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Obama in 2012, after he fails to deal with Iran
By Ari Shavit
Tags: Iran, Obama, Israel News 

Even now, in November 2012, it is hard not to think back with elation on Barack Obama's first year as president of the United States. In his first 100 days in the White House, the energetic president took a series of daring steps that extricated the American economy from its worst crisis since the 1930s. Immediately after that he put an end to torture, indicted Dick Cheney, convened a Middle East peace conference and made historic reconciliation visits to Havana, Damascus and Tehran.

Obama's economic and foreign policies were both based on a moral worldview that inspired Americans and non-Americans alike. After years of despair and cynicism, the 44th president proposed a new national and international agenda based on dialogue, demilitarization, justice and peace.

The first signs that something was wrong had already appeared at the end of that first year of grace. Nevertheless, Washington was astounded when, in the summer of 2010, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that he was expelling international inspectors and galloping full-tilt toward the production of nuclear weapons. The shock turned to horror on the eve of Christmas 2010, when Iran's spiritual leader, Ali Khamenei, stated that his country had its first three nuclear warheads - aimed at Riyadh, Cairo and Tel Aviv.
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Spring 2011 was dramatic. First a mutual defense treaty and an agreement to collaborate on oil exports were signed between Tehran and the fragile Baghdad government. Then Kuwait, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai bowed their heads and signed treaties that made them protectorates of the rising Shi'ite state. Saudi Arabia took the opposite approach: In May 2011, it announced that it had purchased nuclear weapons from Pakistan both for itself and for its ally Egypt. But Egypt's sudden nuclearization failed to appease the Muslim Brotherhood. Mass demonstrations forced President Hosni Mubarak to resign shortly after he suspended the peace agreement with Israel.

By Thanksgiving 2011, the situation was clear. Jordan's King Abdullah left for exile in London. Hezbollah took control of Beirut and a bloody war of attrition erupted between Israel and the Palestinians. The unrest in western Asia had repercussions on the rest of the international arena: Afghanistan went up in flames, Pakistan collapsed and Russia raised its head. In view of Washington's helplessness, some European states began to lean increasingly toward China. When the price of oil rose above $200 a barrel, the American economy plunged into another deep recession.

Obama had no chance in the snows of Iowa in 2012. So with Oprah Winfrey wiping a tear at his side, the most promising president ever announced he would not run for a second term.

What went wrong? Where did Obama go astray? In retrospect, the answer is clear and simple. In the summer of 2009, the president had to make the most courageous decision of his life: to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Granted, opting for confrontation would have been incompatible with the DNA of the liberal Democrat from Chicago. Ironically, however, only such a decision could have saved his legacy and advanced the noble values he believed in. Only that decision could have led to a comprehensive peace in the Middle East. If Obama had decided three years ago to impose a political-economic siege on Tehran, he would have changed the course of history. The Roosevelt of the 21st century would have prevented regional chaos, a worldwide nuclear arms race and an American decline.

Yesterday, immediately after television networks announced the sweeping Republican victory of November 2012, close friends gathered around the outgoing president. They found him sad but sober. Obama had no doubts: Had he known at the beginning of his term what he knows now, he would have made a different strategic decision about Iran's nuclear program. If only it were possible to go back, the pensive president told his humbled chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. If only he could have made a different decision in the summer of 2009.

