in case the enemies of Israel knew that Israel has no nukes they would try to destroy Israel again as they did in 1948, 1967 and 1973 causing many thousands or even millions of casualties. You may also consider that in case Iran will be allowed to get nukes it will try to use them to achieve the same goal. The resulting nuclear war will not only cause millions of casualties but will, probably, turn the richest oil fields on the planet into radioactive wasteland sending the world economy into a crisis of epic proportions and effectively ending our civilization as we know it. Are you sure that THIS is what you want?
wow some real antisemitic rants??? Lets get a few things straight. 1. The area we call Palestine was part of the Ottoman empire which sided against England the U.S and Canada (I'm Canadian) during WW1. 2. The English promised both Ethnic Arabs and Ethnic Hebrews their own states if the fought with the allies against the Ottomans. 3.The Arabs ended up with over 20 States Comprising some 5 million sq miles. 4.The Hebrews currently occupy some 8000 sq miles. 5. During 1945-1950 following the next world war, dozens of populations were dislocated. In fact the Allies gave much of historical Germany to the Poles. Some 10 million Germans were displaced. (some 1 million died) Where are they today? In refugee camps or resettled? India declared Independance from Britain diring the same period. Dislocating some 12 million persons. Hindu's headed for the new India, while Muslims headed for the new Pakistan. Pakistan took in some 7 million Muslim refugees (some 12-14% of the total population) Where are all the refugees??? Similar scenes occured in Greece, China, and of course Israel. The Palestian displacement was some 750,000 persons of Arab ethnicity, in a region of nearly 150,000,000 of their brethren. (and now you have found the refugees) There is only one reason for this state of affairs to exist. To maintain a claim (hopefully for their detractors) on the lands Israel occupies in the hope of negating a Jewish State. Another word for this state of affairs is anti-semitism.
When you start using historical facts, it is wise to check them. In either case, Israel exists by the goodwill of the world. If not for the United Nations Israel would never have been legitimate. Second, Arabs by definition are also Semites. Finally, Palestine has been called Palestine for centuries and thus by modern definition all people who live can claim lineage in Palestine are Palestinian. There is no anti Semitiism here. The use of the "anti Semitism" as an argument is an insult to discussion. It is used by those who can argue.
Regalo... You're right, the UN Resolution 181 voted for creation of Israel and an Arab state in Palestine. It DID NOT VOTE for creation of any other country. Does it mean that EVERY COUNTRY ON THE PLANET EXCEPT ISRAEL IS ILLEGITIMATE? If not then it means that the UN vote and the "legitimacy" of Israel or any other state have NOTHING in common. Further, while NO ONE claims that Arabs are NOT Semites the meaning of 'Anti-Semitism' is NOT "hatred of Semites" but "hatred of JEWS". You may understand it better if you recall that the meaning of Antigua, antipasto and antidote is NOT "hatred of Gua", "hatred of pasta" and "hatred of dote" respectively. Finally, if you believe that 'Palestinians' are "people living in Palestine" then you MUST agree that all Israelis are Palestinians while millions of Arabs claiming to be 'Palestinians' but living elsewherere ARE NOT.
One of us needs to check our facts. (and it's not me) While true the U.N gave Israel legitimacy in no way means it wasn't promised a state by Britain in return for war support. The Brits also promised statehood to Arabs. (remember Lawrence of Arabia) Virtually every nation in the middle east was created (by simply drawing lines on a map) by the victorious allies after the defeat of the Ottomans. As for the name of the place, the Romans when they destroyed Judea decided to call the area "Philistia" they did so deliberately in memory of Israel's Biblical enemies the Philistines. It was meant as a final insult to a people they considered to rebellious not to destroy entirely.
Brian... I fully agree that one of us has to check the facts on the ground. If you'll follow your own advice you will be amazed to discover that on TIHIS planet states are being created NOT by promises and even NOT by resolutions but by revolutions and wars.
