Worldfocus

09/12/2009 :: 01:07:35 PM
David Hoffman Says:

Jacki Sweati, did the league of nations tell you do become a criminal nation too?????????

Three people murdered in Israel within 24-hour period

By Yuval Goren, Haaretz Correspondent

Tags: Murder, Tira, Israel News

A 25-year-old Tira resident known to police for his involvement in violent crime was shot dead late Friday night, marking the third murder in Israel within a 24-hour period.

Kahed Matzri died of his wounds in a Kfar Sava hospital after being shot at close range by one or more assailants while parking his car outside his home at around 4 A.M. The assailants fled the scene.

A police spokesman said Matzri managed to leave the car and take a number of steps toward the entrance to his house after being shot, but then collapsed, before Magen David Adom emergency personnel arrived and evacuated him to the hospital.
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Police scanned the area to no avail in their search for the attackers. The shooting is believed to have been criminally motivated.

Earlier Friday, 20-year-old off-duty Israel Defense Forces soldier Or Chen was stabbed to death at a nightspot in Rishon Letzion. Police believe he was murdered during an altercation between several youths who were under the influence of alcohol.

The suspect in the murder, Wogda Malik, had his remand extended by six days on Friday afternoon. Malik had only recently been released from prison for a separate offense before the incident.

Also Friday, a 19-year-old resident of the Bedouin town of Lakiya, near Be’er Sheva, died in hospital of wounds sustained in a shooting the same day. Police are still yet to make any arrests in connection with the murder

09/12/2009 :: 12:54:44 PM
David Hoffman Says:

Dear Tom; do not waste your time and knowledge with those professional losers and liars. It is their job to keep deceiving you. Jack and JGE are the same and he/she keep blogging in different names. They do not know any history, law, or politics. The only thing they know is kill, kill, kill, kill, steal, steal, steal. The things they hate most are facts, logical arguments, and fair analogies. Your knowledge compared to them is clear. The Israeli Foreign Ministry hires these people to lie and I bet you not that Jack works for the council general in NY, or the embassy in Washington DC. I have been debating them for the last year and have gone with them through everything, but they keep repeating the same lies, that is their job

09/12/2009 :: 12:43:24 PM
David Hoffman Says:

Jacki Sweati, you have always had guns and poison. Do not come across as if you have been a victime all those years. But you have alwyas manipulated facts to get were you are right know. Histroy will show who will win at the end. America is defending you know! in 50 years who is going to defend you? we will see then

09/12/2009 :: 12:00:23 PM
Thomas Chamberlin Says:

To Jgarbuz :

I understand your gloating religious inspired intransigence is a major problem. That’s why my proposal was more an imposed settlement (by the US, the primary bankroller of Israel) than a peace process. Although I have absolutely no religious convictions and in general consider fanatical religiosity, whatever flavor, a mental disease and the bane of all humanity I will state the following to you : “Pride Cometh before the fall”.

09/12/2009 :: 11:34:26 AM
Thomas Chamberlin Says:

To Boris D:
I think the best approach is to understand the available forensic evidence of the crime scene. WTC1 and WTC2, both 500,000 ton buildings, disappeared before our eyes at near free-fall speed on 9/11. They didn’t pancake but where destroyed from the top down most likely with some ultra sophisticated chemical demolition charges. At 5.20 pm WTC7, undamaged by any aircraft, collapsed into a heap at near free-fall speed. The Bush family has long standing ties to the Bin Laden family and Osama’s brother Salem. George H. Bush, former DCIA, has a long history of covert activities going back decades. Marvin Bush was a principle in Securacom the company providing “security” for the World Trade Center right up to 9/11. It is possible that Osama and Al Qaeda were involved but IMO only as the “fall” guys (Reportedly the 19 mostly Saudi hijackers couldn’t even fly a Cessna and NONE of them appeared on the passenger manifests of the aircraft involved). This operation was well beyond the capacity of non-state actors and could have been planned decades ago. It clearly has had profound, devastating and tragic consequences both for the US and world. I personally believe that 9/11 was a military operation executed by a criminal cabal of rogue militarists, intelligence agencies including the CIA, Mossad and others, and trans-national corporations. The goal, largely successful, was to commandeer the world energy supply and to diminish our constitutional rights and freedoms. Finally, anyone that assumes that the congress of the US and the President of United States is actually in charge is quite naive. America is under military rule and has been since the formation of the CIA.
Lastly I refer you to the anthrax attacks of 2001. The letters containing militarized anthrax went to the offices of Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy (Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee) and Democratic Senator Tom Daschle (Senate Majority Leader). Both were the primary gate keepers against Patriot Act I and could have prevented it from becoming law. After this event they were quite compliant and the bill passed easily.

09/12/2009 :: 05:56:03 AM
jgarbuz Says:

To Hoffman

So Jews with guns are not so easy to beat as in the old days when Jews didn’t have guns, eh? It was easy to slaughter 65 yeshiva students in one day in Hebron in 1929, huh? But once the Jews in Palestine decided it was time to fight and got themselves some guns and training, it’s just never been the same since. I wish the US, the EU and the UN did go away for that day, and we’d find out who goes up in smoke in one day. The Arabs wouldn’t be able to hide behind the excuse that the US was helping Israel as they have been squealing for the last 60 years.

09/12/2009 :: 02:51:31 AM
CICERO Says:

From : http://thejewishstar.wordpress.com/2009/07/15/micah-halpern-enemy-of-my-enemy/

When the Sunday Times of London reported that Israel has secured permission from Saudi Arabia to fly over Saudi airspace if and when it was necessary to attack Iran, the office of the Israeli Prime Minister denied the agreement. So did the Saudis.

While these heads of state may be attempting to keep the plan a secret, it is certainly no surprise. People who follow the goings on in the Middle East have been watching this plan unfold for a long time — even before the Obama administration became a part of the Israel/Iran mix.

A year ago, serious and reliable rumors surfaced that Israeli fighter aircraft were on the ground in Saudi air-force bases, allowing Israeli pilots to familiarize themselves with the Saudi terrain. It is also rumored that during Israel’s operation against Hamas in Gaza, Egypt and Saudi Arabia received almost daily recaps on relevant issues and important decisions. The sequence of this Middle East version of the game “telephone” is hard to tie down, but the calls probably went from Tel Aviv to Cairo to Riyadh, with Egypt relaying information with the blessings, if not at the behest, of Israel.

