tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15216381.post8748959579739855511..comments2024-01-19T07:30:41.591-08:00Comments on An Average American Patriot: Israel 'master of own fate'? US is the master of Israel's fate and Israel is the master of US fatejmsjoinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17631105639275375922noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15216381.post-56993462495031276372012-03-18T07:38:04.889-07:002012-03-18T07:38:04.889-07:00Again, what should be the US's position? Think...Again, what should be the US's position? Thinking like a commander-in-chief, if Obama believes WW3 starting in the middle east is inevitable in the short term, does the US then plan pre-emptive strikes? Take on Syria and support a No-Fly Zone after consultation with Congress? Negotiate privately with potential adversaries, i.e. China and Russia? Build up our military presence in the region? Again, how does the US election timetable affect all this? I think it is the most important factor because doing any of the above cannot help Obama get re-elected and indeed, may be the major goal of Netanyahu, who is allied with the neo-conservatives of this country. He does not trust Obama and wants him defeated in November. Israel has a number of supporters (and spies) in Defense and State Department agencies. I think the emphasis on diplomacy is the correct path with strategic planning being done behind the scenes. Our biggest problem is Israel and her aspirations, the "wildest card" of all. If she acts on her own to bomb Iranian nuclear sites, we may be pulled into a war because Israel cannot conduct an effective campaign without us. On the other hand, if she acts unilaterally, maybe we can sit it out, let Israel get into this mess without our help. If Israel is bombed, we can provide military defensive aid then. I think this tactic is what Israel hopes will defeat Obama. You can bet AIPAC will be meddling in our election -- the Jewish vote is small but significant for Democrats, but more so is the hold they have on campaign donations for key Congressmen and Senators. The money they will spend attacking President Obama and supporting his opponent will be an important factor in 2012 if the war drums are beating or an outbreak occurs. I'm hoping that "big picture" thinking and the brains Obama has assembled in State and Defense are letting them see different strategies that we are not privy to. I for one trust Obama to do the right thing.Vickihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151347352054602839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15216381.post-5531718188335371482012-03-17T13:45:42.600-07:002012-03-17T13:45:42.600-07:00Vicki makes some good points there. To bring war t...Vicki makes some good points there. To bring war to the middle east on a grand scale would be like shooting ourselves in the foot. Even though most of our oil now comes from Canada the disruption of flow would put a real crimp on many countries.<br /><br />Again I must remind you that this is not a Sunni Shia conflict but far more complex. It's more like a Baath party Shia conflict although other factions are involved. Just as an example did you know that Syria is aligned with Egypt (one of our allies)? Even represented on the Syrian flag as one of the stars.Demeurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01935263659097273535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15216381.post-11096339369027093672012-03-17T07:22:37.738-07:002012-03-17T07:22:37.738-07:00I'm reading your comment again, you know, thin...I'm reading your comment again, you know, things are really bad there right now and not just because of this.<br /><br /> Hezbollah and the IRG are helping Syria's Assad and Russia is arming them all while the rest of the world is with the protesters.<br /><br /> Turkey is also siding with the protesters and is contemplating going into Syria to establish a refugee safe zone. Not good! That will do it too.jmsjoinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17631105639275375922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15216381.post-42130600586384798522012-03-17T07:03:23.921-07:002012-03-17T07:03:23.921-07:00Hi vicki! They said it again this morning. PM: Isr...Hi vicki! They said it again this morning. <a href="http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=261888" rel="nofollow">PM: Israel will protect itself even if America objects: Saying publicly in the Knesset what he had only said privately to congressional leaders in Washington last week, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu stressed on Wednesday that Israel would act to defend itself even if the US objected.“Israel has never left its fate in the hands of others, not even in the hands of our best friends,” he said in a speech that focused on the Iranian threat and drew a direct line from Tehran to the events earlier this week in Gaza. <br />He also blamed the 2005 disengagement from the Gaza Strip for leading to Iran’s establishment of a “forward” terrorist base there. Netanyahu cited legendary US secretary of state George Marshall as telling David Ben-Gurion in 1948 not to declare a state, and reminded the Knesset that US president Lyndon Johnson not only advised Israel against preemptive military action in 1967, but warned that “if you act alone, you will be alone.”</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/an-iran-attack-is-the-toughest-question-israel-faced-since-1948-1.418747" rel="nofollow">An Iran attack is the toughest question Israel faced since 1948: Those who support an attack on Iran must honestly address 10 decisive questions. ...</a> This one will be their last one if we do not come to their aid!jmsjoinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17631105639275375922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15216381.post-17970845784102970302012-03-17T06:52:09.011-07:002012-03-17T06:52:09.011-07:00Jim, this is really some rant. So basically are yo...Jim, this is really some rant. So basically are you saying Isreal will attack Iran with US back up and there is nothing that can change that? What is the time frame for this in your opinion? What role will US elections have on that time table? Don't you believe NATO and our British, German and French allies have been involved in planning for such an outcome (Isreal attack on Iran) and what are the implications for the EU economic recovery if there are short term or longer oil supply disruptions? How does that play on EU's role in such an attack? How can WW3 be stopped if Isreal attacks Iran given the certain participation from Russia, China, Pakistan, and India (all nuclear powers) and the current political make-up of the Islamic countries in the Middle East, including NATO affiliated Turkey, that provide important bases for US and NATO forces? I know you say this is inevitable given the foreign policy decisions of the Bush administration and the unyielding positions of Isreal and Syria/Iran and Palestinian Authority, so what should the US do if it is indeed inevitable?Vickihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151347352054602839noreply@blogger.com