I admire Canada which is less 'violence loving' than than the USA. Your historical synopsis was good regarding the refugees. However, I take issue with your statement that the Palestinians can just blend in with their brethren of 150 million Arabs? Surely you have heard of the Sunni/Shia split? Arabs are a tribal culture much like the Jews used be in biblical times with loyalty to the tribe. The other Arabs are not their brethren, and this is an Israeli propaganda line. Even amongst the Jews regarding brethren: A Jew killed Rabin because he wanted peace and he was brethren. An Israeli police offer shot an Israeli woman demonstrator the other day and she was brethren. Saddam killed hundreds of thousands of his brethren and even his own family members; I think you get the point. What is important then? The rule of law, conscience, and non-violence. Sophie Scholl spoke to these issues in the anti-Nazi leaflets she composed speaking out against the crimes against the Jews and others. The leaflets are originally in German, but translations to English are available. The allies dropped the final leaflets of The White Rose over Germany after all members of The White Rose were guillotined.
While true there are Shia and Sunni, Jordanians, Lebanese, Syrians, and Iraqi's (for the most part) are all first cousins and lived together as family (so to speak) under the Ottoman Turks. These countries would have no trouble what ever absorbing the refugees in question. In fact if Israel were to simply disapear ethnic Arabs (Palestinains) would almost certainly unite with Jordan in short order
SUGGESTION: A third party (U.S.) “Missile Shield” in the West Bank will buy time to broker a lasting peace between Israel and Iran., and preventing WWIII.
The only dangerous country is Israel which is nuclear armed country that routinely violates other countries sovereignty and on a daily basis humiliates Palestinians. On the other hand, Iran has never invaded a country and has only been involved in a defensive war. If we look to the past to determine the future the only country that could spark a nuclear war would be Israel.
The fact is that Israel NEVER attacked any other country without being attacked first. Another fact is that Israel NEVER declared that any other country had to be destroyed, "did not have a right to exist", etc. Still another fact is that Israel is the ONLY state in the Middle East where all citizens have the very same equal rights regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity or gender. Finally, if the Palestinians did not like the current arrangement they would NEGOTIATE A BETTER DEAL long ago. They had plenty of opportunities.
How about the Suez War of 1956? Wasn't that a war of aggression?
The Suez war of 1956 definitely WAS a war of aggression. You may recall that it started in response to Egyptian "nationalization" of the Suez Canal and closing it to the ship going to and from Israel... in violation of the earlier cease fire agreement. You may also recall that according to UN Resolution 3314 such actions are equivalent to a bonafide aggression against Israel.
I am sick and tire of all these interviews with Israeli leaders like Barak. Who cares what Barak thinks? Both he and Netanyahu are lunatic paranoids who will never be satisfied with anything but the destruction of Iran and every other country that may challenge Israel. Why the gross imbalance in the GPS interviews? Why doesn't Fareed attempt to interview the foreign minister of Iran, Salehi, who is an excellent English speaker, having received a PhD in nuclear engineering from MIT?
In review, what Israel thinks is irrelevant. What Iran does in its nuclear program is not the business of Israel or even the US. Iran needs only to discuss the matter with the IAEA. Unfortunately, the IAEA currently has a director, Amano, who is a stooge of the US according to the diplomatic e-mailed leaked to WikiLeaks. The US keeps manipulating him like silly putty and he puts out the most idiotic reports on Iran.
One might think that there is some hope in the forthcoming negotiations with Iran in Istanbul. However, Present Obama cannot afford to compromise with Iran in an election year. So, these talks are guaranteed to fail. The US will blame Iran and we will just have to go through this whole charade for a few more decades (remember Cuba?).
Barak and Netanyahu "will never be satisfied with anything but the destruction of Iran?" Have you heard anything Ahmadinejad has said about Israel?
Also, what the %#$@ do you mean by, "In review, what Israel thinks is irrelevant?" You are aware that Israel is a nuclear power, right? And that right now, the man who said "the clock is ticking" on Israel is trying to get nukes?
As to remembering Cuba, are you talking about the part where nuclear proliferation almost started World War III?
So, what has Ahmadinejad said about Israel? Do you have any ideas? He has said that it is a cancer of the Middle East. He has also said that Israel like an organ transplant that the body has rejected. So, what? Have you heard of free speech?
But, if you want to claim that he has threatened to "wipe out Israel," then you show your total ignorance of the subject. He has never said such a thing. Only ignorant and gullible people like you believe this myth. If you are too incompetent to use Google to confirm my point, then you shouldn't be writing comments here.
As for Israel being irrelevant, Israel's only relevance is that it controls incompetent Obama's foreign policy. Otherwise, Israel is in no position to do anything about Iran. It would not dare to attack Iran on its own. It is trying to get dumb Americans to do its dirty work.