Now, this report asserts that the chief of Israel’s Mossad, Meir Dagan, has come to a very clear agreement with Saudi leadership about flying over Saudi Arabia. I am not suggesting that Israel is about to embark on an aerial raid on Iran, but I have no doubt that plans are in the works and include all varieties of access and attack points.

09/11/2009 :: 08:43:09 PM
David Hoffman Says:

JUst Got Educated; What is a 20 years old man is doing on the streets. How come he is not in school or at college. Why is he carying a gun? Is that your culture? are kids allowed to paly with guns at that early age. Your culture shuld be teaching love not killing. What is your next lie? are you going to fabricate one about Muslim and who

09/11/2009 :: 08:27:28 PM
David Hoffman Says:

Boris, the Syrians have been Israel’s best guard for the last 36 years. Those alwaites never wanted to fught Israel. They are your best friends.The rest is ficition. If the Sunnies take over Syria then you have to fear, but as long as those Alwaites there, sleep and enjoy, they will never fight you. Look how many times ISrael attacked Syria in the last 10 years and always the Syrians chicken out. Again in a fair fight Boris, you will be flown to Russia oneway and you will take Liberman with you. On your way stop and take Jack, for he loves the league on nations so much. I thing in Russia the League will be honered more than in the Middle East

09/11/2009 :: 08:19:34 PM
David Hoffman Says:

Boris, Jack, JGE. Here how you fight, killing civilians all the time

2 Arabs wounded in Silwan shooting
By JPOST.COM STAFF
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Talkbacks for this article: 12
Article’s topics: East Jerusalem. Silwan,

A 20-year-old Jewish man shot and wounded two Arabs at Jerusalem’s Givati parking lot on Friday evening, near Silwan.

The scene of a previous shooting attack [illustrative].
Photo: AP [file]

SLIDESHOW: Israel & Region | World The casualties, a 40-year-old and a 16-year-old, were lightly to moderately wounded, and evacuated to an east Jerusalem hospital.

Police arrested the gunman, and said that during questioning he claimed that he had been attacked by six Arabs from east Jerusalem, and was acting in self defense.

09/11/2009 :: 06:54:50 PM
Boris D. Says:

To David Hoffman:“If there will a fair fight between the Arabs and Israel, Everyone knows that Israel will vanish in less than a day”. I want to remind you one day in June 1982, Bekka Valley Battle. The Israeli Air Force shot down 86 Syrian aircraft, with no air combat losses of its own. This was the largest combat of the jet dog fight with 150 fighters from both sides. Israel also performed ground attacks, notably destroying the majority of Syrian anti-aircraft batteries SAM stationed in Lebanon. Israel army destroyed hundreds of Syrian armored fighting vehicles, including some of the modern Soviet T-72 main battle tanks. It was the last “fair fight” between Arab army and Israel army, real man fight, since that day Arab use only tactic of terrorist attack by “innocent civilians”. I know what you’ll say: “But, we don’t have F-16! Soviets MiG’s and T-72 are good machine, Arabs just don’t have pilots. In one day 86 >0.

09/11/2009 :: 05:30:05 PM
David Hoffman Says:

Jack, the Russian were also winners of WWII, but the Jews did not like that. If there will a fair fight between the Arabs and ISrael, Everyone knows that Israel will vanish in less that a day. But the US and the EU will protect you and that is why you should never speak of ISrael as a winner. Israel is dependens on the West for protection at the UN and for Financial loans. So never speak as if you are independent

09/11/2009 :: 03:04:13 PM
jgarbuz Says:

To Thomas Chamberlin

I’m not interested in any more peace plans. Israel is the victor and the so-called “Palestinians” are the vanquished, and Israel must dictate and impose its terms once and for all. I wouldn’t waste another hour on “negotiations.” I would lay down Israel’s terms which if accepted would cede the Palestinian Arabs a demilitarized state. If they refuse, I would annex Judea and Samaria and open it up to homesteading by all Jewish immigrants who serve their mandatory 3 year IDF service. East would would get a plot of land and a trailer. Any Arabs who pledge allegiance to the flag of the Jewish state can apply for citizenship and vote. Those who do not, would be considered residents only with no voting rights and only social security as they pay into it. Those who rebel will be dealt with accordingly. End of the “Palestinian” tall tales.

09/11/2009 :: 02:52:59 PM
jgarbuz Says:

To Thomas Chamberlin

Well why don’t we do what Ahmadinejad suggests, and have a referndum in Israel, Gaza and West Bank. The referendum would have one question: to whom does this country belong to, the Jews or the Arabs? Anyone over the age of 16 would be allowed to vote and the side that loses has to pack up and leave the entire country. Do you agree with Ahmadinejad’s suggestion?

09/11/2009 :: 02:49:42 PM
Boris D. Says:

To Thom Chamberlin:Clearly 9/11 involved Al Qaeda conspiracy. I am sure it was Not US government conspiracy, because new Bush administration simply does not have time and it was no any reason for previous administration. Al Qaeda operatives placed explosive for controlled demolition. They have money, specialists and no time limit to place explosive.

09/11/2009 :: 02:48:54 PM
jgarbuz Says:

To Hoffman,

The problem with Israel it is a democracy and has a free press with all the problems any other democracy has and then some. The Arab dictatorships have the same human problems and crimes, but they are dealt with more quietly and without much notice.

09/11/2009 :: 02:45:57 PM
jgarbuz Says:

Good luck to you, Jeff.

Why not start with North Korea and Iran first? See how well the US is capable of doing that first? AFter that, disarm Britain and France, and then Russia, India and Pakistan. Take on the easy countries first. Then try Israel.Oh, when does the US disarm?

09/11/2009 :: 02:27:12 PM
jeff Says:

There will forever be nuclear tensions and potential for warfare in the near- and middle-east so long as Israel possesses nuclear arms, on ballistic and cruise missiles, no less. The jews must disarm, or be disarmed.