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      1.   Chicken Little At It Again... 17:02  |  Zack 01/11/09
      2.   A nuclear Iran is the true road to peace in the ME 17:02  |  SAM 01/11/09
      3.   That`s Not What`s Going To Happen... 17:02  |  Yosemite 01/11/09
      4.   comical 17:02  |  J 01/11/09
      5.   Can scare tactics get uglier that this article? 17:02  |  Sharon 01/11/09
      6.   TOO MUCH TV WATCHING 17:02  |  Ed 01/11/09
      7.   Please save the drama... 17:02  |  BBSNews 01/11/09
      8.   The story, continued 17:02  |  Noah 01/11/09
      9.   Thanks Bradley 17:02  |  Yosemite 01/11/09
      10.   What a bunch of nonsense! 17:02  |  Delete me. 01/11/09
      11.   Do it yourself! 17:02  |  jack 01/11/09
      12.   the fall of civilization! 17:02  |  luka 01/11/09
      13.   Morbid fantasies 17:02  |  Adam 01/11/09
      14.   Hmmm... Jon Stewart just did a segment on this 17:02  |  Josh 01/11/09
      15.   Part One: Here`s Where I Have A Problem With The Future 17:02  |  Yosemite 01/11/09
      16.   The point where this article goes wrong.... 17:02  |  Johnboy 01/11/09
      17.   Part Two... 17:02  |  Yosemite 01/11/09
      18.   EXCELLENT, INCREDIBLY LUCID ARTICLE ! 17:02  |  Fortuna Benmayor 01/11/09
      19.   hahahahahahahaha 17:02  |  ajrolaf 01/11/09
      20.   # 1 - SAM- Iranian bomb 17:02  |  US taxpayer 01/11/09
      21.   True Evaluation 17:02  |  Shimon Cleopas 01/11/09
      22.   Yossi. 17:02  |  sandra chitayat 01/11/09
      23.   Obama in 2012 17:02  |  Rob 01/11/09
      24.   Ari Shavit, you forgot to mention the Pandemics. 17:02  |  Stephen. 01/11/09
      25.   i`m painting a different picture 17:02  |  VIPER 01/11/09
      26.   Looking forward to the day when Obama looks back 17:02  |  Johnboy 01/11/09
      27.   Israel in Chaos without war 17:02  |  fritz t. 01/11/09
      28.   the consequences of a nuclear Iran 17:02  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/11/09
      29.   Obama in 1212 17:02  |  Judith Nusbaum 01/11/09
      30.   What this really discloses 17:02  |  Yonatan 01/11/09
      31.   #24, VIPER 17:02  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/11/09
      32.   imagination... 17:02  |  LK 01/11/09
      33.   Ari Shavit 17:02  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/11/09
      34.   Viper You Are So Wrong... 17:02  |  Yosemite 01/11/09
      35.   Well done Shavit 17:02  |  G 01/11/09
      36.   Throwing bush failures on Obama 17:02  |  Galilee Hero 01/11/09
      37.   to No 20 17:02  |  GA 01/11/09
      38.   What this op-ed really discloses 17:02  |  Yonatan 01/11/09
      39.   If bush had known what he have known 17:02  |  GaileeHero 01/11/09
      40.   #25 - Ahmadinejad is just a mouthpiece 17:02  |  JES 01/11/09
      41.   Cipora Kohn 32 17:02  |  andy 01/11/09
      42.   Entirely possible with one exception 17:02  |  Peter Williams 01/11/09
      43.   Here`s an alternative scenario, Avi 17:02  |  Michael 01/11/09
      44.   Vey plausible 17:02  |  17 01/11/09
      45.   an ammendmum 17:02  |  VIPER 01/11/09
      46.   #34, YOSEMITE, are you in the movies? 17:02  |  VIPER 01/11/09
      47.   Simplistic Talkbackers 17:02  |  Yonatan 01/11/09
      48.   Bush starred in this movie, not Obama 17:02  |  bannedfromtalkback 01/11/09
      49.   #42 - Michael 17:02  |  JES 01/11/09
