Obama entering Oval Office yesterday photo by Pete Souza
This is frightening. The editor of Sheldon Adelson’s Israeli newspaper, Israel Hayom, has a frontpage piece in that newspaper pushing an attack on Iran “with or without the Americans”:
“Difficult, Daring, Doable. Yes, we can strike Iran. And yes, we can succeed.”
Noam Sheizaf writes:
Regev, a member of Binyamin Netanyahu’s inner circle between his two terms as Prime Minister, attacks those speaking against the war, and concludes that “Yes, it’s possible to attack – and to succeed.” Israel Hayom, launched in 2007 by international casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson, is known for its deep commitment to supporting Prime Minister Netanyahu.
If that’s not worrisome enough, Aluf Benn at Haaretz says Netanyahu is preparing Israelis for an attack on Iran, and that Obama will be in on it:
[In a Knesset speech Wednesday] Netanyahu presented three examples in which his predecessors broke the American directive and made crucial decisions regarding the future of Israel: the declaration of independence in 1948, starting the Six Day War in 1967 and the bombing of the nuclear reactor in Iraq in 1981….
Netanyahu is hinting that in his Washington visit, he received Obama’s tacit approval for an Israeli attack against Iran – under the guise of opposition. Obama will speak out against it but act for it, just as the past U.S. administrations speak against the settlements in the territories but allow their expansion. And in this manner Netanyahu summarized the visit: “I presented before my hosts the examples that I just noted before you, and I believe that the first objective that I presented – to fortify the recognition of Israel’s right to defend itself – I think that objective has been achieved.”
This morning, the editor-in-chief of the Israel Hayom newspaper, Amos Regev, published on his front page an enthusiastic op-ed in support of a war against Iran. Regev writes what Netanyahu cannot say in his speeches: that we cannot rely on Obama – who wasn’t even a mechanic in the armored corps – but only on ourselves. “Difficult, daring, but possible,” Regev promised. We need not be alarmed by the Iranian response: the arrow would take down the Shahab missiles, and Hezbollah and Hamas would hesitate about entering a war. The damage would be reminiscent of the Iraqi scuds in the 1991 Gulf War – unpleasant, but definitely not too bad. The analysts are weak, but the soldiers and the residents of the Home Front have motivation. So onward, to battle!
To use Netanyahu’s “duck allegory”, what looks like a preparation for war, acts like a preparation for war, and quacks like a preparation for war, is a preparation for war, and not just a “bluff” or a diversion tactic. Until his trip to Washington, Netanyahu and his supporters in the media refrained from such explicit wording and made do with hints. But since he’s been back, Netanyahu has issued an emergency call-up for himself and the Israeli public.
Bruce Wolman, who pointed me to the Haaretz, speculates that the attack might serve Obama, politically:
Has Obama convinced himself that an Israeli attack on the Iranian sites would be the pragmatic policy decision, and maybe solve his 2012 political problems at the same time?”
“Difficult, Daring, Doable. Yes, we can strike Iran. And yes, we can succeed.”
Sounds like Obama’s own “yes we can”. And he couldn’t either .
Thanks to Kathleen a few days ago for this link
https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/03/05-4
Very interesting WaPo ad from early March with warnings from Zinni, Panetta, Dempsey, Mullen, Gates
Regarding Wolman’s comment, I think there’s a much greater chance that an attack on Iran (with or without overt U.S. assistance) would hurt Obama’s chances than help them. The outcome is too unpredictable, but even the results that can be predicted with some certainty, such as rising gas prices, would, if anything, hurt Obama’s chances of re-election. The Republicans are in disarray and it’s hard to imagine a likely Republican nominee who could beat Obama. If he just sits tight, Obama will win a second term (and I do not say this as an Obama supporter).
‘Hinting at tacit approval in the guise of opposition’ – these twisted words may contain the truth but could also be manipulation of the domestic audience and a bit of bravado in the face of failure.
Hasn’t this always been the math? Did anyone ever seriously think Barry and the O’s were against this?
One things for sure – as soon as the Israeli Jets take off, the ethnic cleansing will begin.
Netanyahu’s reading of Obama reminds me of the excuse rapists try to get away with: she said “no” but she really meant “yes, yes, yes”. But then I can understand how he might read Obama all wrong, because we all certainly read him wrong too four years ago!!
Funny how with this imminent threat of war, Democrats are disguising themselves as Republicans; registering with the other side in Operation Hilarity to vote for SANTORUM; so he can end up the Republican nominee. Democrats are the most virulent critics around of the only anti-war Republican, Ron Paul, who in turn is critical of Obama’s foreign policy. Looks like Democrats are going to get what they’re praying for: WAR and then SANTORUM because the saying is true: Be careful what you wish for — more tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones.
If Israel attacks and war breaks out; this is going to be more than Obama can handle. Democrats who believe an Israeli attack before the election would benefit Obama are DELUDING themselves, because when Obama starts losing control; when things start getting out of hand, Americans will run to a tough Republican figure.