The U.S., Israel and Efforts to Halt Iran's Nuclear Program
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-03-06/us-israel-and-efforts-halt-irans-nuclear-program
President Obama met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel for two hours yesterday at the White House. Iran was at the top of the agenda. The meeting followed months of speculation that Israel is close to a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. The president gave assurances the U.S. would do what is necessary to protect Israel. But he made it clear the U.S. wants to continue using diplomacy to try to prevent Iran from building a nuclear bomb. Later Netanyahu expressed impatience with the U.S. position. He told a conference of pro-Israel Americans that the world cannot afford to wait much longer. Diane and her guests will talk about the U.S., Israel and their differing approaches to Iran.
Guests
Paul Pillar
director, graduate studies at the Center for Peace and Security Studies at Georgetown University and a former CIA National Intelligence officer
Aaron David Miller
a public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center and former adviser to Republican and Democratic secretaries of State; author of the forthcoming book "Can America Have Another Great President?"
Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi
founder and president, The Israel Project.
Reza Marashi
research director, National Iranian American Council, former Iran desk officer, U.S. State Department.
Comments
Please familiarize yourself with our Code of Conduct and Terms of Use before posting your comments.
Some years ago, I read a column in which William Saffire passed on a rumor that Iran had acquired 3 tactical (small) nuclear weapons from Kazakhstan right after the breakup of the USSR. Saffire said that he guessed that the rumor was true. What is the likelihood that the rumor was true? Could Iran have such weapons but not supply them to terrorists since such use would invite retaliation?
A little while back, I heard military analysts say that the only way to have a reasonably good chance of knocking out Iran's nuclear facilities from the air would be to use nuclear weapons (something I find extremely frightening). More recently, I have read that Israel believes that it has to attack soon using conventional bombs because once the nuclear facilities are underground, Israel's bombs will not be capable of destroying the facilities. On the other hand, the U.S. has lots of bunker-busting bombs that are capable of penetrating underground. Militarily, what would it take to knock out Iran's centrifuges and other uranium enrichment facilities now or later when they are underground?
If we or the Israelis are absolutely determined to knock out Iran's nuclear facilities, is it possible that an invasion by ground troops will be needed?
Let me add that I find the idea of any attack on Iran frightening. And fortunately, there is some indication that Iran may decide that possessing nuclear weapons is contrary to Islam.
For the reason of survival I see no reason why Iran would not want nuclear weapon capabilities. The paranoia coupled with extreme interventionism by the United States and it's affiliates in AIPAC have demanded no less. While I am not fool enough to believe we have friends in Iran or the middle east in general, I do believe we are producing with our actions exactly what we claim we want to prevent.
As for Obama, he just lies who knows what he stands for, past experience says nothing good.
Among my family, including former diplomats, this topic is hotter than $4 gas.
The USA already supplied Israel some bunker-busters last year.
We supposedly lack the budget to fund such a conflict, and Iran is home to at least 80 million people who mostly bode us no ill will.
It is not even certain the Islamic regime there seeks nuclear weapons.
Here's a hypothetical from a retired diplomat uncle:
What motivations does the US Security State have for war with Iran if they knew for certain no nuclear warheads are under development?
On a lighter note "The Onion" recently ran a piece about Iran's concern over the 12,000 strategic nuclear missiles maintained by the USA which could target Iran. Maybe that joke article has greater basis in fact than US/Israel warmongering in service to Oligarchy.
Thurston:
Iran might be dumb enough to want nuclear electric generation as their oil dwindles. (Japan knows better now.)
Iran might want a nuclear program as a bargaining chip and a deterrent from invasion or financial colonization. (What kind of terroristic state would bomb nuclear facilities?)
With the Palestinian conflict, Isreal is a destabilizing force and an aggressor. Netanwhopee is so pleased with himself for getting everyone to ignore this with the Iran-is-developing-a-nuke smokescreen. Iran isn't a real threat to the U.S. Isreal as a permanent source of conflict in a area of strategic interest to the U.S. How exactly do Americans or any segment of humanity for that matter benefit from an alliance with Isreal? I think we'd all be better off without an Isreal.
