News of an imminent deal between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Tehran concerning future inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities was greeted with skepticism in both Tel Aviv and Washington. This evening the Ha’aretz (Hebrew only) website’s top headline read, “Western diplomat: The Israeli cynicism is not justified: United States will send a delegation to Israel to coordinate its position concerning Iran.”
According to the newspaper, Vice President Joseph Biden told a gathering of the powerful Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations that the U.S. will soon be sending a group of senior policy and security officials to Israel. The Americans will be coordinating positions for the Iran negotiations with the Israelis.
Ironically quoting Dennis Ross, the world’s foremost expert on U.S.-Israel cooperation, Ha’aretz indicates that Israel will have significant influence on the U.S. positions at the Iran negotiations.
Various officials explained today that the Obama administration is working in coordination with Israel concerning the steps that are being demanded from Iran. President Obama’s former advisor, Dennis Ross, told Ha’aretz that “it is not accidental that Defense Minister Ehud Barak came to Washington last week. I am certain that the aim of his visit was to be part of this dialog. The Israeli position has a certain influence on our position; there is no intention to surprise [the Israelis].”
It seems that if the U.S. was interested in compromising with the Iranians, they would not be so dismissive of the expected agreement with the IAEA. Also, the Obama administration would not be so publicly including the Israelis, who daily insist Iran cannot be trusted to adhere to any agreement and who are seeking unrealistic concessions from Tehran.
Many will claim that this show of unity will scare the Iranians into compliance with Western demands. I do not agree. There was much talk of confidence-building after the first round in Istanbul. Talking tough and bringing in the Israelis is not going to encourage Tehran to trust the U.S. That lack of trust could prove to be the fatal blow to obtaining a diplomatic solution.
I am starting to get the sickening feeling that as was the case with Iraq, the U.S. is not going to Baghdad to make peace, but rather as a prelude to increased sanctions. And if that does not force Iranian capitulation, then it will mean the use of either U.S. or Israeli military force.
Many in the political and military establishments say: Why should we negotiate when we can get what we want by using force? That was Vice President Dick Cheney’s response after hearing of Iran’s very credible offer to start negotiations at the time of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Of course, talking with Tehran was not on the Israeli or pro-Israel lobby’s agenda at the time. It still is not.
It is starting to look a lot like Iraq. The same people are pushing for war. The same undemonstrated charges about weapons of mass destruction are being made.
I hope I am wrong, but I just do not have a good feeling about all this tough talk by the U.S., the five other states in the P5 + 1, and Israel, a day before the next critical round of negotiations begin.
It does nothing to build confidence that the talks will succeed.
“Talking tough and bringing in the Israelis is not going to encourage Tehran to trust the U.S. ”
I bet the Iranians see the Israelis as full of sh*t and incapable of backing up their rhetoric with actions.
Otherwise I imagine they have figured out where to hit Israel where it hurts most, post bombing.
Israel should not attempt this destruction of Iranian society. It is not going to end well.
Andrea Mitchell was pushing the mantra that this latest effort with Iran will not work on MSNBC’s Morning Joe this morning. She has been doing this on MSNBC for years now. Repeating the unsubstantiated claims about Iran and then pushing for sanctions for years. This morning on the program Former ambassador Richardson shared his opinion about these latest negotiations and said that he did not think these lastest efforts would work. Then Andrea took the opportunity to fuel that view by asking Bill Richardson “what would you do bomb them?” Talk about putting words in someones mouth. Richardson said ” no but keep up the sanctions”
Never ever in our MSM do you hear Andrea Mitchell, Diane Rehm, Rachel Maddow, Chris Matthews etc etc anyone state the facts. As a signatory to the IAEA’s Non Proliferation Treaty Iran has the legal right to enrich uranium. They have the legal right to enrich up to 20%.. To ask them to enrich to a lower level is one thing. Israel and the I lobby want them to stop enriching all together and also undermined an offer by Brazil and some other nation to enrich to the level that Iran needs for peaceful purposes. All of this coming out of Israel a nation who has and continues to refuse to sign the NPT and sit on massive stockpiles of un inspected nuclear ,biological and chemical weapons. And Israel’s Reps in the U.S. congress push this hypocritical stance in Aipac/ Jinsa legislation. So terribly absurd/
You have a right to be skeptical, Turkey and Brazil concluded a deal with Iran back in 2010, both countries knew the US position intimately, unfortunately the US position at the time was that they expected and were confident the talks would fail and were shocked when a deal was concluded, Hillary Clinton attacked Turkey and Brazil for reaching the very deal Obama wanted a few weeks previous . The Iranians should take note, the US/Israel will not take yes for an answer, remember Iran has been under increasing sanction well before any nuclear issue arose. Regime change by any means is and always has been the name of the game, in my opinion nothing the Iranians do will change US/Israel policy, thank goodness the Iranians have the ability to close the Strait of Hormuz, the major obstacle stopping the lunatics from using force.
>> IG: It is starting to look a lot like Iraq. … The same undemonstrated charges about weapons of mass destruction are being made.
>> HL: Regime change by any means is and always has been the name of the game, in my opinion nothing the Iranians do will change US/Israel policy …
Iraq redux:
>> Press Briefing by Ari Fleischer, December 2, 2002
>> A.F.: … Saddam Hussein does not exactly have a track record of telling the world the truth. So he, on December 8th, has to indicate whether or not he has weapons. Let’s see what he says. If he declares he has none, then we will know that Saddam Hussein is once again misleading the world.
That one still blows me away.
thanks for your report Ira. i’ve been on p5+1 watch all morning, probably read about 15 articles, there’s just not a lot there.
frankly, it’s boring. the most interesting aspect is the IAEA met w/iran and others in amman on tuesday to iron out some stuff and according to IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano :
so, they entered the talk w/that under their belt.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/05/23/bloomberg_articlesM4FQ301A74E901-M4H84.DTL&ao=2#ixzz1vhamDXno
the talks are resuming tomorrow, they are not over yet. israel/DC announced last weekend, as i recall, they would not be lessoning sanctions at this round of talks in baghdad…then there’s this:
Talib Mahdi, a member of the Iranian delegation in Baghdad, told China’s official Xinhua news agency that Tehran wasn’t offered any deal to cut back on uranium enrichment in exchange for a reduction in sanctions.“Such proposal could be accepted by Iran because it would be a clear international recognition that Iran has the right to obtain nuclear energy,” he was quoted as saying.
but things are not spinning out of control. nothings been signed yet but amano said all system go on signing. according to him. “According to the IAEA general director, there are some details still to be negotiated, but he told reporters that will not hinder the signing of the resolution.” http://www.plenglish.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=509483&Itemid=1