09/11/2009 :: 09:46:26 AM
David Hoffman Says:

Jgrabuz, this is the rality of Israel

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Last update - 13:33 11/09/2009

Religious-school teacher arrested for suspected sexual abuse

By Haaretz Service

Tags: Israel News, Crime

A teacher in a Sharon-area religious high school was arrested over suspicions that he had sexually assaulted one of his male students, the police said on Friday.

The teacher, 40, was arrested by Kfar Sava police on Thursday following a complaint filed by one of the school’s students who claimed the teacher abused him.

The police lengthily investigated the teacher, whose name was not released, and was also looking into the possibility that the teacher had sexually abused other students in the gender-segregated school.
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Last week, a 49-year-old Kfar Sava resident was arrested over suspicions he had sexually abused local minors.

A police search in the man’s house uncovered pedophilic material including internet chats with minors as well as phone numbers of celebrities he allegedly harassed, such as the models Yamit Sol, Sandy Bar, and Ilanit Levi.

Kfar Sava police was notified of the man’s behavior after eyewitnesses claimed to have seen him harassing and hugging girls who had passed him in the street.

Eyewitnesses then filed a description of the suspect, only to find out he was known to police as having a background of

09/11/2009 :: 08:19:10 AM
Thomas Chamberlin Says:

To jbarbuz :

Your “peace” plan is clearly a non-starter as it was designed to be. It’s a stall. The only way expansion can work long term is by Israel adopting new genocidal policies otherwise demographic shifts will eventually dominate and Israel will no longer be a Jewish state. “Natural” expansion is just a cover for a policy of the Zionist version of German “Lebensraum”. The US role should be to firmly insist on a halt to all new illegal settlements, the lifting of the embargo against Gaza and mandatory participation in binding peace talks. Failure to comply will result in the immediate suspension of all military aid (Yes our tax dollars, much to my chagrin, keep your ship a’ float) and if necessary economic and political support. In short, the US government should force a solution on Israel rather than accept the current status quo. That solution must minimally include : 1) An independent contiguous Palestine consisting of the West Bank and Gaza. 2) Full international recognition as a sovereign state and membership in the UN 3) The right to independent political and economic development. 4) An independent police and military force and 5) The sharing of Jerusalem. Furthermore don’t count on the everlasting and unchallenging support of the American populace. This country is undergoing rapid demographic shifts, that I predict, will result in a diminishing sympathy for Israel and no support for more crimes against Palestinians. Your plan to bind the US via treaty to protecting Israel is a clever attempt to avoid responsibility and to “outsource” the ultimate cost of continued conflict to the US tax payer and military. Sorry but it’s a weak and irrational position.

09/11/2009 :: 12:07:18 AM
CICERO Says:

The Shia from Iran are Persian, militaristic, confrontational, and use terrorism .
The Shia from Iraq are Arab, advocates of peaceful means.

It is unlikely that Iran and Iraq Shias will be allies.

09/10/2009 :: 10:54:19 PM
jgarbuz Says:

I just want to say a few words about the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the Sunni Arab states, because the majority of Chrisian westerners don’t understand what is going on.
To the majority Sunni Arabs, the Shia are considered what the Catholics considered Protestants - HERETICS. And vice versa, the Shia consider the Sunni EVIL USURPERS of the position of Muhammad. They are the Harlot of Babylon, to put in Christological terminology. The conflict between Sunni and SHia is which of those paths of Islam is the true way. Just like with Catholics and Protestants. None of that has nothing to do with Jews - except that everyone despises Jews, and Jews are going to hell. Both Christians and Muslims can agree on that. Saudi Arabia is in possession of the holiest cities of Mecca and Medina, the holy land of Islam. To religious Muslims of either party, the control of Mecca and Medina is like Christian sects controlling the Holy Sepulchre of Christ. In the Christian West, all those blood wars are behind us, and of hardly any relevance anymore. But in Islam that kind of thinking and fervor is still with us.
If Iran actually gets the bomb, Sunni Saudi Arabia then MUST follow suit! It’s like the Vatican having the bomb and the Protestants not.
So the Wahhabi Saudi sect and the Ayatollahs of Qoms are like the televangical preachers versus the Pope and his priests. They both believe in Muhammad as the perfect and final messenger of God, but each believes it is the heir to his Islamic heritage, and the other is the tool of the Devil. This is why Shia and Sunni murder each other in Iraq, and one can only shudder at what happens when Iran and Saudi Arabia both have the bomb. Forget about the oilfields! And of course, Israel is the target of both, but even it is secondary in importance to the struggle between Shiism and the Sunna. In a way, the Jewish bomb has been a neutral balance. Upsetting the balance can, as another poster has said, really lead to an Armageddon for the whole region, as everybody has God on his side.

09/10/2009 :: 10:32:18 PM
jgarbuz Says:

To Thomas Chamberlin again,

I’ll concisely and precisely tell my personal position regarding the West Bank and the Golan, or the “occupied territories.”
To me every inch of Israel, from the Mediterranean to the Jordan river, and from Eilat in the south up to the Hamat Gader in the Golan Heights is Jewish tribal land. And, it was promised by the League of Nations to us. Having said that, in exchange for full, total and permanent peace ONLY, I am prepared to cede some OUR territory to another people, who call themselves Palestinians, who claim to have lived on this territory for generations, and in some cases centuries, to have a semi-independent state of their own. By semi-independent I mean that it must be totally demilitarized and may not make alliances or have foreign bases without Israel’s permission. In essence I am taking Benjamin Netanyahu’s present position on the matter. As I said, it requires total acceptance by all states, especially the Arab and Muslim states, to fully accept and reconcile to the fact that Israel is the natural and historical and legal homeland of the Jewish nation. In concede land ONLY for total and absolute peace, as between the US and Canada. The Palestinian state would be more or less like Puerto Rico or Costa Rica. That is, no military and no further claims or hostility against Israel.
Jerusalem remains united capital only of Israel. The Palestinian diaspora can only immigrate or return to that new state, and not to the State of Israel. Naturally, the US,NATO, the UN and everybody has to witness and guarantee the peace treaty unto perpetuity. Personally I would prefer a formal treaty of alliance with the US, which means that the US would be bound by the constitution of the United State to consider any further attack on Israel, or violation of the treaty, as an attack on the US itself. What else do you want to know?
But the Palestinians cannot procrastinate forever. If they don’t accept those terms, then Israel will be free totally annex the territories and totally settle them with Jewish immigrants. That will be the stic, if the Palestinians don’ take the Israeli carrot.

