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Last update - 18:15 17/05/2008
ANALYSIS: Who wants to stop Iran?
By Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: George W. Bush, Barack Obama 
Bush may not be as naive as Obama, but U.S. policy under his watch has failed on the Iranian issue.

Idaho senator William Borah didn't live to see the end of World War II. He died in 1940, before the U.S. had even joined the Allies and gotten involved in the war. Borah was an isolationist who wanted nothing more than American withdrawal from world affairs. And it is his words that Bush quoted Thursday in Jerusalem: "Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided."

Bush did not waver Thursday from the policies that have guided his administration since September 11, 2001. His position on Iran is longstanding. But on Thursday, when he again spoke of the naivete of those who believe dialogue can block Iran's nuclear program, it blipped on America's political radar. Barack Obama's campaign was quick to respond, calling it "extraordinary politicization of foreign policy." If those who want to talk to Iran are like those who wanted to talk to Hitler - then Obama is Neville Chamberlain or Senator Borah.

But Bush should be measured by the same yardstick. Meetings will not stop Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but neither will speeches in Knesset.
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Bush may not be as naive as Obama, but U.S. foreign policy under his leadership has failed time after time on the Iranian issue. International sanctions are too skimpy to mount any real pressure against Iran's uranium enrichment program, and Tehran is gaining.

One knowledgeable observer was using this baseball metaphor yesterday. The Iranians have players waiting on all three bases. Hamas on first, Syria on second and Hezbollah on third. All they need now is the grand slam homerun - a nuclear bomb in the hands of Iran that will send them running around the bases for home.

Bush often says he learned a thing or two from his years as the owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team: "I developed a thick skin against criticism. I learned to ignore minor setbacks and focus on the long haul." But in the case of Iran, the long haul is creeping ever closer, and it appears Bush plans to leave the problem for his successor.

Earlier this week, he gave the Israeli press a rather complicated answer regarding what he hopes to accomplish during his term. "I think what definitely will be done is a structure on how to deal with this, to try to resolve this diplomatically. In other words, sanctions, pressures, financial sanctions; a history of pressure that will serve as a framework to make sure other countries are involved."

And here is what he said Thursday: For the sake of peace, the world must not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. And he added: "America stands with you in firmly opposing Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions." Bush's declarations could be seen as a calming expression of support: The U.S. president clearly does not favor a nuclear Iran. But one can also wonder about the wording he chose in this speech. Does relying on what the "world" does - or standing with Israel, which might take action itself - mean that America does not plan to be the one to stop Iran?