As for Cuba, you still don't know that there have been sanctions on Cuba for more than 50 years without any results? What do the Soviet missiles have to do with preventing trade with Cuba or travel to Cuba now? Have 50 years of sanctions accomplished anything except creating misery for the Cuban people and glee for American who like to make other people suffer?
Fortunately, Iran is a rich and resourceful country and it is shrugging off the sanctions. In fact, it is making a lot more money selling less oil because of higher oil prices. So, the US and the Europeans are simply shooting themselves in the foot.
quinterius... Ahmadinejad declared that "the regime in Jerusalem will vanish from the page of time". Can you please explain WHAT DID HE MEAN? and yes, I know that he repeated the words of the late Ayatollah Khomeini. I'm not asking WHO said it first but WHAT was the meaning of it. Thank you.
Thinker23: I gave a detailed answer to your question but they refused to print it. That is the freedom of speech in the US.
Israel must not exist its existence is dangerous for the entire world
should be wipe out from face of the world map.
These views are exactly the reason Israel MUST be stronger than all its enemies combined.
Israel is a dangerous country in the world.
Killing hundreds of innocent people in daily bases
This is what happens during a war, Stephan... No one, even Israel has the magic weapon hurting bad guys ONLY.
Re: 'Hurting the bad guys only." Indifference and toleration of collateral damage (civilian casualties) with twisted formulas like: hypothetically to kill one 'bad guy' it is OK to kill three innocent bystanders is murder just as sure as it is murder to kill innocent civilians riding in a bus with a terrorist bomb. They are morally equivalent and equally wrong. Recent data in Afghanistan shows that corruption combined with excessive violence against civilians has turned the population away from NATO into an embrace of the once despised Taliban. In Vietnam, the excessive violence (murder) of civilians turned the South Vietnamese people against the government and made communist victory inevitable just like the situation in Afghanistan today. However, proponents of 'the ideology of force,' to which Sophie Scholl so eloquently spoke against before being executed by the Nazis, still excuse the murder of civilians and other extra-judicial killings by saying that it is war (legalized murder) or justified martyr missions. These proponents share in the culpability of these deaths and are accessories. Did it ever occur to the 'Thinker' that one of the Palestinian children killed as collateral damage could be the statesman that brings peace to the region or maybe find a cure for breast cancer? I don't think '
the thinker' ever thought of that. Sophie Scholl bravely stated 'Each Life is Precious.' The rule of law, conscience, and non-violence is the way forward.
H Thoreau... The number of Palestinians killed during an average day of their war against Israel is LESS THAN TWO. This number includes terrorists, people killed by other Palestinians, people killed by prematurily exploded bombs and innocent civilians. Can you NAME A STATE killing LESS THAN TWO enemies during a war? If you can NAME THIS STATE then I'll be wiling to continue this discussion.
This terrorist will not be stopped . Terrorist Look at your map where are you living and Imagine a world after 50 years . Your slave USA will be unable to follow your order and your all puppet government in Middle east will be toppled . What you will do ? Do some research .
It is clearly evident that even the ethnic factions of Islam have significant problems getting along. The presence of Israel in the midst of all this is absolutely insane ! If anything has ever been doomed to failure, this is it ! It's not a question of if, but how and when. And it's all because Moses didn't have modern means of transport, nor could part the Atlantic. So, move the rest of Cuba to Florida, then move Israel to Cuba. Then divvy up Israel as needed. OR, let Israel attack Iran, and then watch China and Russia obliterate Israel. OR, leave things as they are and keep waiting for a large asteroid to level the entire region.
The USS LIBERTY THE USS LIBERTY , DON'T FORGET OUR HISTORY
Why didn't Fareed Zakaria address the hypocrisy in Israel's position. Israel is sitting with 200 nukes and Iran is trying to prepare for the day their oil runs out by moving to nuclear energy. The only answer is for Israel to come clean with it's nuclear program and stop defying the will of the international community. We can then all disarm and live in a nuclear free middle east
O that horrible hypocrisy when cops are allowed to carry guns while violent murderers are not...
By the way, can you explain HOW will Iran possibly use hundreds of those intermediate- and long range nuclear capable ballistic missiles it acquired during the last several years? These missiles cost at least $3 million each and are virtually harmless without proper warheads...