09/10/2009 :: 08:35:08 PM
yousry amin Says:

once Iran possess a nuclear bomb ,it is set the stage of a conflict in middl East . this conflict will destory world economic system and drag the world into nightmare . as a result of this nightmare, the world will return to the stone age. To avoid this problem, the world has to use any means necessary to stop producing nulcear bomb .militry action may be necessary to destory nuclear reactor

09/10/2009 :: 06:58:32 PM
Thomas Chamberlin Says:

To jgarbuz :

Fair enough about 9/11.

My understanding is that the international community via the UN considers West Bank expansion illegal. Clearly it is MOST unhelpful and will have to been curtailed and reversed for peace to prevail. You may, if you wish, excuse immoral behavior with historical references and arguments about what is and what is not legal but ultimately it is just quibbling. It doesn’t answer the questions I raised nor advance the cause of peace and justice. I do detect a wee whiff of religious righteousness on your part which I believe to be the most dangerous of all beliefs no matter the religion. It can be and has been used to justify the most heinous of crimes throughout history and is the ultimate sanctuary of irrational thinking. If that’s where your at then the conversation is over since you’re in a demension I don’t inhabit.

09/10/2009 :: 06:31:45 PM
jgarbuz Says:

I can’t debate 9/11 with you. I’m not qualified, so you’ll have to do that with someone else. I can discuss the Israel-Arab conflict with some degree of knowledge but not the structural properties of buildings.

09/10/2009 :: 05:58:08 PM
Thomas Chamberlin Says:

To jgarbuz :

The problem is that apparently for the very first time ever steel framed buildings were destroyed by fire damage alone. Yes WTC1 and WTC2 were structurally damaged but a serious viewing of the events clearly puts the lie to the pancake theory since that is not what happened. These buildings appear to disappear into dust from the top down. What happened to the 30 or so top stories of the south tower that twisted off but never hit the ground? How did 500,000 tons of steel and concrete per building go POOF! in little more than ten seconds? Besides the structural damage was uneven so the symmetrical destruction is most improbable. What happened to the massive steel cores of both buildings?( I assure you if you study the construction photos of the buildings you will be as perplexed as much as I), As for WTC7 this as I have previously stated an obvious controlled demolition since no other explanation makes any sense. Why where first responders and office workers, who reported multilple explosions in the buildings, ignored and finally “erased” by the MSM? These are just some of many unanswered questions. Of course the who dunnit and why they dunnit is speculative on my part but I believe that the data fit is quite good.

09/10/2009 :: 05:54:25 PM
jgarbuz Says:

Here’s an example of what I mean from the article about Jenin in Wikipedia:

Etymology

Jenin was known in ancient times as the Canaanite village of “Ein-Ganim” or “Tel Jenin”.[3][4] Tell Jenin, its name in Arabic, is located at the center of what is today Jenin’s business district.[5]

The city of Ein-Ganim is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as the city of the Levites of the Tribe of Issachar.[6] After some years, the city’s name was changed to “Ginat”. In the book of Yehudit,[7] the settlement is mentioned as “Gini”. The Jewish historian Josephus also mentioned Ganim as a city in northern Samaria.[8]

The Arabic name “Jenin” ultimately derives from this ancient name. The origin of the place as Ein-Ganim was recognized by Ishtori Haparchi. In the 20th century CE, the Israel built a nearby Israeli settlement, Ganim, also named after the ancient village. This settlement was evacuated in August 2005 as part of Israel’s unilateral disengagement plan.

09/10/2009 :: 05:40:43 PM
jgarbuz Says:

To Thomas Chamberlin,

Well for starters I reject the very thesis of
“Illegal expansion of West Bank settlements into Palestinian land.” The Council of the League of Nations did not state in 1922 that there was a Palestinian nation. Before 1918, it was Ottoman land. The League ruled that Jews could settle and live anywhere in it. Much later on, after WWII, and after many Jews had already settled in places NOW called Palestinian land, based on the LoN’s ruling, suddenly the Arabs began to call themselves “Palestinians. ” And yet, up to 1967, and even afterwards, all of these “Palestinians” had Jordanian passports. Wasn’t it Jordanian land? Ah, but then in 1988 Jordan suddenly declared it no longer has any claim on the West Bank, but Israel is in control of it.

So from your first sentence, I just don’t agree with your axiomatically calling it “Palestinian land.” To me its disputed land. Ancient Jewish land, actually. We can prove Jewish habitation in those areas long before Arabic became the language in them. So, if the Arabs now want to create a state called “Palestine” and thus turn the land into Palestinian land, they must negotiate a peace treaty with Israel. It is not Palestinian land until there is a Palestinian state. And that is a fact legally as well, if you go by strict international law. I can say that Brooklyn, NY is native American indian land, Duthc land (the name Brooklyn is Dutch), Jewish land if we went by the majority who lived there 60 years ago, or AMerican land. That is, the land of the recognized country called the United States of America which is recognized as a sovereign country by the United Nations. There was never a Palestinian state, so how can we speak of Palestinian land? IT really makes no sense.

09/10/2009 :: 05:20:01 PM
Thomas Chamberlin Says:

To jgarbuz :

So every party in the region should de-facto accept, without complaint, the following Israel actions and then peace will magically prevail : Illegal expansion of West Bank settlements into Palestinian land, The imprisonment and murder of duly elected Palestinian officials, the attempted reversal of a legitimate election because the “wrong” people won, the creation of a Ghetto in Gaza and the starving of inhabitants, the attack on Gaza using illegal (white phosphorus) and out dated cluster munitions, the murder of hundreds of children, the periodic invasion of surrounding countries to curtail their economic and political development and finally the constant threats against Iran. These are not good neighbor policies but those of fearful irrational leadership and people. As an American citizen I resent my taxes being used to fund the military required for all of the above sins and I’m sick of the whole of American Middle east foreign policy being dictated by the concerns of a tiny nation of seven million or so. It seems obvious that Israel must come to the position that current policies are unjust and only undermine the long term security of the country and region.

As for the Messiah returning forget about it. I believe SHE left a long time ago and is unlikely to return. So we must solve the problems ourselves.

