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The world's nudnik
By Haaretz Editorial
Tags: American intelligence 

While Iran continues threatening to annihilate Israel, what American intelligence thinks about Iran's nuclear capability is irrelevant. It is not fantasy or paranoia when we hear regular, concrete threats from Tehran. The threats may be just a familiar background hum in the world's ears, but it is Israel's duty to persuade the world to listen.

Iran's president never said he would accept the Zionist state if it signs a peace agreement with the Palestinians, so there is no need to seek a link between the occupation and the threat to annihilate Israel. It is possible to treat Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's invectives as no more than demagoguery, but it would be too dangerous to underestimate his declared intention.

Therefore the question of whether Iran obtains a nuclear capability to destroy Israel in two years or seven years is not important.
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Israel may now seem like the world's nudnik, now that American intelligence has sounded the all clear. But Israel is the only country that cannot let its guard down. While other nations can amuse themselves by mulling their economic interests with Iran, wondering whether sanctions serve their agenda, Israel cannot enjoy such considerations as long as the current Iranian regime is in power.

The American intelligence report has changed nothing fundamental - except that Israel's strategic importance has decreased regarding the Iranian threat. The report does not discuss any change on the ground based on new facts, it just adopts vaguer wording and more flexible evaluations. This makes it difficult to grasp whether the threat has become smaller, or merely postponed, and whether any of this requires a policy change.

The report explicitly states, as the previous one did, that by autumn 2003 Iran was developing nuclear weapons. After that the picture becomes vague. There are differences between one intelligence department and another about the assumption that Iran's development of nuclear weapons has been halted. The report states that there is no knowing whether Iran plans to resume developing nuclear arms. The report's writers do not rule out the possibility that Iran has acquired, or will acquire, nuclear arms from an outside source.

There is no information allowing us to judge Iran's intentions, but there is cumulative information that Iran has been enriching uranium to make nuclear weapons at various secret sites and has both the manufacturing capability and scientific expertise to produce nuclear arms at any time.

The American intelligence report neither increases nor reduces the fear. It cannot justify a policy change or a calming down. The report establishes that if Iran wants to produce a bomb it can do so, and if it doesn't want to, it won't. This evaluation may have a restraining effect in internal American politics. But in Israeli politics it should cause the opposite reaction because any weakness in the American approach, which is bound to affect Europe, endangers Israel.
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Tehran threat
Olmert delivered a rebuttal to the assessment that Iran halted its nukes program.
More than war
The UN has adopted an Israeli-proposed resolution in the field of economic development.
  1.   Sadly yes,this is the truth 09:48  |  Hastaroth 06/12/07
