With the winds of Israel-Iran war looming, albeit thus far primarily in the media, many observers speculate whether Israel will launch an attack on Iranian nuclear installations. With the Holocaust as a fresh memory, Israelis do not take lightly the Iranian leadership's repeated threats to wipe Israel off the map. In 1929 Adolph Hitler used the same rhetoric when he called for the annihilation of all European Jews, but his ideas were brushed off as "just talk."
Are 2012 threats similar to Hitler's message in 1929? Outside the files of the US top secret files, there could be no safe and sober assessment regarding Iranian intentions and capabilities. The intentions are manifested loud by their leaders. But do they have the capability to produce a nuclear bomb, mount it on a jet or missile to accurately hit Israel? Intelligence sources say, not yet, but soon.
A close review of the geo political situation in the region shows that we have been exposed to a first rate propaganda campaign that fools many with respect to the Iranian intentions. Iranian leaders may be zealots, but they are far from being stupid. They know that if attacked, Israel will deliver Iran a retaliatory strike that would send Iran to the stone age or earlier. Many Israelis are convinced that their government, although sounding thick hints while it rattles the saber, Israel will not attack Iran. There are multiple reasons for that belief: among them is the understanding that nuclear Iran is more an American and European problem than Israeli. Israel's small size, its mixed Jewish and Arab population, and the location of sites holy to all Muslims make an Iranian nuclear strike on Israel less likely. Apparently, many in Iran do not share the thought that Israel will not attack first. That explains why Israelis enjoy life on the beach and in the cafés, while Iranians are readying themselves for a strike.
There's little doubt that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. Then, if Israel is not the target, who is?
Think of the 1992 U.S. presidential elections when James Carville, Bill Clinton's strategist created the phrase, "It's the economy, stupid." Perhaps it's time we describe the current crisis as, "It's Saudi Arabia stupid!" Sunni Saudi Arabia is Shiite Iran's decades old nemesis over the leadership of Islam. It's Iran major contender for the leadership of Islam. Saudi Arabia is home of the sacred city Mecca and the Kaaba, the most sacred site in Islam and the Saudi King is regarded as the patron of the sites holy to Muslims.
Saudi Arabia has the largest oil reserves in the world. It is the world's top oil exporter and producer. The Saudi Ghawar oil field is the largest in the world and accounts for about half of Saudi's oil production. Ghawar is estimated to produce 6.25% of global oil production. The problem is that Ghawar is located near the Persian Gulf, just opposite Iran. To hurt the world's oil supply, Iranians need not block the Strait of Hormuz and face the huge flotilla the U.S., the UK and France are assembling near the Strait. Why engage in a maritime war with no chances of winning when the Iranians can torch the worlds' largest oil field in a matter of hours with short range missiles? Obviously, such an attack would not be taken lightly by the US 5Th fleet docked close by. However, the immediate damage to world's economy would be significant. With that attack, the Iranians could send a double message: To the U.S. - if you continue to hurt us with the sanctions, we will hurt your economy by sending oil price to the stratosphere. And to Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf States the message would be: the Americans can't protect you. Therefore, you'd better come under our wings, recognizing that Iran is the leader of the Ummah el Islam, the Islamic Nation. That term was coined by Ayatollah Khomeini when he aspired to crown Iran as the leader of the Islamic world. And the Iranian nuclear bomb? That would be a shield rather than a dagger. Iran will use it as a deterrent against the West from attacking it for subjugating the major oil producers of the world. With the Ayatollah's hands on the world's major oil spigots, the Iranians could doom Western economies unless their new conditions are met. Among them, a coveted seat as a permanent member in the UN Security Council with veto powers.
Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Propaganda Minister was quoted as saying that he prefers an end of horror rather than endless horror. Which part of his phrase will become a reality in the region? Weeks away we will find out.
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Are Jews the only human beings with rights? What about millions of Palestinians enduring a modern day Diaspora inflicted by the once victimized Jews and what about the rights of the world populace. Iran's regime official stance towards Israel is not for wiping it as the writer claims but rather asking for "a single state that Jews and Palestinians share with equal rights". The question is, why don't Israelis accept the Iranian proposition, instead of triggering an avalanche the might cause the death and suffering of millions around the globe.
As for the so called Palestinian Diaspora, that is what happens when you start a war and lose a war. Sometimes there are consequences. Ask the Germans who used to live in Danzig (now Gdansk). They lost territory and had to move because they started and lost a war, just as the Arabs did in 1948. Of course the Germans resettled their refugees, while the Arabs keep them locked up for 6 decades.
Japan doesn't have a nuclear military program either, yet they are considered as a de facto nuclear power because they are so technically competent they could construct one within 6 months.
If the Iranians do construct a viable weapon it is more likely they will follow israels policy of nuclear ambiguity and not bother testing it. Of all the countries who have independently constructed nuclear devices and tested them, all have been successful. They have not only all worked, but worked first time.
The bit about Japan? The nuclear ambiguity?
Its the nuclear-devices-always-work-first time statement isn't it?
The things you learn from me, Pumpkin! You should be THANKING me.
A leader in a regime that wanted to eliminate the Jews stated during his trial for war crimes. Thereby acknowledged what the regime had done to gain the support of the people.
That regime wanted to eliminate the same people that Iran is now threatening. Goering’s party came to power with a minority of the people supporting it.
Iran’s leadership is claiming the Holocaust never happened, and is doing now what Germany’s leaders did in the 1930s- just before commencing hostilities on it’s European neighbors.
Germany made a military buildup (in defiance of the rest of the world, and the treaty of Versailles) prior to their commencing hostilities, proclaiming much of it as peaceful.
I see similarities between Germany and the beginning of WW2, and what is occurring in Iran today. What if the world had the “balls” to do something about Germany prior to their commencing hostilities.
(The Guardian) A senior Saudi Arabian diplomat and member of the ruling royal family has raised the spectre of nuclear conflict in the Middle East if Iran comes close to developing a nuclear weapon.
Prince Turki al-Faisal, a former Saudi intelligence chief and ambassador to Washington, warned senior Nato military officials that the existence of such a device "would compel Saudi Arabia … to pursue policies which could lead to untold and possibly dramatic consequences".
He did not state explicitly what these policies would be, but a senior official in Riyadh who is close to the prince said yesterday his message was clear.
"We cannot live in a situation where Iran has nuclear weapons and we don't. It's as simple as that," the official said. "If Iran develops a nuclear weapon, that will be unacceptable to us and we will have to follow suit."
israel has declined.
israel is the one promoting the arms race.
Israel declined.
Iran is promoting the arms race (e.g., Saudi Arabia never sought nukes because people think Israel has them; however, Saudi said that it will pursue them if Iran gets them).