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Tightening the Screws on Israel
Let me be blunt. The Iranian deal always was a disaster and, after President Netanyahu’s presentation, we’re relearning what we already knew. Mama Toad’s post did a great job of soliciting input from Ricochetti about Netanyahu’s statement. And if you want an outsider’s view, take a look at David Harsanyi’s article in The Federalist. I encourage you to offer your opinion on this dangerous and ridiculous agreement, but this OP will take two different directions, particularly regarding Israel. One question is: what do we do next on the Iran agreement? The second addresses a different topic: what do you think are the dangers of the protests in Gaza at the border with Israel?
So let’s look at Iran first. They’ve lied from the start, in spite of “guarantees” for transparency and investigations by the IAEA. In its February 22, 2018 report, the IAEA summary reads as follows:
The Agency continues to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material at the nuclear facilities and locations outside facilities where nuclear material is customarily used (LOFs) declared by Iran under its Safeguards Agreement. Evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities for Iran remained ongoing. Since Implementation Day, the Agency has been verifying and monitoring the implementation by Iran of its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA. The Director General will continue to report as appropriate.
I assume the IAEA has only investigated those places the Iranians originally agreed to open, and no one has any way of knowing if other sites had been built and were being used long before the agreement with the Obama administration. Given the repeated lies about their developing a nuclear program, why should we believe they’re claim of transparency?
Let’s remember that Israel never approved of this agreement. As Harsanyi says in his article:
Now that the framework for sanctions has been destroyed, there are few good options left. But the agreement, as it stands, is worse than worthless. Rather than setting firm limits, the deal gave Iran cover and time to continue its efforts, making war with Israel more of an inevitability.
The Jewish state can’t allow a Holocaust-denying adversary with terrorist proxy armies on its borders to have the power to destroy them, or even blackmail and threaten the entire region at best — something Iran has engaged in for more than a decade without even having its hands on nuclear weapons.
Many observers state that Netanyahu’s presentation only offered information that was already known. So let me get this right: We already knew that Iran had lied to us, and now that we have that actually verified, so what? Pardon my sarcasm, but does it matter to anyone that we have a flimsy agreement that is of great benefit to Iran and no benefit to anyone else? In addition, what did we gain from the illusion that Iran was slowing its development of nuclear weapons? Deferring the destruction of Israel or Saudi Arabia until 10 years from now, when Iran will potentially be even more dangerous?
Worse yet, Netanyahu hoped that his presentation would move Europe to reconsider its desire to “fix” the agreement. Instead, France and Britain believe the need for a pact is even more important now. Given the previously mentioned chronic lying, someone will need to explain this attitude to me.
I propose that on or before May 12, President Trump should drop the deal. Anything that Iran agrees to will be based on lies. We have no reason to trust them. Even if the deal is modified, they can continue their nuclear development within hidden sites. We may also at some point decide to destroy facilities that have been used for development. If we don’t bomb those sites, Israel probably will. They did it previously in Syria.
As if this crisis weren’t difficult enough for Israel, it is dealing with border protests in Gaza. Hamas claimed that they weren’t driving the protests, but we now know that Hamas has been helping out Palestinians who have been injured or the families of those killed:
Hamas has distributed payments to Palestinians injured and to the families of those killed in protests in the border region between the Gaza Strip and Israel, Hamas spokesman Hazim Qassim said on Thursday.
Palestinians critically and moderately injured received $500 and $200, respectively, while families of those killed were given $3,000, Qassim said, according to a report on the Islamist movement’s official website.
Protestors have also broken through the border fence in some spots, and have “rolled burning tires, hurled rocks and flown kites with flaming objects attached trying to damage the fence.”
Human rights groups have been protesting that the Israelis are shooting on unarmed protestors (not considering that weapons can easily be concealed). Amnesty International reports “that many of the injuries appear deliberately intended as life-changing and that they have video proof of peaceful protestors being shot at while their backs are turned to the fence along the Gaza Strip or while running away from the fence.”
Meanwhile, there is this report:
The weekly demonstrations are scheduled to continue until May 15, the Palestinian Nakba Day on which they remember their displacement following the Israeli declaration of independence in 1948. Part of that commemoration this year is expected to be possibly tens of thousands of Palestinians rushing the Israel barrier.
I wonder how well the fences will hold up then?
Published in Foreign Policy
I agree. If they try to topple the government again, we should help them in anyway we can, preferably subtly. Unlike Obama, this administration should do all it can to make real revolution happen. If we try to get rid of the Mullahs ourselves, we don’t know what we’ll end up with.