      50.   After Flushing The American Economy and Disbanding Its Military.. 17:02  |  UsedToPostHere 01/11/09
      51.   Obama doesn`t have till 2012 to do a deal with Iran 17:02  |  zionist forever 01/11/09
      52.   Obama in 2012, after he fails to deal with Israel 17:02  |  Danny 01/11/09
      53.   The Iranian threat is serious 17:02  |  Daniel 01/11/09
      54.   #39 I find some things rather odd in your post, JES 17:02  |  Johnboy 01/11/09
      55.   #38 Yonatan`s epiphany 17:02  |  Johnboy 01/11/09
      56.   Heartfelt and On the Money 17:02  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 01/11/09
      57.   To #15, 17 Yosemite: "True Dreaming" 17:02  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 01/11/09
      58.   Go back farther.... 17:02  |  SomeNormalJoe 01/11/09
      59.   Tabloid Dreams. 17:02  |  Roo 01/11/09
      60.   Stopping Iran 17:02  |  Nick Smith 01/11/09
      61.   hope 17:02  |  oz 01/11/09
      62.   #52Danny, you forgot the 9th point of your scenario 17:02  |  Daniel 01/11/09
      63.   Remember the Battle at Thermophile!! 17:02  |  Abecassis 01/11/09
      64.   JES #40 What else happened in 2003? 17:02  |  Roo 01/11/09
      65.   #38 and #47 left unanswered 17:02  |  Yonatan 01/11/09
      66.   Prophet Ari Shavit, what`s the lottery numbers for this weekend? 17:02  |  JustMe 01/11/09
      67.   #54 - Odd? 17:02  |  JES 01/11/09
      68.   Yonatan - Talk about simplistic... 17:02  |  Natallie Durson 01/11/09
      69.   JES #40 What else happened in 2003? 17:02  |  Roo 01/11/09
      70.   Tabloid Dreams. 17:02  |  Roo 01/11/09
      71.   Yaaawwwn Boring!! 17:02  |  Tupac 01/11/09
      72.   Obama 2012 17:02  |  Lee 01/11/09
      73.   #.63.Abecassis. You have made a strong.... 17:02  |  Stephen. 01/11/09
      74.   # 36 Galilee Hero 17:02  |  Lynn 01/11/09
      75.   # 64 Roo....and Bush was right 17:02  |  Lynn 01/11/09
      76.   # 58 NormalJoe....the death and misery 17:02  |  Lynn 01/11/09
      77.   Comical ??? (#4) 17:02  |  BH 01/11/09
      78.   Arabs 17:02  |  Kloy 01/11/09
      79.   obama2012 17:02  |  Kloy 01/11/09
      80.   Lynn #75 yeh George III was right too 17:02  |  Roo 01/11/09
      81.   #46 Viper 17:02  |  Yosemite 01/11/09
      82.   Worst "article" ever in Haaretz 17:02  |  redsmith 01/11/09
      83.   HA HA HA! Bibi`s govt tells the US to go to hell with peace 17:02  |  American 01/11/09
      84.   So the nuclear threat comes from....where??? 17:02  |  Paul 01/11/09
      85.   WMD 17:02  |  Brendan Holleran 01/11/09
      86.   Why didn`t Ari Shavit write about Lieberman spring 2009? 17:02  |  Smadar 01/11/09
      87.   Obama in 2012 17:02  |  Gidon Reichstein 01/11/09
      88.   Obama in 2012, after he deals with Bibi 17:02  |  Mark 01/11/09
      89.   Way too positive on Obama`s early "accomplishments". 17:02  |  Chaim 01/11/09
      90.   Iran is not an issue here in America 17:02  |  American in NY 01/11/09
      91.   First address Iran`s reasonable concerns, then decide 17:02  |  Stephen L 01/11/09
      92.   What an optimist Ari Shavit is! 17:02  |  Mladen Andrijasevic 01/11/09
      93.   #41, andy 17:02  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/11/09
      94.   Obama in 2012, after he fails to deal with Iran 17:02  |  jv 01/11/09
      95.   #73, Stephen 17:02  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/11/09
      96.   Obama in 2012 17:02  |  David 01/11/09