  2.   A complete, outrageous Zionist lie from Haaretz Editorial 10:01  |  Clickfool 06/12/07
  3.   Understandable (Israeli) position 10:19  |  Swiss (Dino) 06/12/07
  4.   not the only one 10:28  |  yusufele 06/12/07
  5.   BECAUSE OCCUPATION FEELS SO GOOD 10:30  |  indrajaya 06/12/07
  6.   Who has it right? 11:20  |  Sherlock Holmes 06/12/07
  7.   If only we bloggers had rights 11:28  |  Rowan Berkeley 06/12/07
  8.   CORRECT HAARETZ EDITORIAL 11:37  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 06/12/07
  9.   indrajaya 11:42  |  scallywag 06/12/07
  10.   #2 Clickfool 11:42  |  Sarah 06/12/07
  11.   clickfool believes... 11:43  |  scallywag 06/12/07
  12.   yusufele 11:45  |  scallywag 06/12/07
  13.   #7 Rowan Barking 12:00  |  Sarah 06/12/07
  14.   # 9, SCALLYWAG 12:02  |  indrajaya 06/12/07
  15.   The world`s nudnik 12:10  |  sallah eddine 06/12/07
  16.   #13 sarah 12:30  |  Rowan Berkeley 06/12/07
  17.   3 1 Hastarot,You wonder how if ..Same as on Holocaust 12:33  |  Max Zinger,P.Chimist 06/12/07
  18.   lie of israel 12:41  |  donnie 06/12/07
  19.   Rowan Berkeley 12:44  |  Sarah 06/12/07
  20.   Sallah Eddine 13:02  |  Jerusalemite 06/12/07
  21.   Sarah 13:05  |  Rowan Berkeley 06/12/07
  22.   Rowan Berkeley 13:13  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 06/12/07
  23.   But the lie is exposed 13:19  |  Frank Miller 06/12/07
  24.   Yes, Of Course Israel Must Stay On Guard 13:29  |  Jane 06/12/07
  25.   indrajaya, clickfool, Swiss (Dino), Rowan B = Israel-hating scum 13:29  |  Steve Randolph 06/12/07
  26.   Rowan Berkeley 13:32  |  Judah N. Wenkel 06/12/07
  27.   Bravo to Those Who Suspended Berkeley`s Blog 13:34  |  Jane 06/12/07
  28.   Hey sallah eddine: 80 percent of Palestine became JORDAN 13:37  |  Steve Randolph 06/12/07
  29.   Get off the Satan`s donkey Sarah 13:37  |  Raad 06/12/07
  30.   The original "smoking laptop" story 13:37  |  Rowan Berkeley 06/12/07
  31.   This is no beautiful world, but..... 13:39  |  Judah N. Wenkel 06/12/07
  32.   TO NO 20 13:41  |  DANNY. 06/12/07
  33.   Just give it up, will ya`... 14:01  |  Johnboy 06/12/07
  34.   " MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 2" 14:05  |  Stephen, 06/12/07
  35.   # 25 Steve Randolph 14:14  |  Swiss (Dino) 06/12/07
  36.   Iran`s nucleur plans 14:27  |  Hilda 06/12/07
  37.   My guess as to what really happened 14:28  |  Rowan Berkeley 06/12/07
  38.   So Iran gets the bomb? 14:34  |  Chris Linthwaite 06/12/07
  39.   Iranian nuclear umbrella will protect Europe 14:44  |  Raed Kami 06/12/07
  40.   suspend Rowan Berkeleys talkback priveleges to haaretz 14:47  |  Herbert Kaine 06/12/07
  41.   israel is the only country that jumps at shadows because it is 14:52  |  lakshmi 06/12/07
  42.   Cipora- Perceptions ( from yesterday) 14:53  |  Dorothy 06/12/07
  43.   Good news, Raed Kami # 39 14:55  |  Clickfool 06/12/07
  44.   SINCE the Mullah dictatorship started,Iran has chosen to confront 15:15  |  PETER SM 06/12/07
  45.   #25 Steve Randolph 15:15  |  Roman 06/12/07
  46.   Israel gave all at Annapolis. Iran will soon occupy Israel! 15:18  |  Nannette 06/12/07
  47.   #40 herbert 15:19  |  Rowan Berkeley 06/12/07
  48.   # 39, RAED KAMI 15:27  |  indrajaya 06/12/07
  49.   #17 Max Zinger 15:40  |  Dav 06/12/07
  50.   Right on target 15:55  |  Brod 06/12/07
  51.   Crush Zionism 15:56  |  OPP 06/12/07
  52.   there is something very dodgy about all this 15:59  |  mehmet 06/12/07