09/10/2009 :: 04:55:17 PM
jgarbuz Says:

To Thomas Chamberlin.

I cannot answer you because I do not know. There are many phenomenon in nature, and even in engineering that we do not fully understand. Scientists don’t understand why according to their calculations the universe apparently must be more than 98% “dark matter” because otherwise their data makes no sense. If science, or even engineering had all the answers, there would be no need to develop different aeronautical shapes. We would already know the ideal perfect aeronautically correct shape, and build all planes exactly the same. I’m not a structural engineer, nor do I know if they know everything there is to know why buildings collapse one way or another under different shocks and stresses. I assume they have historical experience and do tests on different materials and types of structures to get knowledge on how they will react.

My own limited with machines like cars and computers, even though I have a 2 year degree in electronics, is that they don’t always seem to act the way one would expect according to existing theories. And humans are even harder to understand than quirky machines and inorganic structures. While I cannot totally rule out that some extremely elaborate and sophisticated hoax at this scale might not have been possible, I simply find it unlikely. SO many people would have had to have been in on such a large operation. Where are the people who actually put in those explosives? Where they eliminated> Sworn to silence? It seems to me that the complexity of the scheme and subsequent cover-up would have to be even greater than the engineering complexities. And all of this to do what, to contrive an excuse to attack Iraq and Afghanistan?
Sorry, I can’t buy it.

09/10/2009 :: 04:35:04 PM
jgarbuz Says:

To Zaki Assaad,

I want a Middle East free of nuclear weapons too. But first the Middle East has to accept that the Jewish state is a natural part of the Middle East going back to ancient times, and that Israel has every right to live and thrive there in total peace and harmony with its Arab and Muslim neighbors. I want the Egyptian people and thrive in peace. I want the Syrian people to live in peace. The Lebanese, Jordanians and Palestinians too. But that can only happen when the Jewish people can live in their homeland in peace. When that dream is actualized, there should be no need by Israel or any of its neighbors for such terrible weapons of mass destruction. Maybe it will happen only when the Messiah comes, or hopefully sooner. I don’t know. I can only hope.

09/10/2009 :: 02:04:36 PM
Zaki Assaad Says:

How about Israel? They have Nuclear Weapons and one is saying any thing about that. And when Mubarak OF EGYPT says WE WANT A MIDDLE EAST free of Nuclear Weapons no ONE LISTEN !!???

09/10/2009 :: 01:37:53 PM
Hy Says:

To jgarbuz,

I appreciate all that your saying here and you have my sympathies regarding your parents. I don’t even want to imagine what it would be like if I had to cower in a corner with family, waiting out a missile attack that could include chemical or even radioactive materials. For what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re here to tell your story.

You brought up some of the past forced evacuations and genocides. I would argue that Germany would have been much further along than they are if there were no Holocaust, no invasion of Poland, no World War II. Just the issue of the development of the atomic bomb alone would have been settled by Germany if they had kept their brain trust together, not insignificantly comprised of Jewish scientists. And as far as America not having suffered for what she’s done to the Native American populace, I would argue that we would also be much further along if from the beginning we could have coexisted peacefully and respectfully, but of course, that would have been a terribly enlightened position to take back then.

This brings me to the point. As we progress in time, keeping alive our awareness of the various aspects of our history, whether good, bad, or in between, we are influenced by that history and we seek to avoid the past evils and propagate the good. So by the time we get to the middle of the 20th century, there are certain evils we’re leaving behind, like intolerable labor conditions, slavery, and preemptive invasions of other nations. No doubt all these things are still extant, but they are not acceptable, common, or even imminent for the most part among developed nations.

When Israel was formed in 1948, not only wouldn’t the Israelis not have done the very thing the Nazi regime had done to their brothers and sisters, but they wouldn’t have been in a position to do so, nor would the powers that actually put the deal together do anything of the kind to the Palestinians. The “lesson” of the Nazis would have assured this.

I don’t want to get into the thicket of the “right of return” issues. I just want to say that we are, despite popular opinion, progressing, however slowly. It is inevitable we would be, being aware of our history such as it is. I’d like to think that the “Palestinian question” will be resolved to the liking of both Israel and Palestine in my lifetime.

To date, nuclear weapons have never been used against anyone, and the only country to use atomic weapons is the U.S. I think this will remain the status quo for a good while, barring some terrorist group getting a hold of one. I don’t see Iran ever using them unless they got hit first (and survived enough to retaliate), likewise Israel, and I’d say that our mutual awareness of history will assure such.

09/10/2009 :: 01:20:51 PM
Thomas Chamberlin Says:

To Jean-Pierre :

I assumed you were serious about attacking Iran with a “massive military strike” with no justification. Perhaps you were jesting and I was mistaken. If so then I retract my statement. But if you are serious, then 1) your response was a deft but weak minded maneuver on your part to avoid answering my question concerning your lack of logic and 2) I can only conclude you are daft and am most happy that you aren’t the President of the United States. He may be weak and compromised but it appears he can still think rationally.
and I was mistaken. If so then I retract my statement. But if you are serious then I can only conclude you are daft and am most happy that you aren’t the President of the United States. He may be weak and compromised but he can still think rationally.

09/10/2009 :: 12:40:40 PM
Jean-Pierre Says:

Dear Thomas:

I suggest a reading class at your local community college. You will enjoy reading these blogs when you can understand what people are clearly saying.

09/10/2009 :: 12:00:17 PM
Thomas Chamberlin Says:

To Jean-Pierre :

Why if you believe in the insane Bush/Cheney theory of “pre-emptive war” do you later reject it in the last paragraph? Could it be that you know it’s immoral, ineffective, illegal, and a MASSIVE war crime?

09/10/2009 :: 11:41:56 AM
Jean-Pierre Says:

President Obama should respond with a massive military strike.

In order to save the world from maniacs that will use their Nuclear Weapons against me and you and your children, a massive strike is needed to at least weaken Iran enough that it has no viable Nuclear or convential capability. At the same time it would be worthwhile to organize a coup in Teheran.

It was unfortunate that the previous Bush administration engaged in a war with Iraq and Afghanistan. These areas are of negligible importance to the United States and the world compared to Iran. Neverthelesss, quiet diplomacy will lead to the deaths of many millions of people and an inevitable nuclear response.

