While the media 'sleeps', the world presses on. There have been a number of pertinent stories developing while our media is off on their personal safari. The situation brewing between Israel and Iran, intensifying over the past weekend, is just one of the most serious that poses dire consequences for the Middle East.
Israel's message to the world is as direct as it can possibly be: Either you stop Iran’s nuclear program, or we will. There's no illusions with Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli government that the Jewish State would be the primary target once Iran has the bomb, which they are ready and able to build according to a UN watchdog; and for such a reason, the Israelis aren't taking military action off the table as a tool of prevention, as YNetNews reports:
The fact that Israel is holding training sessions seen as practical preparations for striking Iran’s nuclear sites is no secret. Anyone following the intensive drills held by the Air Force in the Mediterranean and in distant regions, ranging from Romania to Sardinia, realizes that Netanyahu’s and Barak’s declarations that Israel will not tolerate nuclear arms in Iranian hands is backed up by practical capabilities developed by the Air Force and by our military industries.
Based on the raging public discourse in recent days, we can estimate that a military option is available.
And of course, given the Obama Administration affinity to have a hand in pretty much anything and everything worldwide, including what Barry does and doesn't want to happen (in this instance, they don't want Israel to embark on an operation without coordination with Washington first), the latest microphones-left-on incident is quite telling, this time at the G-20 summit divulging President Obama and French President Sarkozy's unbridled opinion of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Sarkozy on Netanyahu: "I cannot stand him. He is a liar."
Obama responded: "You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him every day!"
Nice devoted allies, there (listen to Levin's account). Nonetheless, tensions rise as Israel sits poised, awaiting the next move from Tehran, as well as hashing out any internal resistance to a possible strike, and the American objections from the Obama Administration. Unsurprisingly, it also appears that the Reds are on board with Iran's nuclear ambitions, as China speaks out against any use of force to stop the program's progress, while urging Iran to "show flexibility and sincerity," (Ha!) and Russia warns Israel that attacking Iran would be a "very serious mistake," only bringing more volatility to the table. The gang-up begins, except this time, the current American administration doesn't seem to realize the stakes for our small Jewish ally.
So the question remains: Will Israel bomb Iran? Perhaps Alexander Levkovsky of NewsRealBlog is correct in his premise that it wouldn't come down to this if...
This dilemma wouldn’t have existed if President Obama had told the Iranians, like Ronald Reagan would’ve told them, decisively and without any equivocations, that if they continued deceiving the international community, their suspicious nuclear facilities would be destroyed by American “bunker busters.” It should be emphasized here that if the Iranians had perceived Obama to be a strong and decisive leader, they no doubt would’ve stopped their march to nuclear power status long ago.
But let’s not be naïve. Obama will continue experimenting with useless sanctions against the mullahs, sending his envoys to Israel with only the message “Don’t do it!” and making eloquent but feeble threats that nobody will listen to.
Israeli leaders are, of course, aware of Obama’s ideological naivete, his propensity for appeasement, and his obvious acquiescence to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