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      1.   Rosner -- Get real 03:31  |  sam 16/05/08
      2.   Sane people 03:39  |  Jonny 16/05/08
      3.   Bush and Olmert Full of Rhetoric No Action 03:52  |  Gary 16/05/08
      4.   Just think of the advantages of Olmert 03:56  |  Mark Lincoln 16/05/08
      5.   Bush Is A Worldwide disaster 04:02  |  Moshe 16/05/08
      6.   Meanwhile in the US Navy 04:04  |  Mark Lincoln 16/05/08
      7.   stop iran 04:42  |  Shmuelshachor 16/05/08
      8.   Acceptance and Blame Placement 04:45  |  Druid 16/05/08
      9.   Bush Laid Down the Int`l Ground Work against Iran Nukes 04:49  |  Joseph . E 16/05/08
      10.   to Sam 04:52  |  sami 16/05/08
      11.   BUSH`S POOR JUDGMENT CAN`T BE TRUSTED 05:22  |  Arik Silverman 16/05/08
      12.   Israel - I Hope It Is Preparing to Take Out the Iranian Reactors 05:27  |  Tod Zuckerman 16/05/08
      13.   To Jonny, no. 2 05:29  |  Sam C 16/05/08
      14.   # 5 Bush has proven to be a national and a worldwide leader 05:30  |  Joseph . E 16/05/08
      15.   bush is the naive one 05:49  |  barney 16/05/08
      16.   Put this stuff in "Rosner`s Domain" 05:55  |  Rowan 16/05/08
      17.   Iran Threat 06:23  |  Jonathan 16/05/08
      18.   you heard it here first 07:03  |  Gregor 16/05/08
      19.   Bush can`t even stop Israel. How can he stop Iran? 07:15  |  Natallie Durson 16/05/08
      20.   Good news, bad news 07:24  |  Shimon Cleopas 16/05/08
      21.   Stop the Lie 07:41  |  ERSB 16/05/08
      22.   Do we trust Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ? 07:56  |  Jean Van Daem 16/05/08
      23.   Rosner, you are right in your analysis 08:44  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/05/08
      24.   Durson ravings on Israeli biological WMDs 09:35  |  Stephen in New York 16/05/08
      25.   #19 ERSB, Truth is so hard to come by, THX 09:36  |  Dror 16/05/08
      26.   Israel must bite as much as it can eat...or 09:45  |  Iranian-American 16/05/08
      27.   The only one to stop Iran is McCain. But he won`t be President 09:45  |  S 16/05/08
      28.   When Iran goes nuclear 09:48  |  Dror 16/05/08
      29.   Iran should not be stopped and cannot be stopped. 09:52  |  Dutch Dirk 16/05/08
      30.   USA-Iran Power Sharing 10:02  |  MiddleStanian 16/05/08
      31.   #19, Durson 10:05  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/05/08
      32.   Begging and cringing got Israel in the present mess,time to strai 10:06  |  Absolute Sweden 16/05/08
      33.   I have a little problem with my sources 10:18  |  Rowan 16/05/08
      34.   to Joseph E. 10:21  |  tony benson 16/05/08
      35.   Tod,the IDF pilots might even refuse to bomb Iran 11:04  |  Absolute Sweden 16/05/08
      36.   Cipora #22 Exactly. 11:11  |  S 16/05/08
      37.   What Bush learned as owner of the Texas Rangers 11:39  |  Peter 16/05/08
      38.   One starts to support Iran with passion when reading posts here 11:57  |  Mark B. 16/05/08
      39.   Even Rahm Emanuel slammed Bush 12:51  |  Rowan 16/05/08
      40.   Naivete abounds - when would Bush order the attack ? 13:34  |  redmike 16/05/08
      41.   #5 - I doubt your name is Moshe but you gave us a laugh! 13:40  |  redmike 16/05/08
      42.   Iran is convenient for America 14:35  |  Ronnie Wolman 16/05/08
      43.   One thing for sure 15:14  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/05/08
      44.   Forget it 15:36  |  William 16/05/08
      45.   It`s up to Israel to destroy Iran`s nukes. What are we waiting fo 15:46  |  Chaim 16/05/08
      46.   For Tod Zuckerman, safe in San Francisco # 12 15:58  |  Clickfool 16/05/08
      47.   Question for Chaim #34 16:05  |  Clickfool 16/05/08
      48.   Obama Will Not Win in 2008 16:12  |  Gary 16/05/08
      49.   #30 - RedMike 17:01  |  jdledell 16/05/08
      50.   Maybe Bush IS Ahmadinejad 17:09  |  Aphemia 16/05/08
      51.   #32 Chris Lintwaite. One thing for sure - 18:03  |  Axel 16/05/08
      52.   What do you militant Zionists think ... 18:04  |  Axel 16/05/08
      53.   TheJews will get their war with Iran 18:36  |  John 16/05/08
      54.   Israel`s best friend: George Bush 18:37  |  John 16/05/08
      55.   Cipora Julianna Kohn 18:55  |  John Syracuse 16/05/08
      56.   For #35 19:08  |  Claude 16/05/08
      57.   WHO WANTS TO STOP ISRAEL 19:10  |  indrajaya 16/05/08
      58.   For John Syracuse # 39 19:14  |  Clickfool 16/05/08
      59.   Rosner...Stop Criticizing Obama 19:18  |  MB 16/05/08
      60.   # 40 claude 19:24  |  Axel 16/05/08
      61.   chaim 19:28  |  Axel 16/05/08
      62.   # 24 - Kohn - Action speaks louder than words 19:28  |  Natallie Durson 16/05/08
      63.   2nd try-Durson on Israeli biological WMDs 19:35  |  Stephen in New York 16/05/08
      64.   2nd try-Durson on Israeli biological WMDs 19:37  |  Stephen in New York 16/05/08
      65.   lose-lose situation for Israel 19:54  |  spyguy 16/05/08
      66.   #3 Gary - Bush anti-war ?? -- you gotta be kidding 20:02  |  Rick 16/05/08
      67.   Is the Israeli public prepared ... 20:29  |  Axel 16/05/08
      68.   Call themselves world leaders? Gutless, spineless wreched men. 20:52  |  Harvey (Chaim) 16/05/08
      69.   eliminate all iranian military capacity now. 20:55  |  frenz 16/05/08
      70.   #28, Mark B 21:14  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/05/08
      71.   Rosner, you forget about Kaddhafi 21:15  |  Mack