April 13, 2009
Israel has been steadily ratcheting up pressure on the United States concerning the grave threat allegedly posed by Iran, which seems poised to master the nuclear fuel cycle, and thus the capacity to produce nuclear weapons. The new Israeli prime minister, Likud Party hawk Benjamin Netanyahu, has warned President Barack Obama that if Washington does not quickly find a way to shut down Iran's nuclear program, Israel will.
Some analysts argue that this is manufactured hysteria, not so much a reflection of genuine Israeli fears as a purposeful diversion from other looming difficulties. The Netanyahu government is filled with hardliners adamantly opposed to withdrawal from, or even a temporary freeze on, settlements in the occupied territories, not to mention to any acceptance of Palestinian statehood. On his first day as foreign minister, extremist demagogue Avigdor Lieberman, with characteristic bluster, announced that Israel was no longer bound by the 2007 Annapolis agreements brokered by Washington, which called for accelerated negotiations toward a two-state settlement.
Read on...
Peacenik has to confess that alarmist stories about the impending Israeli attack on Iran are failing to alarm Peacenik. Peacenik believed all the Seymour Hersch fueled alarming stories. Peacenik went to the supermarket on the basis of some of the alarming stories. Peacenik is concerned about the constant threats from Israel. But ultimately Peacenik thinks most world actors are rational. Peacenik thinks any attack on Iran would lead to Armageddon. So Peacenik discounts the threats. Is Peacenik naive? Is Netanyahu insane? Maybe.
Some analysts argue that this is manufactured hysteria, not so much a reflection of genuine Israeli fears as a purposeful diversion from other looming difficulties. The Netanyahu government is filled with hardliners adamantly opposed to withdrawal from, or even a temporary freeze on, settlements in the occupied territories, not to mention to any acceptance of Palestinian statehood. On his first day as foreign minister, extremist demagogue Avigdor Lieberman, with characteristic bluster, announced that Israel was no longer bound by the 2007 Annapolis agreements brokered by Washington, which called for accelerated negotiations toward a two-state settlement.
Read on...
Peacenik has to confess that alarmist stories about the impending Israeli attack on Iran are failing to alarm Peacenik. Peacenik believed all the Seymour Hersch fueled alarming stories. Peacenik went to the supermarket on the basis of some of the alarming stories. Peacenik is concerned about the constant threats from Israel. But ultimately Peacenik thinks most world actors are rational. Peacenik thinks any attack on Iran would lead to Armageddon. So Peacenik discounts the threats. Is Peacenik naive? Is Netanyahu insane? Maybe.
