The headline above should include an important caveat. War wongering neocon moustache John Bolton wants the US to go to war yesterday over Iran's nuclear intentions. It now appears Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants military action as well. After weeks of warlike rhetoric from "sources" in the Israeli military and political leadership, published reports say Netanyahu wants President Barack Obama to up the ante for him. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz is reporting that when the Israeli PM comes to the US next Monday, he'll press President Obama to threaten to take military acfion if the Iranians cross "certain red lines" in their alleged nuclear ambitions. What those lines would be wasn't immediately apparent from the report.
If that's the substance of Netanyahu's message to Obama, it sets up a complex and potentially damaging set of possibilities. Netanyahu is a close ally of billionaire casino boss Sheldon Adelson, who when last seen was writing out yet another check to fund the otherwise moribund presidential campaign of New Gingrich. What will Gingrich say if Obama refuses to accede to Netanyahu's wishes? You can bet he and the other GOP presidential hopefuls will pillory the administration for being "weak" on Iran.
That brings up the question of whether all the players in this little drama have underestimated the American public's aversion to war. It seems clear that just plain folks want to get the economy fixed, and for most, war isn't the way to accomplish that. Let's be clear. Most Americans, this writer included, want to see a safe and secure Israel, one that's free from fear of attack by anyone. Yet despite the anti- Israel and at times Anti Semitic nonsense that comes from Tehran, there are serious risks for whoever would order a military strike to disable Iran's nuclear program. Likewise, Iran's leaders would have to be suicidal to even contemplate a military (nuclear or otherwise) against an Israeli target.
Given the late breaking news that North Korea has agreed to a nuclear moratorium and IAEA inspections without a shot fired or a US military boot on their soil, the Bolton argument that Iran must be stopped in some set time frame seems even more ludicrous than when first proferred (if that's possible).
Benjamin Netanyahu would do well to keep this in mind when he comes to the White House next week.
Not that I actually want war with Iran, but I don't want Iran to have nuclear weapons. That must be stopped.
What puzzles me is that when we had the chance, why didn't we help the rebels in Iran? We just stood by and let the revolution be crushed. Yet, we did intervene in Libya. Bad as Gadafi was, he was no longer able to do anything to anyone outside his country.
I am sure that there are still people who want to overthrow the regime in Iran. We should help them.
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