09/10/2009 :: 11:33:14 AM
Thomas Chamberlin Says:

To jgarbuz :

Clearly 9/11 involved a “Conspiracy” and the US government theory which you apparently believe in is just that and nothing more. It has no more weight than any other except for the blessing of the MSM and the flawed and compromised 9/11 commission report. All I said with respect to this question is that the hard evidence strongly suggests that the official explanations are not creditable. Furthermore your attempt to conflate my personal views with some imaginary “past” conspiracies to discredit my assertions are at best intellectually lazy and at worst just plane ignorant. I don’t expect anyone to come to my conclusions but I do expect thinking people to actually study the evidence available. So start with this : How did WTC7, a 47 story steel framed building, undamaged by aircraft and with only minor fires buckle it the middle and collapse symmetrically in a heap at near FREE FALL acceleration?

I defy you to explain this. It certainly looks to be a controlled demolition and experts have deemed it so. NIST was so baffled it had to invent a brand new theory called “thermal expansion”. Amazing! Problem solved.

09/10/2009 :: 11:04:03 AM
Konchog Says:

Iran should give up alleged attempts at making an A bomb when Israel gives up its A bombs and stops becoming a Middle East menace. Check out http://www.failedmessiah.com

09/10/2009 :: 11:03:07 AM
Konchog Says:

Iran should give up alleged attempts at making an A bomb when Israel gives up its A bombs and stops becoming a Middle East menace.

09/10/2009 :: 10:45:23 AM
jgarbuz Says:

To Thomas Chamberlin,

Maybe the US government and the Jews colluded to bomb Pearl Harbor to get America into WWII too?
Maybe the missing millions of Jews in Europe were actually taken into space by UFOs? One thing about conspiracy theories. There’s never an end to them.

09/10/2009 :: 10:36:02 AM
Thomas Chamberlin Says:

To jgarbuz :

Yes, I do understand the irony of this issue. However anyone who thinks that the US government is capable of truth telling still thinks that 9/11 was an act of terrorism by a rag tag group of ill-trained Islamic terrorists (who couldn’t even fly a Cessna) and that there where WMD in Iraq. Since November 2000 the United States of Amerika has been run by a criminal gang of militarists and trans-national corporations with the dual purpose of destroying our civil rights and commandeering the energy supplies of the world. The innocent lives lost and societies destroyed are just the necessary associated costs (not that they care). The Iranian people and their government represent absolutely no threat to me or our republic and never have. This war mongering is ginned up by Israel, AIPAC, military contractors and the US military to start another evil but profitable war. WorldFocus is unfortunately and sadly a continuous conduit of this very effort.

Tomorrow is the eighth anniversary of 9/11, the catalyze and excuse for of all the mayhem. I suggest that all visit http://www.ae911truth.org/ for a tutorial on the evidence that puts the lie to the “Official Government Conspiracy Theory” explaining the terrible events of that day. Minimally the US government has not told the truth and to my knowledge has never refuted let alone answered any of the serious science based questions raised by the evidence presented. The worst case, as I believe, is that the whole event was engineered within our own country to create an atmosphere of hysteria and fear allowing the completion of the perpetrators nefarious plan.

09/10/2009 :: 08:49:45 AM
jgarbuz Says:

To Thomas Chamberlin

FYI, all signatories to the NPT must keep all their nuclear activities open and transparent to the UN’s IAEA. Non-signatories do not. That is why the IAEA cannot inspect Israeli, Indian and Pakistani nuclear activities. However, as a signatory, Iran must keep all of its nuclear activities totally open and transparent to the IAEA. The most recent report by Baradei indicates that Iran is still not being totally open and he therefore questions Iran’s sincerity about its proclamation of not wanting to produce a bomb.
The US believes that Iran had an active bomb program that it suspended in 2003. If true, that alone already constitutes a breach of the NPT.

09/10/2009 :: 07:48:17 AM
Thomas Chamberlin Says:

Thanks for another demonizing and distorted HIT piece on Iran. I guess the Military, Industrial, Media Complex, Neo-cons, and Zionists have completed the takeover of World Focus. They can’t wait to turn Iran into a parking lot for profit and power and OIL (not to mention the death of thousands. I guess the murder of hundreds of thousands in Iraq and Afghanistan isn’t enough). I noticed that Dalgit looked quite uncomfortable interviewing Fariborz Ghadar and after some research I see why. He is a former member of the Shah’s murderous régime and just can’t wait to reinstall the Iranian “Royalty” and, no doubt, an updated SAVAK (run of course by the CIA). Finally for the record Iran as a signatory of NPT have a right to enrich uranium for peaceful use.

09/10/2009 :: 05:16:03 AM
Joe SixPack Says:

If they want a nuclear bomb so bad, let’s give them one. Blow them off the map like we did in Japan!!! Then maybe they’ll Get the message.

09/10/2009 :: 04:27:14 AM
CICERO Says:

Abdullah Toukan of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) wrote that Israel’s use of Jericho III missiles to strike Iran’s nuclear sites “could look much more feasible than using combat aircraft,” because of the lower political and operational risks Israel would face in such an attack, since Iran still lacks an adequate missile defense system.

“We’re in agreement and have been for, oh, the better part of the last six months or so. There was a time that we weren’t, but we’ve actually worked pretty hard to understand where we both are,” he told PBS’s Charlie Rose.

09/10/2009 :: 03:08:49 AM
TJ in Ann Arbor Says:

(1) Set a deadline, public or private, for achieving the objectives of having Iran (a) allow full & complete continuous U.N. inspections of all Iranian nuclear facilities and (b) cease all of their activities that could support nuclear weapons production and delivery except activities that are essential to a nuclear fuel cycle strictly for the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
(2) If those objectives are not achieved by the set deadline, eliminate Iran’s nuclear technology capability in a manner that absolutely minimizes risks to those executing that elimination. This would likely require (a) crippling Iran’s domestic communications infrastructure and (b) eliminating Iran’s military capability as well as destroying Iran’s nuclear technology infrastructure.
Inform the Russian Federation that any attempts to interfere with such an operation would mean the annihilation of Russia as a modern civil entity.

09/10/2009 :: 02:55:35 AM
JGE Says:

Israel is not the only one concerned about Iran having a nuclear baby. All of the Sunnis in the area are. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan.