  53.   Americans are afraid of Iran attack aftershocks 16:02  |  mehmet 06/12/07
  54.   Propaganda and reality 16:08  |  Bob 06/12/07
  55.   Propaganda and reality II 16:09  |  Bob 06/12/07
  56.   Israel, the stupid nudnik 16:36  |  Tosefta 06/12/07
  57.   Israel cannot let it`s guard down for anybody 16:47  |  Walter 06/12/07
  58.   Wakeup Israel, the world changed a lot 17:02  |  Rafi 06/12/07
  59.   Fools and Extremists Harm Palestinians Most 17:05  |  deak of deak 06/12/07
  60.   Rowan Berkeley 17:20  |  Sarah 06/12/07
  61.   #29 Raad 17:30  |  Sarah 06/12/07
  62.   #43 Clickfool 17:37  |  Sarah 06/12/07
  63.   Bob in Munich 17:40  |  JES 06/12/07
  64.   Contervailing Indicators 17:42  |  The Northern Wind 06/12/07
  65.   #2 - Again, Clickfool 17:46  |  JES 06/12/07
  66.   Haaretz helped create this problem 17:55  |  Bill 06/12/07
  67.   Sarah(10) our Clickfool mixing past with presence.. 18:01  |  Karl 06/12/07
  68.   It`s Going to be a Bright, Sun-Shiny Day! 18:16  |  David Samson 06/12/07
  69.   #57 Sarah 18:36  |  Rowan Berkeley 06/12/07
  70.   No need to be paranoid 18:36  |  Tosefta 06/12/07
  71.   So Bob (51+52), what about Iran´s proxies 18:38  |  Karl 06/12/07
  72.   israel vs. Iran 18:40  |  Fares 06/12/07
  73.   Nudnikit, I suppose 18:43  |  Elinor from Iran 06/12/07
  74.   Cipora -More on that/Ozirak (2nd try) 18:57  |  Dorothy 06/12/07
  75.   Now is the time to work on change........ 18:58  |  Iranian-American 06/12/07
  76.   Hey indrajaya: occupation can end when neighbors are SANE 19:10  |  Steve Randolph 06/12/07
  77.   Tosefta #53- your two good good points 19:15  |  Dorothy 06/12/07
  78.   # 59 JES 19:15  |  Bob 06/12/07
  79.   Mehmet - you seem like you are contradicting yourself 19:29  |  David Israel 06/12/07
  80.   Israel choosing to be the nudnik. 19:33  |  Pablo B 06/12/07
  81.   Swiss Dino #3 19:34  |  David Israel 06/12/07
  82.   #53 -Arabist apologist nudnik 19:41  |  peter 06/12/07
  83.   # 66 Karl 19:49  |  Bob 06/12/07
  84.   #64 Rowan Berkeley 19:56  |  Sarah 06/12/07
  85.   Re Click #2 19:57  |  Esther 06/12/07
  86.   Congratulations! The first Haaretz editorial in a very long time 19:58  |  Chaim 06/12/07
  87.   Documents of israeli intelligence services research 20:04  |  Max Gold (pseudonim) 06/12/07
  88.   # 65 Tosefta 20:07  |  Bob 06/12/07
  89.   #69 JES 20:10  |  tbora 06/12/07
  90.   nudniks 20:21  |  Shmuelshachor 06/12/07
  91.   Shame Ha`aretz 20:22  |  Sally Cooperman 06/12/07
  92.   Zionist Neocon agenda backfires 20:40  |  AM 06/12/07
  93.   #70 Sarah 20:47  |  Rowan Berkeley 06/12/07
  94.   Swiss Dino #3 20:53  |  David Israel 06/12/07
  95.   Mehmet #49 - 50 20:54  |  David Israel 06/12/07
  96.   For David Samson # 63 21:05  |  Clickfool 06/12/07
  97.   For Chaim, a new fan of Haaretz # 72 21:08  |  Clickfool 06/12/07
  98.   The editorial is correct 21:18  |  Shalom Freedman 06/12/07
  99.   CLICKY IS RIGHT IN POST No 2 21:19  |  Neutered Observer 06/12/07
  100.   For Herbert Kaine # 40 21:24  |  Clickfool 06/12/07
  101.   What`s left for Bush and Israel? 21:37  |  Clickfool 06/12/07
  102.   American intel report will prevent military option 22:14  |  Jason 06/12/07
  103.   Re Click #88 22:17  |  Esther 06/12/07
  104.   Iran`s president will never break his word... 22:19  |  Silvienne 06/12/07
  105.   Re Neutered observer #87 22:21  |  Esther 06/12/07
  106.   # 82 David Israel "Switzerland = No spin zone" 22:24  |  Swiss (Dino) 06/12/07