Steve: Seymour Hersh is more reliable than the late William Safire.
jim davis: Well, better off without an aggressor Israel anyway.
Uncle John (a theologian) advocates an integrated one state solution, abandoning the Jewish Homeland concept, which could diffuse the racism/conflict. It might be cheaper than our current aid bill too.
We subsidize illegal housing there at present while defrauding and evicting home buyers here. Now that's crazy! Why couldn't any potential Jewish refugees come here for help? Maybe we owe some reparations for turning them away during the Holocaust? We host a boatload of Palestinians now.
(Newt is an "invented leader")
This world will probably never be fair, nor should I expect it to be. Somehow Netanyahu wants us to believe that Iran is such a great threat to Israel when it is Israel that possesses hundreds of nuclear weapons. Logically this will never add up. The analogy is if I brought rocks to a tank fight all along, and suddenly I acquired one jeep, the fight would somehow be fair? The Holocaust has made them paranoid and crazy beyond belief.
Three things in life that make no sense.
#1 Widespread belief in gods without any evidence they exist.
#2 The belief that government is not the root cause of all problems.
#3 The belief that Iran is a threat to the United States and not the other way around.
This reminds me of the tragedy that started the first world war; small countries dragging the rest of world into a situation where everyone else loses. We should not be making promises to defend those that start wars whether they are our friends or not.
(1) 200 years of western interference in Iran, including multiple invasions, "regime change" and terrorism (murder of their scientists by western sponsored terrorists) fully demonstrate why Iran needs a nuclear deterrent.
(2) Why does the USA need a nuclear deterrent? Why does Israel need a nuclear deterrent? If you can answer that, you know why Iran needs a nuclear deterrent.
(3) We have already been lied into too many wars. Remember when Noriega was "Hitler"? Than Saddam was "Hitler"? Now Iran is "Hitler"? Seriously?
(4) Anybody who thinks preventing Iran from getting a nuclear deterrent is worth a single American life, I suggest they put their lives (or their kids) on the line. Get together with your well off friends, hire Blackwater, buy some guns, and fly over there yourself and take care of it. Don't start another war on MY DIME or with the LIVES OF MY SONS.
(5) Starting an unprovoked war is a war crime, we hung the Nazis for it.
(6) An Israeli soldier from the 1948 war made the point best - It's always the cowards hiding in the rear who are for more war!
Endless meaningless talk and lies, more war propaganda. What a real news organization would discuss: "What is absolutely stunning is that this massive criminality at the highest levels of the US government is going on totally unchallenged by the US mainstream media."
http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/03/01/our-gang-of-war-criminals/
Stop the criminals in Washington DC. Then worry about the criminals elsewhere. And do it legally.
Would Ms. Mizrahi wish to comment on the status of ISrael's nuclear weapons?
Or Israel's use of terrorists against Iran? Why do we tolerate Israeli terrorism and murder but condemn Iranian terrorism?
How the hell did that "assassination plot" last fall become a matter of fact as an Iranian plot, from what I recall the evidence was very weak. This is as stupid as the quote "wipe Israel off the map" which has been proven as a total western fabrication. See link
http://antiwar.com/orig/norouzi.php?articleid=11025
ISRAEL, take the first step, sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty!!
Nonproliferation is supposed to defend nonnuclear states from the threats of nuclear states. Our threats and invasion of Iraq sent a different message to Iran. President Obama just doubled down on President Bush' threats.
Does it not bother anyone that Israel has wiped Palestine off the map?
Isnt their continued building of West Bank settlements known as lebensraum?
I read a lot of anti war sentiment from the left on this forum all the time but reality shows the democrat party is all in as far as war making goes in actual practice. It was a puzzling to say the least when anti war protests evaporated after Obama was elected. You democrats really need to get your act together, your having absolutely no effect on the democrat parties decision making about starting or ending wars.