      97.   The looking glass response 17:02  |  Dr. Barbara Barry 01/11/09
      98.   You Need To See This Video 17:02  |  Charles 01/11/09
      99.   #59, Roo 17:02  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/11/09
      100.   JV 94 If MAD doesn`t work, then drop yours. 17:02  |  Stephen L 01/11/09
      101.   Dead on, though I hope this does not come to fruition. 17:02  |  4:20 01/11/09
      102.   Cipora Kohn 93 17:02  |  andy 01/11/09
      103.   winner lottery number 17:02  |  masoud 01/11/09
      104.   cjk 28 17:02  |  potobac 01/11/09
      105.   #192, andy 17:02  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/11/09
      106.   3 nukes on there side and several hundred on yours 17:02  |  michale 01/11/09
      107.   WHO CARES? AMERICA SHOULD`NT 17:02  |  America 01/11/09
      108.   America must not support a criminal colonial Israel 17:01  |  Falastini 01/11/09
      109.   Drivel 17:01  |  David 01/11/09
      110.   CJK #99 17:01  |  Roo 01/11/09
      111.   This is not far from the truth.This is Iran not Iraq 17:01  |  ks-a psychic 01/11/09
      112.   Andy #102 17:01  |  Peter Williams 01/11/09
      113.   I couldn`t continue reading 17:01  |  Abraham 01/11/09
      114.   Ridiculous 17:01  |  Michelle 01/11/09
      115.   Serve our ends, or universe will explode! 17:01  |  Deels 01/11/09
      116.   #67 No, JES, let`s not ignore that, shall we? 17:01  |  Johnboy 01/11/09
      117.   #67 But you keep fudging the issue, JES. 17:01  |  Johnboy 01/11/09
      118.   what a putz... 17:01  |  chris 01/11/09
      119.   #107 you`re right;luckily Israel is neither criminal nor colonial 17:01  |  McQueen 01/11/09
      120.   George Bush 17:01  |  Sherri 01/11/09
      121.   ari shavit 17:01  |  Maimon 01/11/09
      122.   #2 SAM - Well said! 17:01  |  Alaska 01/11/09
      123.   More neo-con wet dreams 17:01  |  Dave 01/11/09
      124.   ...after he fails 17:01  |  Tirebiter 01/11/09
      125.   Middle East can go into Chaos and US still wont be in decline 17:01  |  America 01/11/09
      126.   Nuclear powers in the Midle East 17:01  |  American 01/11/09
      127.   My goodness tirebiter... 17:01  |  BBSNews 01/11/09
      128.   hysterical fearmongering crap 17:01  |  JT 01/11/09
      129.   David 122 17:01  |  john spear Canadian 01/11/09
      130.   #81, YOSEMITE, thanks pa 17:01  |  VIPER 01/11/09
      131.   Actually Johnboy, he`s got you 17:01  |  Peter Williams 01/11/09
      132.   #98, CHARLES, is this scare mongering? 17:01  |  VIPER 01/11/09
      133.   Obama in 2012, After he fails to deal with Iran 17:01  |  Jerry Blaz 01/11/09
      134.   Iran and Falafel Land 17:01  |  Richard 01/11/09
      135.   Embargos are for sissies 17:01  |  Martin 01/11/09
      136.   Israel has nukes - why not Iran? 17:01  |  jv 01/11/09
      137.   Now where did this start? 17:01  |  Matt 01/11/09
      138.   Denuclearize please 17:01  |  Islam 01/11/09
      139.   It may be much worse than this scenario 17:01  |  charles soper 01/11/09
      140.   jv135 Israel responsible with nukes? 17:01  |  Stephen L 01/11/09
      141.   Unfortunately, there is nothing anyone can 17:01  |  ARTH 01/11/09
      142.   If Israeli really knew where these nuclear 17:01  |  ARTH 01/11/09
      143.   Stephen L: Israel responsible with nukes? 17:01  |  JV 01/11/09
      144.   Israel 16:59  |  Joseph Lost 01/11/09
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