Hawkish elements within the United States Federal Government continue to work closely with leaders of the Israeli government to bring about a war against Iran over a nuclear weapons program that both US and Israeli intelligence admit does not exist. Facts seem to have little bearing on reality as emotions climb and the drums of war are pounded in the US and Israeli media. The Jerusalem Post has the latest on the build-up to a likely Israeli and US military strike against Iran:
[Israeli] Depute Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon on Sunday called on the international community to declare the diplomatic channel with Iran over its nuclear program a failure.
Speaking with Israel Radio, Ayalon said the Iranians must understand that they have reached the edge of the international community’s patience, and that if they continue their actions, all options will be on the table.
Ayalon specified that “all options” do not just refer to Israeli action, but also to action by NATO, the United States and other forces.
…The comments come amid a flurry of commentary and speculation from current and former government officials on how Israel should deal with Iran’s nuclear ambitions, many of them voicing criticism at the open discussion of a possible military strike.
The supreme irony here is that Iran has long been a peaceful country that has attacked no one in recent history, quite unlike the United States which has been at war against countless countries over the last several decades. As well, Iran does not occupy any foreign land, unlike Israel which refuses to give back several pieces of land (including East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and the Golan Heights) it has stolen from its neighbours. And, of course, Iran is a signatory in good standing of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons – whereas Israel is one of only three countries that refuses to join the treaty. It is known that Israel has at least a couple hundred nuclear weapons that it has built with technology (and possibly enriched uranium) stolen from the United States. Despite these facts, the US regularly threatens Iran, not Israel, has encircled Iran with many tens of thousands of soldiers, has several aircraft carriers just off the Iranian coast, has placed sanctions on the country and regularly conspires with the Israeli government to attack the Iranians.
I will never understand the rabid obsession with going to war with Iran–or any other country, for that matter. I have a family member who is retired navy and a neo-con. He practically salivates when he talks about the inevitable war that Iran is going to “draw us into” (his words). I honestly think sometimes that he can’t wait for it! Of course this is the same man who believes that the US can be fixed if we just elect enough good conservatives, like Romney.
I don’t understand it either, Amy. Your description of it as a ‘rabid obsession’ is right on. What makes a person like that? It’s bizarre.
There is no “hawkish elements” within the Federal government. The entire Federal government in itself is a hawk. There is 100% bi-partisan agreement between the two major parties that the Federal government has the right and responsibility to commit acts of aggression against anyone who opposes it. Whether it’s a farmer who dares to sell raw milk and cheese without the FDA’s blessing, a business that doesn’t comply with a myriad of Federal environmental laws, an individual or family that doesn’t comply with Federal tax laws, or a foreign nation that has not adequately ensured to the Fed’s that it doesn’t have a weapon that only the Federal government has deployed (ask the people of Hiroshima or Nagasaki), the Federal government is a perpetual war machine.
Point taken, Anti-Federalist. You’re right.
@Amy… next time he says that you might tell him this:
““Soldiers are dumb pawns. Military men are just dumb, stupid, animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy.” Henry Kissinger
SAH, I’m sure that would go over like a lead balloon! Sometimes you just have to agree to disagree, no matter how hard that might be. I know his mind won’t be changed, so there’s no point trying.