"virtually harmless". If they're that "virtually harmless" I suggest we drop one on your house and see what kind of damage it does. Iran does not need nuclear weapons to do damage.
Exactly right, of what use are the missiles, especially the MIRV missiles that Iran has built? And the answer is simple: they are necessary to deliver the nuclear warheads that Iran already has. Like Israel, Iran has built these warheads without telling anyone, which is why Israel wants us to do their dirty work for them, because there is no MAD scenario between Iran and the US. We can destroy their cities and factories and military installations with our thermonuclear weapons and they can't touch us. The question is, though, how many of those Iranian warheads would get through our Patriot defense shield and destroy Israel's cities? As Iran has already pointed out, it would only take four warheads to wipe out more than half of Israel's Jewish population. So if Obama is acting skittish, that might be why.
Shahin
Do not feel too safe because we cannot see you.
Threatening someone with violence is against the law.
While calling you a hard-luck inept excuse for a human being is not illegal.
This guy is one of the leading terrorist in the world and as everyone knows Israhell is the main reason there is no peace in the Mid-East so why does anyone care about his views on how to create more unrest and war in his area.
I believe there's a very valid reason why Iran should either give up its nuclear program or reduced its uranium enrichment to 3% or do what the IAEA is requesting to defuse this conflict! For example, as many have stated in defense of Iran, Iran has not attacked a foreign country in a very long time and as Iran has stated, it is not concerned with building a nuclear bomb for self defense or deterrent! Therefore, if Iran's sole purpose of its nuclear program is only for the purpose of developing an alternative source of energy and for medical purposes, then I really don't see why it should be difficult for Iran to comply with what the IAEA is requesting! I'm sure national pride and a willingness to develop its own modern technology may be the driving force behind Iran's willingness to hold on to its nuclear ambitions, but in the long run, doing so will not benefit Iran because the West will stifle Iran and it is it people who are going to suffer tremendously in the long run!
The fact remains that ISRAEL HAS THE UNFLINCHING SUPPORT OF A VAST MAJORITY OF THE 300 MILLION AMERICANS and OVER A BILLION HINDU & NON-MUSLIM INDIANS.
Nobody can change that. The only people who know that too well are President OBAMA & PM NETANYAHU and ofcourse our own RABIDLY anti-Semite, passionately pro-Islamic, doggedly anti-American & anti-Indian Mr. ZAKARIA who's in reality anti-all things non-Islamic !!
But still we see a lot of anti-Semite statements here, many possibly from Islamic sympathizers with pseudo Christian names just to portray the opposite – that a lot of Americans and Westerners are up against Israel.
It's true that many evangelical Americans support Israel mainly because they want to see her sacrificed so that Jesus will come back to earth and rule from the Mount of Olives. And many hate Muslims (even more than they hate Jews) and many believe our government's constant propaganda that purports to link our next target for attack with everything bad in the world. But it's also a fact that the majority of Americans don't want this war. We made a mess of Iraq and Afghanistan and Vietnam, and most Americans suspect (correctly) that this one will be worse that all of those rolled together.
Those who DO NOT WANT this or another war must do everything they can to prevent Iran from starting it. IS IT SIMPLE ENOUGH?
We are the masters of the world. Get used to it! Pretty soon we zionist Rothchilds are going to start WW3 and we know we are digging our own grave, but what the heck, we worship the devil and by hades, we're going to destroy the world.
We know it, you know it and if you don't know it . . . .just sit back and enjoy the fireworks!!
ha ha we love stupid Americans.!
Yippppppppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
i cant believe a choad like you is here because your parents or grandparents survived auschwitz. such a shame. im no racist but i woulda let hitler finish that piece of business. the soviets had the right idea. send all of the religous to the goulogs or the grave. there is no god.
Stand on your own two feet and do what you want. I for one could care less what you do as long as we don't have to pay for it...Oops, I guess that is not possible.
Lets let the entire middle east implode. Maybe if we stop supporting the jewish state they might act a little less like they are so important. I for one am sick of babysitting them!