Thank you, @ontheleftcoast. You always offer invaluable information on these kinds of topics. I’m most grateful!
It depends on how much firepower the Israelis can direct at the invaders . . .
Obama’s National Security Council Spokesman Accuses Trump, Israelis of ‘Cooking Up’ Intel
Not mentioned in this piece: yesterday, Tommy Vietor’s Twitter handle was “Tehran Tom.” Whether that was a one-day joke or he’s had that handle longer, I don’t know. But I guess someone suggested he change it to his actual name if he didn’t want to look like what he is — a tool of the Mullahs.
Also, when it comes to cooking up intel, the Obama administration knows all about that.
Analysts Detail Claims That Reports on ISIS Were Distorted
Military Officials Distorted ISIS Intelligence, Congressional Panel Says
From Netanyahu’s speech. Emphases added:
The latest missile strike on Syria was conducted by Israel on April 30. The target was an Iranian arms depot, and it also apparently killed the Iranian commander who is running their drone program in Syria. The strike was carried out to destroy air defense missiles.
This is not the first strike conducted by the Israelis against Iranian targets in Syria. For all the talk from Russia about their wonderful AS 400, and AS 300 air defense systems they really do not have complete control over Syrian airspace. The Israeli Air Force will continue to target Iranian arms shipments, and arms convoys.
Some of the recent demonstrations in Iran against the government included groups that want Iranian involvement in Syria to end. The US could leave Syria tomorrow, but that might not be good for Russia, or Syria. The Israeli Air Force is more than capable of taking on Ivan of Syria, and the Iranians.
You have to turn them on before they can do you any good, and they don’t seem to want to turn them on.
Hmmm …
Khaled Abu Toameh’s latest piece over at Gatestone Institute is on the other “Gaza protests.” You know. The ones that aren’t happening. And the real Gaza blockade, the one nobody talks about. He begins like this:
The Rafah border crossing is the Gaza Strip’s single opening to Egypt and the rest of the Arab world. That border crossing is where the real suffering of the Palestinians has been taking place.
The Gaza Strip could be a livable environment if the Egyptians opened the Rafah terminal to allow the world to come and help the Palestinians living there.
As Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and other organizers of the campaign have clearly stated in recent weeks, the Palestinian protests are aimed at thwarting US President Donald Trump’s yet-to-be-announced plan for peace in the Middle East.
I think Abu Toameh’s last point is correct (and Netanyahu’s speech about Israel’s intelligence coup was of course also an attempt to influence U.S policy,) but as I’ve noted in comments above and elsewhere, that is not the sole aim of the Gaza “protests.”
So what’s the real blockade of Gaza? Why, it’s at the Rafa Crossing, on Gaza’s Egyptian border. You know, the one where Hamas isn’t trying to break down the fence.
Abu Toameh goes on to confirm my point—that Hamas’ campaign is about more than U.S. policy or at any rate is not about any particular point of policy:
The “protests” are also for the benefit of the MSM, which is happy to continue its role as stooges for Palestinian propaganda, disinformation, and faked news.
They can direct a lot, but will they?
It’s the age-old question for the Left: “Whose side are you on, anyway??”
It isn’t ours — America’s, that’s for sure.
Yep, turning them on just means an incoming missile is on the way to take them out. Turning them off just means the missile stores the GPS location of the unit and keeps on coming. That’s when the radar operator starts thinking I should have become a cook instead of a radar operator.
Way off topic, but I remember the tension this time of year in 1967, and how my circle of friends (we were in 9th grade) split over the events that culminated in the Six Day War. It was an interesting shakeout. Two Jews, two not. Three self proclaimed socialists (one the child of card carrying Communists.) Two (the red diaper Jewish guy and one non-Jew) favored the Arab/Soviet side; two backed Israel. Fast forward to 10th grade.
That fall, there was an Israeli kid in our high school. He passed on a story he had heard over the summer. It went something like this:
That plus the ELINT-collecting drones start capturing the particulars of your radar signature. For later.
A lot more than thirty pieces of silver.
“…he’s got ’em on the list;
And they’ll none of ’em be missed…”
The Gaza-Egyptian border issue also doesn’t trash the west or Trump, another reason our mainstream media isn’t interested.
But what else can they do? Let them cross the border and wound or kill Israelis. Or do the Israelis need to wait until one of theirs dies to fire back? I hope this is one time when the Israelis ignore international opinion. Then again, the Left believes no one should have borders. Oh my.
With the Russians rebuilding their Middle Eastern arms bazaar (thanks, Barry!) they don’t want to have their wares look too bad. 1967 was kind of embarrassing for them in that regard.