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Get used to the Iranian bomb
By Aluf Benn
Tags: U.S., nuclear bomb, Israel 

NEW YORK - Israel and the United States are generally considered Siamese twins, with a common mouth and heart. The rhetoric coming out of both Washington and Jerusalem is similar: The leaders speak frequently about "strengthening the moderates" in the Middle East, as opposed to "the axis of evil." They talk about a promise to establish a Palestinian state in the territories and to take a determined stand against the Iranian nuclear bomb.

But listening closely will reveal big differences hiding behind the enthusiastic slogans, both in the way they view the world and in the assessment of the situation by the two countries.

This is the conclusion raised at the "strategic dialogue" conference which took place last week in New York under the auspices of the Institute for National Security Studies in Israel and the American Council on Foreign Relations. Although all participants presented their personal opinions, one got the impression they were expressing the accepted establishment views of their countries.
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The major differences of opinion can be summarized as follows: The Americans desire a "dialogue" with Iran and the isolation of Syria, and the Israelis want talks with the Syrians and moves against Iran. Naturally each side has its own concerns. Israel is afraid of nuclear weapons in Iran and believes that it is possible to prevent their development only through a serious economic boycott and threats of a military operation. The American establishment is less worried about the Iranian nuclear power and balks at the use of force in the wake of the failure in Iraq.

The message of the American participants in the meeting was clear: Neither the U.S. nor Israel has a military option against Iran. Bombing the nuclear facilities would cause oil prices to skyrocket and would only strengthen the extremists in Tehran. In their view, Iran would respond by hitting the American soldiers stationed in Iraq and the oil facilities in the Gulf, and would begin terrorist operations in America. The year 2008 is already lost, they believe, and one should wait quietly for the end of President Bush's term of office since he conditions dialogue with the Iranians on delaying their nuclear plans. Whoever comes after Bush, certainly if he is a Democrat, will throw these conditions into the trash and will strive for a quick dialogue with Iran.

In less diplomatic language, the Americans say to the Israelis something like this: It is best for you to get used to living with a nuclear Iran, which will look less menacing if there is an American embassy there.

But they are threatening to destroy us, the Israelis protest.

We also heard such threats from the Soviets - the "we shall bury you" speech made by Khrushchev - and from the Chinese, say the Americans. Our people also spoke about a preventive strike against nuclear facilities. You simply lag 40 to 50 years behind us in strategic understanding. Instead of whining, it is better for you to talk to us about security arrangements in the era of Iranian nuclear power.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert probably shares the assessment that the Bush term of office will end without an attack on Iran. He told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee this week that he does not share the severe view of Military Intelligence that Iran will attain a nuclear bomb by the end of 2009, and in his opinion we still have time to act against it diplomatically. Other senior officials in Israel share the opinion that Bush will have a hard time acting with force, in view of the widespread opposition in his country to a new adventure in the Middle East.

With regard to Syria, the situation is completely different. Israel wants "to distance it from Iran" through a dialogue, and assesses that the time is ripe because of Syria's weakness and isolation. But Israel is not eager to withdraw from all of the Golan Heights. The Israelis proposed a deal of "Iran in place of Lebanon": Syria would forgo its alliance with Tehran, would be given control in Beirut with the agreement of the Americans, and would disarm Hezbollah.

The Americans were angry - you don't care who rules Lebanon but we do, they said to the Israelis. And in general, your Israeli strategists always support the Syrian track while the politicians prefer the Palestinians. You should understand that the price of an arrangement with Syria is a retreat to the coast of the Kinneret. Until you are prepared to pay it, it is a waste of your time and ours to speak about illusions. Your politics does not allow a real dialogue with Syria.