09/10/2009 :: 02:38:01 AM
JGE Says:

islamo fascists Arab/Palestinians spread false propaganda blaming Israel for acting in self defense:

Islamo fascists Arab/Palestinians send fanatics to blow themselves maiming and killing thousands of Israeli civilians. Israel builds the wall, establishes checkpoints and captures terrorists daily .

Iran provides hundreds of missiles to Hezbollah in Lebanon attacking Israeli civilians and Israel defends itself.

Iran provides thousands of rockets to the “famished” Gazians oppressed by Hamas. Israeli civilians are attacked daily for months. Israel acts in self defense.

And by the way the Israeli lobby is mainly millions of New Born Christians that provide full support to Israel.

To the islamo fascists Arab/Palestinians watch and learn:

http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/includes/templates/library/flash_popup.php?pID=288509-7&clipStart=&clipStop=

09/10/2009 :: 01:54:47 AM
JGE Says:

The islamo fascists Arab/Palestinians continue to perpetuate false propaganda, relying on ignorance and distortions.

An excerpt of history is here:

“”Instead, the British government created phony Arab “radicals” like Haj Amin, to stoke the conflict ( between Jews and Arab). The British government was also to blame for corrupting Arab leaders and conspiring to keep all Arabs poor and their economy undeveloped.

Haj Amin was the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem promoted by the British Colonial office in the 1920’s. After his terrorist activities he then fled to Germany in the 1930’s and 1940’s as an ally, now, of the nazis he actively cooperated with the nazis in WWII.

By the way Arafat claimed to be a nephew of the islamo fascist Grand Mufti of Jerusalem.

On the corruption side, Arafat stole six billion dollars from the Palestinians and put them in Swiss banks. Abas was a member of the Arafat team.

Read the rest of history here:

http://www.twf.org/News/Y1998/JewsArabs.html

09/10/2009 :: 12:44:40 AM
jgarbuz Says:

Maybe if Israel had indeed shoved 700,000 Palestinians into concentration camps and done them in 1948, it would be much better off today. After all, Germany and America have not suffered for the genocides they both committed in the past. In fact, despite over 200 years of occupation and being interned into open air ghettos called “reservations,” Indians today pledge allegiance to the flag of the country that nearly wiped them out, and even serve in its military. With the Palestinians, Israel let them escape and it was the Arab countries who put them into camps in Lebanon and Jordan and elsewhere. SO Israel has absolutely nothing to regret or apologize for, except that they were much to kind to the enemies who tried to destroy the Jews, but instead it backfired on them. And then there are the 900,000 Jews forced out of the Arab countries that nobody seems to remember or care about, who left behind four times as much real estate as all of Palestine put together. SO no, Israel has absolutely to apologize for and certainly no one they have to compensate. What a ridiculous idea. Nobody gave me back my mother’s home and businessi in Poland. Nobody gave 14 million ethnic Germans back the lands they were kicked out of in Eastern Europe at the close of WWII. And nobody will give back the JEws from Arab countries anything either. So the “Palestinian refugees” is a dead and buried issue.

09/09/2009 :: 11:53:47 PM
Jeanie Blatty Says:

If Israel is so afraid of Iran perhaps a little soul searching and reparations are in order. 700,000 people pushed into concentration camps 60 years ago and their repeated systematic slaughter (Lebanon 2006 and Gaza 2008) will not endear you to anyone with the exception of stupid Americans who have no idea what is really going on. Does Israel have any question why people hate their guts? It is not anti-semitism, it’s old fasioned cause and effect. Israel needs to do right by everyone in its borders - including repartions to Palestinians for land stolen. They also need to evolve to to this century - a secular country that does not descriminate based on religion. Israel won’t becasue they have us the - the US to fight their battles for them. AIPAC controls our Congress and so nothing ever changes. The problem is right here.

09/09/2009 :: 11:46:42 PM
Vincent Lobascio Says:

I think that the USA should continue to impose sanctions on Iran, but the message should be that the USA respects the wishes of the Iranian gov’t and believes that Iran should do what she thinks best. No more no less. This approach, I believe, would disarm (quite literally) the Iranians and make them think about what consequences they may face. The USA should posture itself when necessary for attack and be silently ready to defend. The USA would be well served to find a less antagonist way to approach world issues, but remain strong and always operate with integrity, and always in truth. This would surely lead to more favorable outcomes.

09/09/2009 :: 10:45:50 PM
ME Says:

Wow ! That guy has been here twelve times. Many of us believe in facts AND yes there are Nukes in the stolen land ,Ooops ! i mean Israel.They look over the shoulder because they know they are wrong and yes i think Iran and any other country have the right and the US should not be involve.

09/09/2009 :: 08:20:49 PM
jgarbuz Says:

I’d like to ask if anyone here besides myself ever lived under a Scud or other rocket attack on their homes and children? I did in Israel in 1991. Thankfully Saddam’s Scuds were primitive and relatively inaccurate and were armed with regular bombs and not nukes or chemical weapons. If you have a five year old child, and you’re in a sealed room with your gas masks watching CNN and hearing the sirens go off both outside and on the TV almost simultaneously, it’s an unusual experience. Thankfully, the damage, while in the tens of millions, miraculously didn’t kill anyone except for one person who died of a heart attack.

The US Patriot batteries manned by US military proved ineffective, although the propaganda put out at the time didn’t tell the truth. But the Israelis knew the truth, that the Patriots managed to hit nothing.

Now I’m the son of holocaust survivors, who are now long deceased. I myself was born in a DP camp in Bavaria after the war. For me, I don’t know what Mr.Ahmadinejad meant with his remarks, or exactly what his intentions are. What I do know is, that if someone building long range rockets, and screaming “Death to Israel” and ” Death to America” says such things, and is building a nuclear capability, I cannot dismiss it lightly.

I don’t what the US is going to do, though I suspect nothing when push comes to shove. I do know what Israel may have to do if this situation doesn’t change for the better. I think those Ayatollahs and their president had better understand who they are dealing with,and that could be playing with fire. Not just fire in Tel Aviv, but fire in Qoms, Teheran and all over the place. I hope there is some sanity there, but there is no way of knowing for sure. If he hangs and shoots his OWN people, what can one conclude?