I have wondered why Israel has not acted in more of a humanitarian capacity in the region then a war mongering capacity. I.E. why has Israel not helped in Syria as an example? Winning over hearts and minds does not happen through weapons.
Israel has hundreds of Nukes, to protect themselves from Nuclear attack via MAD, (Mutual Assured Destruction). We spend billions, on tens of thousands of nukes for the same reason. So we are told we need these things to keep us safe.
Now we are told that Iran cannot possibly even get one nuke because they might launch it at us. If this is so, then why do we bother with all these nukes? Seems a bit of a "have your cake and eat it" kind of argument to me.
I think we all know the real reason is that no country in the Middle East can have the ultimate protection a nuke gives one. If Iran gets a Nuke then the US and Israel cant go around bullying other countries in the area, and with all that oil there, we can't have that now can we...
Where is the discussion about what signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty are doing to bring about the eventual elimination of nuclear weapons.
I've heard that this is a requirement of the treaty.
Is Israel a signatory to the treaty? I understand that Israel has not admitted publicly that they have nuclear weapons. The treaty requires that nations allow inspections of their facilities by the IAEA.
A cure for what ails the planet
This talk of war as even a possibility is beyond unreasonable. Where is the real diplomacy and responsible conversation with Iran? Sanctions that hurt the average Iranians are already an act of war creating resentment and hatred of the US..and therefore.more likely a resort to real violence. We have no business (besides the war/related industries/bureauracracies) involving ourselves in Iran and Israel's affairs. We need to take care of our people here in the US. Our government does need to listen to the American people--who are mostly absolutely against any more war. Our choices are NOT between "bad or worse". NO MORE WARS. NO MORE INVASIONS. NO MORE SANCTIONS.
Our intelligence agencies' best estimate is that Iran hasn't even decided to develop nuclear weapons; yet we have implemented crippling economic sanctions. Why? Because Israel wants us to. It is exasperating that U.S. foreign policy is dictated by a foreign country, especially one that is currently committing the crime of ethnic cleansing. I've visited the Occupied Palestinian Territory, where I witnessed Israeli soldiers bulldozing Palestinian homes because they are not the favored ethnic group.
Our support for Israel -- giving it $3 billion of weapons, annually -- makes the U.S. the world's biggest hypocrite, and, understandably, creates widespread animosity towards the U.S.
By the way, the Diane Rehm show is certainly diminished by providing a forum for a shameless propagandist such as Ms. Mizrahi.
Sanctions affect Iranian middle class therefore are counterproductive. A strong middle class will demand better government and that is in our interest. We should do the opposite of sanctions. More trade, more collaboration, more interaction between people over here and people in Iran. Sanctions merely alienate us and play in the hand of leaders like Ahmadinejad.
Pancake, the Roosevelt administration was going to allow more Jews to immigrate to the U.S., but Zionists fought against it; they wanted to force European Jews to go to Palestine, to achieve their goal of creating a Jewish state.
seeker01: Very informative reply. I'll examine it. Thank you.
"The Diane Rehm Show is diminished...."
I mourn that too.
roland makes several astute observations showing motivations for war (and draconian sanctions) have no humanitarian aspect. We are repeating the Iraq scenario with even less likelihood of good outcomes. Will they shower our mercenaries with pistachios? If bombing results in widespread isotope contamination, will American taxpayer dollars pay for a clean-up? Our oligarchs see only the potential profiteering, and the possibility (unlikely) of petroleum hegemony. Why are they so desperate?
Kaline: So Occupy and the Peace Movement are really one thing?
The good people of Iran are not free and the bloody and corrupt mullah mafia does not represent the people of Iran. Mullahs by their nature and nurture are pathological liars, the mullas want the bomb and lie about not wanting it. This mullah mafia has murdered tens of thousands of innocent Iranians and has no right to exist, because it is the number one enemy of Iran. Never trust a mullah never. The mullahs have said in the past that they are willing to sacrifice half of the population of Iran in order to destroy Israel. The mullahs are insane and are responsible for any harm to the innocent people of Iran