  107.   If America does Not deal with Iran, Israel Must 22:29  |  Efox 06/12/07
  108.   Neutered Observer#87 22:35  |  Yariv 06/12/07
  109.   re: Frank Miller 22:36  |  Efox 06/12/07
  110.   Why is Slowman so slow on Fridays? 22:48  |  The nudnik 06/12/07
  111.   funny israelis 22:57  |  observer 06/12/07
  112.   Now what could that possiblty mean..... 22:57  |  Esther 06/12/07
  113.   re: Rafi 22:59  |  Efox 06/12/07
  114.   re: Jason 23:03  |  Efox 06/12/07
  115.   #98, nudnik 23:06  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 06/12/07
  116.   Iran enriching uranium to reduce her carbon footprint! 23:10  |  Doubleclickfool 06/12/07
  117.   to Esther about click # 2. 23:11  |  Judah N. Wenkel 06/12/07
  118.   re: Neutered Observer 23:12  |  Efox 06/12/07
  119.   re: Silvienne 23:18  |  Efox 06/12/07
  120.   re: observer 23:21  |  Efox 06/12/07
  121.   Swiss - No spin here. 23:22  |  David Israel 06/12/07
  122.   #42, Dorothy 23:28  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 06/12/07
  123.   For Esther # 103 23:28  |  Clickfool 06/12/07
  124.   Jazz cigarettes in New Mexico # 107 23:30  |  Clickfool 06/12/07
  125.   For Judah N.Wenkel # 117 23:33  |  Clickfool 06/12/07
  126.   Dear Esther 23:38  |  Neutered Observer 06/12/07
  127.   #119, Efox... 23:49  |  Silvienne 06/12/07
  128.   Swiss - No spin here.(are you O`Reily) 00:06  |  David Israel 07/12/07
  129.   Cold feet at last from Haaretz 00:34  |  ree pent 07/12/07
  130.   Haaretz and war 00:57  |  Truth 07/12/07
  131.   89tbora of Pakistan? India`s occupation of Kashmir OK? 01:26  |  Rob 07/12/07
  132.   88Bob Your misguided historical analogies. 01:38  |  Rob 07/12/07
  133.   Bomb Them To the Stone Age ASAP 01:39  |  Dave Levy (Zionist) 07/12/07
  134.   On Dorothy`s comments #77 01:40  |  Tosefta 07/12/07
  135.   Wisdom for the Birds and Cipora J. Kohn 01:43  |  The nudnik 07/12/07
  136.   Bomb Them To the Stone Age (Part 2) 01:45  |  Dave Levy (Zionist) 07/12/07
  137.   Hello Censor - the one-handed 01:46  |  Edit Haar 07/12/07
  138.   Cipora-You are filled with them however 02:08  |  Dorothy 07/12/07
  139.   Haaretz editorial blinded by conformism 02:13  |  A Lebenese 07/12/07
  140.   91 Coopeman, Also France, Germany etc are afraid 02:23  |  The Equalizer 07/12/07
  141.   pot calling kettle black 02:26  |  mystic 07/12/07
  142.   Rowan Berkely 02:29  |  Free Gilad Shalit 07/12/07
  143.   #132, Tosefta 02:31  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/12/07
  144.   NO THREAT - even Chief of Mossad agrees!!!!! 02:43  |  Lynden 07/12/07
  145.   Well thats the date then 02:50  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/12/07
  146.   Israel, fear all you want. But don`t become a suicide bomber. 02:59  |  ManintheMiddle 07/12/07
  147.   #77, Dorothy: "I can`t get no respect" 03:00  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/12/07
  148.   CFOOL save your precious time begging for Iranian nukes 03:05  |  PETER S .M. 07/12/07
  149.   #133, Dave Levy... 03:17  |  Silvienne 07/12/07
  150.   #147, Cipora: she can`t get no respect either... 03:19  |  Silvienne 07/12/07
  151.   Rowan Berkely 03:23  |  Free Gilad Shalit 07/12/07
  152.   Clickfool no. 96 03:28  |  Steve 07/12/07
  153.   Cipora- Righteousness doesn`t deal with the problem 03:35  |  Dorothy 07/12/07
  154.   Wisdom for Nudnik.It is hard to soar like an eagle 03:36  |  PETER S.M. 07/12/07
