A Washington Institute of Near East Policy report on Israel & Iran seeks alternatives to a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, as the clock winds down on Iran crossing the nuclear threshold and becoming politically invulnerable to attack. The Jerusalem Post reports that Israel is "seriously considering" a strike and bases this one the WINEP report--rather odd for an Israeli paper. The New Republic calls "Mission Impossible" the task of Dennis Ross, 44's special Iran point-man. Foundation for the Defense of Democracies President Cliff May argues for refined oil sanctions and has this to say of those who doubt Iran's designs:
Iran’s militant Islamist mullahs have vowed “Death to America!” for three decades. They have ordered the slaughter of American servicemen in Beirut, at Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia, and throughout Iraq. They are supplying advanced weapons to the Taliban in Afghanistan. They have established a client state in Syria, and they use Hezbollah and Hamas as terrorist proxies. Those who persist in portraying them as victims requiring nuclear weapons as “deterrents” are entitled to their opinion. They have no right to be taken seriously — and no one with any grasp of what is happening in the world today would do so.
Ace journalist Claudia Rosett sees 44's aid to Gaza going via the UN to Hamas and notes that $4.5B in aid has been pledged by 70 countries. This is hardly likely to calm Israeli fears re our policy. CR writes of, and quotes Secretary of State Hillary:
Speaking of her aim to "foster conditions" to create a responsible, accountable Palestinian state, living in peace with Israel, Clinton pledged that America's $900 million in new aid to Palestinians--still to be approved by Congress--would include $300 million for Gaza. To blunt concerns that some of these taxpayer dollars might end up bankrolling Hamas, Clinton spelled out that "We have worked with the Palestinian Authority to install safeguards that will ensure that our funding is used only where, and for whom, it is intended, and does not end up in the wrong hands."
Palestinian Authority "safeguards?" How does one say "oxymoron" in Arabic?
In another astonishing display of Kumbaya Diplomacy, Secretary of State Hillary invited Iran to a "big tent" conference on Afghanistan in a continuance of Iraq Study Group illusions that all nations share common interests in promoting peace and prosperity. Israel's leadership will not find this naivete reassuring. Nor will Israel like the "all smiles but with a hint of menace" Hillary displayed while visiting the region, as a "pricklier relationship" appears in store for America & Israel under 44's policies. All this will have the unintended effect of increasing Israel's incentive to strike Iran's nuclear facilities, as its confidence in American support dwindles.
The WINEP report is stunningly lame--sort of like "Son of Iraq Study Group" feel-good diplomacy. Let's everyone agree & life will once again be good for all...Try this sentence: "Progress at the UN Security Council would be easier if Washington could convince China that Iran's nuclear program is a strategic threat to its own interests and could persuade Russia that its interests are best served by cooperating fully with the West on this problem." China wants an oil supply guarantee, and Russia wants to weaken America's leverage in Mideast affairs. WINEP's authors forgot that progress would also be easier if Mahmoud Ahmadinejad converted to Judaism.
If America follows this report's recommendations, Israel had better get its planes ready for a thousand-mile aerial visit.
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