I have some news for you, bro... Even without your support Israel will defend itself in case Iran or any other enemy will try to destroy it. Unfortunately, Israel does not have strategic bombers, aircraft carriers and millions of troops so it's options to defend itself are rather limited... Would you like to see the richest oil fields on the planet to be turned into a radioactive wasteland and YOU paying $50 or more for a gallon of gas as a result? You may consider that everyone else will have to pay the same for energy and shift these costs to his/her/their customers who will not have the money for it. Would you like millions of small and large businesses collapse and hundreds of millions of people losing their jobs as a result? If not then you should realize how important it may be to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Barak makes the same tired arguments, based on the same false assumptions, that Iran wants to destroy Israel and will use nuclear weapons as soon as it gets them. But Iran has had nuclear weapons for more than twenty years now, having bought them from the disintegrating Soviet Union, and, according to an ex-CIA spy, has begun delivering domestically made nuclear weapons to its forces just this year. So a MAD scenario already exists and has long existed, but Barak pretends that it doesn't. He can't believe that Israel has lost its dominance in the area and so wants to give Iran a Sunday punch with our help, just as Curtis LeMay advocated destroying Russia in the early days of nuclear power. It was a mad idea then, and a mad idea now.
I'm sure Mr. Barak will be the first in line to pilot planes into Iranian airspace on Israel's behalf, rather than - as usual - sending the American shabbos goy untermenschen to fight the war for them.
Maybe I'm simplifying this too much but i'll give it a shot. Israel has over 200 nukes, mainly provided by the US and UK, in order to protect themselves against attack. Fair enough. Now Iran is being accused of trying to enrich uranium in order to develop a nuclear weapon to protect itself....isnt that a double standard? Yes, we can have 200 nukes but you can't have any. If Israel so desperately wants to rid Iran of its uranium development then why dont they agree to massively reduce their nuclear capabilities?
Furthermore, Barak totally dodged the question about "undemocratic Israel" – despite Israel's accusations that Iran is not complying with UN sanctions. Israel is also breaking UN Sanctions for continue to settle on non Israeli land? Seems like their is alot of hippocriticism from Israel but somehow they remain the victims while they continue to get away with everything. I'm not Jewish, Persian or Arab but have studied Politics of Developing nations and the history of Judaism albeit in a Catholic school therefore I have no real bias in this discussion but looking in from the outside, there seems to be alot of finger pointing by Israel without any concessions of their own.
I fully agree with you that there is a double standard here and most would agree that this is simply hypocrisy! But at the end of the day, the most important issue here is what must be done to bring this conflict to a peaceful resolution! That is the bottom line and the main issue here! America's foreign policy has never ever been fair and impartial but at the same time Iran's defiance would not make things any better, especially when the world's lone superpower is calling the shots! And that is why I'm hoping Iran would eventually give in for the sake of its people and help bring this conflict to a peaceful resolution!
YOU are no Catholic, practicing or not.
YOU are an islamic jihadist piece of ca ca doing your job of lying for allah the magnificent and his profiteer 'hammed.
They are a plague that will destroy the middle east and the world with it.
They have brought nothing but conflict and death in that region since the beginning of record time.
They care about no one but themselves and they help none one but themselves.
And yet you stick up for them and want to help them?
Why???
Fareed
Why didn't you ask the Israeli Defense Minister about the 200+ nuclear weapons that they use to threaten their neighbors. Why did you segway into the Palestinian issue and let him off the hook? Where did Barak get the idea that Iran takes orders from Israel.?
Good point! But perhaps he would have walked out of the interview if Fareed has asked him about his countries stockpile of nukes!
Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick . . . .
So many people here on both sides seem to have no idea of what they're talking about
What do you know?
We own America! No matter what . . . everyone will bow before israel. Today it is Iran, tomorrow it will be Georgia and Turkey. After that it will be Pakistan. We zionists are on the march. For all you zionist haters out there, we're watching you! For the rest of you stupid Americans . . . just do what you are told to do and believe everything you hear and read on CNN, NYTimes, NBC, Fox News, Time Magazine . . . and keep your children in front of the television at least 6 or 7 hours a day. For your children we want you to have them watching the Disney Channel and nothing else.
We like our slaves to be stupid.
For the rest of you . . . like I said we're watching you! And soon we'll be coming for you in the night.
israel forever . . . .and keep that money coming to us!!
My God, you are stupid.
hehehe...