Only on one subject was there a wall-to-wall agreement at the strategic dialogue. Both the Israelis and the Americans were of the view that the Annapolis process would lead to nothing, because of the weak leadership on both sides and the "galactic" gaps in their positions on the "core issues."
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  1.   Peace with Syria or Iran means Israel must retreat to Siberia 09:47  |  Efox 15/11/07
  2.   i already got used to alof benn, 09:49  |  joe 15/11/07
  3.   Mistake to Have Nuclear Iran 09:59  |  Khaled 15/11/07
  4.   All Arabs must die if Tel Aviv gone, not just Iran 10:22  |  George 15/11/07
  5.   NOBODY, NOBODY AT ALL CAN PREVENT IRAN 10:29  |  indrajaya 15/11/07
  6.   Listen to this man 10:34  |  Iranian-American 15/11/07
  7.   Aluf Benn dipping into reality...... 10:37  |  Swiss (Dino) 15/11/07
  8.   all this is true 10:40  |  harzion 15/11/07
  9.   True, as far as it goes 10:46  |  Natallie Durson 15/11/07
  10.   sharon compares iraq to iran 10:46  |  harzion 15/11/07
  11.   clues from history 10:48  |  harzion 15/11/07
  12.   the usa "you dont care who rules lebanon" 10:53  |  harzion 15/11/07
  13.   i did say that the iranians were more aware then the arabs 11:01  |  harzion 15/11/07
  14.   What Israel would like America to believe 11:02  |  Clickfool 15/11/07
  15.   Israeli wet dream 11:07  |  Clickfool 15/11/07
  16.   tell iran that the city of qom would be first to be obliterated 11:07  |  harzion 15/11/07
  17.   The death of the Israeli nuclear monopoly 11:14  |  Clickfool 15/11/07
  18.   you clickfool will not be saved 11:23  |  meir 15/11/07
  19.   clickfool an even larger chunk of british muslims 11:25  |  meir 15/11/07
  20.   clcikfool mi5 and mi6 have now put on record 11:29  |  meir 15/11/07
  21.   There is nothing to fear 11:35  |  Edith 15/11/07
  22.   keep it simple o ludicrous ones 11:37  |  handsome genius 15/11/07
  23.   meir 18 11:44  |  realism 15/11/07
  24.   # 18, MEIR 11:56  |  indrajaya 15/11/07
  25.   realism on catholics and muslims 12:02  |  meir 15/11/07
  26.   Meir terrifies me # 18 12:08  |  Clickfool 15/11/07
  27.   For Meir, on British security services # 20 12:10  |  Clickfool 15/11/07
  28.   "strengthening the moderate Muslems" - NO such thing 12:12  |  Kobi 15/11/07
  29.   Wrong: The Target is US/Europe 12:43  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 15/11/07
  30.   #26 Clickfool 12:45  |  Chris Linthwaite 15/11/07
  31.   @8, swiss dino 13:04  |  vladimir 15/11/07
  32.   #16: Muslim Theology Expects Mecca Devastation -- MAD Won`t Work 13:04  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 15/11/07
  33.   Benn already proven wrong 13:07  |  Jonathan S 15/11/07
  34.   # 31 vladimirinski 13:25  |  Swiss (Dino) 15/11/07
  35.   #17 Fool: "Lancing the boil of regional extremism" 13:27  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 15/11/07
  36.   George#4.... WE HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IRAN 13:27  |  Arab Citizen 15/11/07
  37.   ISRAEL`S NUKES ARE A THREAT TO EUROPE AND M.E 13:31  |  TrippleJump 15/11/07
  38.   Iran 2009. The roar of the Lion. 13:37  |  Stephen. 15/11/07
  39.   #20 13:45  |  Moshe 15/11/07
  40.   IRAN HAS EVERY RIGHT TO BUILD NUCLEAR WEAPONS 13:47  |  Christian Crusader 15/11/07
  41.   "Instead of whining," 13:55  |  Shimon 15/11/07
  42.   #14,15,17,27,27&30 14:00  |  Moshe 15/11/07
  43.   The Smaller Greater Israel 14:06  |  Samantha 15/11/07
  44.   Tripplefool (more likely) # 37 unadulterated and uncorroborated g 14:12  |  ChanahS 15/11/07
  45.   clickfool "the security services previously dealt with the ira" 14:12  |  meir 15/11/07
  46.   clickfool the words of the labour minister 14:21  |  meir 15/11/07
  47.   clickfool the tactics the muslims will follow 14:26  |  meir 15/11/07
  48.   Meir # 47 - oh, no! 14:37  |  ChanahS 15/11/07
  49.   Samantha 15:24  |  Danielle 15/11/07
  50.   Arab Citizen 15:27  |  Danielle 15/11/07
  51.   #31 Say Vladimir 15:41  |  ballistic 15/11/07
  52.   Fantasy 15:44  |  Jim 15/11/07
  53.   Nuclear armed Iran 15:52  |  Chris Linthwaite 15/11/07
  54.   #44 Say Chanah, Israel has exercised the restraint 15:54  |  ballistic 15/11/07
  55.   Not Far Off 16:04  |  Cool B 15/11/07
  56.   Iran 16:13  |  Zainab 15/11/07
  57.   Get used to live on the surface of this earth with others 16:14  |  Sam (UK) 15/11/07
  58.   # 51 ballistic 16:26  |  Swiss (Dino) 15/11/07
  59.   Meir`s repeated postings #45, #46 and #47 16:32  |  Clickfool 15/11/07
  60.   Vladimir & Perle (31) 16:38  |  Mr. T 15/11/07
  61.   Will Olmert have a ticket 16:47  |  Zev 15/11/07
  62.   Christian Crusader # 40 Iran`s Rights 16:48  |  Jeff Northridge 15/11/07
  63.   Khaled: `Apocalyptic nations` 17:02  |  Zvi 15/11/07
  64.   Not a bad assessment 17:29  |  Ron 15/11/07
  65.   IRAEL`S YEARS ARE NUMBERED: THIS IS THE END 17:48  |  Ask a Ninja 15/11/07
  66.   The American Council On Foreign Relations 17:48  |  Jeff Northridge 15/11/07
  67.   clickfool is it really true that your mi5 and mi6 17:56  |  mossad 15/11/07
  68.   # 54 Here comes, makaka, again.... 18:00  |  Misha 15/11/07
  69.   It`s Up To You Israel 18:11  |  Yosemite 15/11/07
  70.   Yes, there is a deference in the approaches of US vs. Israel... 18:20  |  Misha 15/11/07
  71.   There are ALWAYS military options 18:37  |  Voice of Reason 15/11/07
  72.   # 69, YOSEMITE 18:39  |  indrajaya 15/11/07
  73.   clickfool while mi5 and mi6 chase muslims 18:56  |  mossad 15/11/07
  74.   american jewry and israel 19:17  |  harzion 15/11/07
  75.   Iran is already 19:19  |  khairi janbek 15/11/07
  76.   the village of pekin in the gallile and the one state solution 19:27  |  harzion 15/11/07
  77.   Iranian-American 19:35  |  CHGODMK 15/11/07
  78.   Efox`s Hysteria 19:35  |  Mark of Lewiston 15/11/07
  79.   Iran Is a Threat, and Most Americans Know This 19:39  |  CHGODMK 15/11/07
  80.   #71 Voice of Reason