  155.   IRAN ONLY THREATENS ISRAEL, and i wonder why? 03:46  |  VIPER 07/12/07
  156.   The US Army doesn`t want to fight 03:50  |  B 07/12/07
  157.   clickfool boycot 03:52  |  Martin 07/12/07
  158.   Israel is in no position to let it`s guard down 03:59  |  Mark Lincoln 07/12/07
  159.   and vice versa 04:02  |  peacelover 07/12/07
  160.   #153, Dorothy, "Which they may legitimately believe" 04:05  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/12/07
  161.   calm down Clickfool dont have a cow 04:50  |  Sabra 07/12/07
  162.   Indrajayah # 14 04:55  |  sabraa 07/12/07
  163.   #158, Mark Lincoln 04:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/12/07
  164.   #161, Sabra 05:19  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/12/07
  165.   150Silvienne Time you know: Iran sent 50,000 of its boys to death 05:37  |  Rob 07/12/07
  166.   VIPER Iran threatens more than Israel. 05:51  |  PETER S.M. 07/12/07
  167.   158Mark Lincoln Your bit strange military history 06:12  |  Rob 07/12/07
  168.   The existence of Israel 06:17  |  Jacques 07/12/07
  169.   US should let Israel stand on its own 06:28  |  Sam 07/12/07
  170.   don`t be mad 06:38  |  jp 07/12/07
  171.   168Jacques, Settle millions of Jews from Arab States in Germany? 06:51  |  Rob 07/12/07
  172.   sallah eddine`s racist drivel 06:52  |  Izik 07/12/07
  173.   #29: Raad`s Jews 06:55  |  Izik 07/12/07
  174.   Perceptions 07:16  |  Gordon 07/12/07
  175.   JACQUES Palestine is illegitimate they refused statehood in 48 07:22  |  PETER S.M. 07/12/07
  176.   `Kookist spiritual anarchism` 07:39  |  Rowan Berkeley 07/12/07
  177.   #143, Tosefta has not answered 08:19  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/12/07
  178.   #31 Rob 08:34  |  tbora 07/12/07
  179.   "ISRAELIS" do us all a favour, GO HOME (Russia/Poland etc) 09:22  |  PADDY 07/12/07
  180.   PETER SM, regarding being "illigitimate" 09:33  |  PADDY 07/12/07
  181.   Swiss 09:51  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 07/12/07
  182.   To 139 10:36  |  Tidi 07/12/07
  183.   you misunderstand David Israel 12:09  |  mehmet 07/12/07
  184.   #160 Cipora- Your Hissy Fit 14:55  |  Dorothy 07/12/07
  185.   Mehmet #183 - I was just kidding 16:30  |  David Israel 07/12/07
  186.   America fear 17:45  |  youlou 07/12/07
  187.   Logic 00:29  |  Paul Rosman 08/12/07
  188.   To Tidi 182 - Israel no different than Iran 01:31  |  A Lebanese 08/12/07
  189.   PADDY - #179 02:08  |  Oleg 08/12/07
  190.   Paddy, if PETER SM wants to talk about "illegitimate"... 05:35  |  Silvienne 08/12/07
  191.   #165, Rob... 05:39  |  Silvienne 08/12/07
  192.   #188, Oleg... 05:42  |  Silvienne 08/12/07
  193.   #189 OLEG... 07:07  |  PADDY 08/12/07
  194.   SILVIENNE.... 07:18  |  PADDY 08/12/07
  195.   point Pershings at persia!! 10:29  |  ROB OF MELBOURNE AUS 08/12/07
  196.   #100, CLICKFOOL, you hurt my feelings 12:32  |  VIPER 08/12/07
  197.   #166, PETER SM, the dreamer 12:39  |  VIPER 08/12/07
  198.   #100, Clickfool... 07:56  |  Silvienne 09/12/07
  199.   #196, Hey, VIPER... 07:58  |  Silvienne 09/12/07
  200.   Jason # 102 22:36  |  American in NY 09/12/07
  201.   Joseph E . # 93 23:11  |  American in NY 09/12/07
  202.   #201, American in NY..Well Said !!!! 04:51  |  Silvienne 10/12/07
  203.   Shifting American Consciousness 09:49  |  Nancy 12/12/07
  204.   #203, Nancy, thanks for your post... 18:56  |  Silvienne 12/12/07
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