The sanctions to date have not worked and the experts all agree they are NOT likely to succeed in the future. Iran's goal is to have Nukes and a delivery system even if all their people starve to death between now and then. The talks are only meant to buy needed time .Just like the North Koreans
Glad you mentioned North Korea. What is Israel doing to prevent North Korea from gaining nukes, which could threaten the United States. Why isn't our President expecting them to go to war with N. Korea because we may be in danger?
North Korea has not threatened Israel.
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It is funny to me how many people post things when any mention of Israel comes up. It is mostly two sided as well one all about Israel the others all about Arabia and the Palestinians. The bottom line is Israel is not going to go anywhere unless they are nuked off the map. If that happens world war 3 will begin and most of Arabia will also be wiped off the map. Also when Israel is nuked off the map it will take all of Palestine with it. This is obviously a really stupid idea but I am not sure if the Palestinians care that much. They seem to hate Israel so much they would be ok with dieing with them. As crazy as that sounds it is quite possibly true. Israel and Palestine need to get over this crap and deal. They will live together or die together there is no one or the other any more. If Israel tries to kill all the Palestinians then they will have to fight all the Arab countries and both Palestine and Israel will be no more.
Learn to coexist or both nations will die. Some of the issues you have is the lack of land but land can be made from the sea you live next to. This is not impossible if you put half the effort you put into destroying each other in creating new land from the bottom of the sea your land issues would not even exist. Man made islands are quite possible and profitable. Work together for a greater Israel and Palestine learn that you must coexist.
there you go... problem solved... tell NKorea that Israel is trying to destroy them and is publicly diverting attention to Iran while Israel prepares to attack NKorea. When NKorea fires towards Israel, Israel will engage their own missile defense.
Results? we have just eliminated 2 nucear powers from global terrorism. All other Nuclear powers then take necessary steps to shut down nuclear weaponry programs. i see it all now...
The only thing you see is WW3
I'm disgusted by the way Fareed appeared in front of Ehud Barak. Just watch Farid's many interviews with Hamid Karzai and compare those to this. What a coward. Instead of challenging Barak on their position that they are under threat he was just checking the timeline of their attack. I felt like listening to FOX news.
Fareed should have asked, Mr. Barak, you maintain that Iran nuclear arms is an existential threat to Israel. Are you suggesting that Iran will use a nuclear device against Israel right in the middle of Palestinians, Lebanese and Egyptian?
Even if they did, wouldn't you use your 150+ devices on them the next minute? How is this equation work?
een khareh, oon yekin khar tareh.
In other words, "we'll be bombing them soon" 'cause Iran will NEVER accept those conditions!
This is so much c r a p. The rest of the world knows Israel has nukes and is in direct violation of NPT, albeit a non-signatory, and Israel knows the rest of the world knows and everyone does the ostrich dance.; stick their heads in the dirt and pretend all's well. I say let's make it an even playing field by having Israel become an NPT signatory and thereby forcing that country, like other NPT signatories, ie Iran, to allow IAEA inspectors. THEN, let's sit back and hear watch how many inspectors, and the organization, which previously was serving a purpose for Israel will then become an anti-s e m i t i c organization. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
No more U.S. military involvement on behalf of Israel . . .
ooohh so agreed. they are the most expensive friend one could have. not worth the trouble.
used the holocaust to claim palestian. now they are using america's military to claim power..... how pathetic can they gett... they make up excuses to bomb innocent children and to hurt ppl. who eva supports them have blood on their hands so shame on u. the devil is waiting for u in hell zionist pigs.. to bad a pAlestian is more jewish than u will eva be. zinoiist wanna be
I am easy I will turn the whole region into Syria, let them all. kill each other and let God sort it out. There is a threat, what type do you want conventional, non conventional, asymmetrical hybrid. I have a policy make life easy for me and hard for the other guy, which works in line with the policy of thought deviation, give them something else to focus on.
Thankfully it is far easier to break a vase, then stick one back together with 1000 pieces. Chaos, controlled chaos skipped the Kingdoms. Throw the gates of hell open, Iraq 2005 but regional and who is going to shut them, it will only stop when the blood runs out. Since they breed like rabbit it will be sometime.
Look the current clowns in control are problems, those that replace them are Islamist clowns so the solution to then problem is a problem, so stability is the problem. Instability is security.
Allahu loves me I keep Malik in stock of fresh souls.
The handle says it all.
Well said!