09/09/2009 :: 07:34:57 PM
Alan-NYC Says:

ATTENTION EVERYONE:
Eli Stephens knows exactly what the Iranians are thinking! Eli stop wasting your time here with your meaningless posts and call President Obama immediately.Tell him how you know what they are thinking. It will help our government greatly to have your brillent insights in formulating our future policy. By the way, do you still have that formula to turn lead into gold?

09/09/2009 :: 07:34:47 PM
Eli Stephens Says:

Alan, I just did a search and found only two people using the word “Jew” in this entire discussion. One, ed johnson, whose comment I had missed, is indeed antisemitic. Exactly ONE. The only other person using that word is your ally, jgarbuz.

As for me not talking about Iran, please go through and read what I’ve written in various comments. It’s essentially ALL about Iran. But of course Israel is very much part of the discussion. Who is it that is pushing the U.S. to take action action Iran, even bomb Iran? Israeli politicians. Who is it who American politicians claim they are acting to protect? Israel. So if you think you can discuss Iran and nuclear weapons without discussing Israel, I’m not sure what planet you’re on. Not this one.

09/09/2009 :: 07:25:07 PM
Alan-NYC Says:

Eli Stephens:
Your response is typical of claim of the antisemite.Tonight’s topic is about what American policy should be about Iran, not Israel. Some posters including you take this as 1 more opportunity bash Israel and include no imput on the subject of tonight’s topic. People who are preoccupied with making statements such as several here who write about the Jews controling our government are the poster children for hate.This is just recycling classic claims made by bigots for generations. So be honest with yourself even if you cannot admit it here.

09/09/2009 :: 07:24:08 PM
Steve Says:

First Iran already has nuclear weapons from both China and Russia so there is little that can be done except hope that they are never used.

09/09/2009 :: 07:19:08 PM
Eli Stephens Says:

Alan-NYC, where to start? First, are you aware that missiles have for decades been used to deliver weapons other than nuclear weapons? Or does that come as news to you. Apparently, though, you feel free to make up your own news (a trait you share in this case with far too many others). I refer to the utterly false statement: “The frequent public threats of its President to wipe other countries off the globe.” This is complete and utter B.S. Let me refer you to this:

http://lefti.blogspot.com/2006/12/ahmadinejad-clarifies-meaning-of-wiped.html

But let me just copy one quote from Ahmadinejad from that article and let its meaning sink in to you:

“Just as the Soviet Union was wiped out and today does not exist, so will the Zionist regime soon be wiped out.”

Let me know if you’re unclear on how the Soviet Union was “wiped out.”

09/09/2009 :: 07:14:25 PM
jgarbuz Says:

To Hy,
That is precisely why the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was created back in 1969. It was well understood that nuclear technology would inevitably be accessible to everyone in time. So why did 183 nations who signed the treaty even do so in the first place?
There are three or four reasons:

1. Most states still did not have either the knowledge, money or technology to do so 40 years ago. To get LEGAL access to peaceful nuclear technology in the market place, they had to sign the treaty or would be barred from the international nuclear marketplace, and few could develop these on their own at that time;

2. Many states were under the US or Soviet nuclear umbrellas, in NATO, the Warsaw Pact, ANZUS, SEATO and other treaties where the US or Russia provided them with the nuclear umbrella, thereby sparing them the expense of trying to go it alone;

3.The US was very angry at states that went it alone, such as Israel back in the ’60s, and faced the prospect of US sanctions. For many years sent inspectors to Dimona, but the Israelis were able to cover their tracks so that no smoking gun was ever discovered. Finally the US gave up when Nixon came into power.

In fact the US experience with the Israeli bomb effort led the way to the drafting of the NPT, which of course chose not sign, along with India and Pakistan for their own reasons.

But some of the states that signed the treaty had no intention of abiding by it, but just to get enough commercial expertise to eventually start secret bomb projects of their own. Libya, Iraq, NOrth Korea and Iran stand out. But they were not alone. South Africa and Argentina and some others as well, who later decided that it was of little importance and not worth the effort or expense, and risked international condemnation. So the treaty has worked reasonably well so far, and fortunately some of those who signed but did not abide were caught, such as Libya and Iraq and North Korea. And possibly Iran. It’s hard to get away with it with modern detection capabilities, but not impossible.

09/09/2009 :: 07:12:31 PM
Alan-NYC Says:

The problem with Iran is the inconsistency of their claim that they are only undertaking nuclear development to produce domestic energy and their other actions which include among others:Building advanced missle systems of the type which could be used to deliver nuclear bombs (each with increasing ability to reach distances as far as points in Europe as well as the entire middle east)-what do missles have to do with producing energy? It’s history of denying UN inspectors access to sites they are obliged to as signatories to the NNPT. The frequent public threats of its President to wipe other countries off the globe.Its history of supporting & arming terrorists including those who have killed American soldiers in Iraq. This list is not limited to these examples. As for those posters who seem to believe that it is only Israel who is opposed to this, I say think again. The Saudis & other Arab Persian Gulf states are opposed to Iran’s nuclear program and not 1 Arab government (with the possible exception of its ally Syria-which even supported Iran in the decade long Iran-Iraq War) has spoken out in support of Iran’s nuclear goals. In fact on this issue the Arab states & Israel have a shared interest in preventing the development of Iranian nuclear weapons. The major European powers of France, Germany & the UK have tried for years to negotiate an end to this program or at least some controls which conform with Iran’s treaty obligations.Other than Hugo Chavez no head of state has actively supported the Iranians.
The problem with creating an effective policy on this issue, is that the US needs the support of the other major international players & 2: China & Russia have thus far not signed on due to the economic advantages they receive in dealing with Iran.

09/09/2009 :: 07:09:51 PM
Eli Stephens Says:

To Hy Says: You write: “it’s not unexpected that they would urgently seek nuclear weapons.” Maybe that’s what YOU think you would think if you were in their position, but there’s no evidence it’s what THEY think. I STRONGLY suggest you read the material at the link I provided earlier to learn what IRAN thinks, not what you would think if you were they:

http://lefti.blogspot.com/2006/04/irans-intentions.html

09/09/2009 :: 07:07:30 PM
Eli Stephens Says:

Re Alan-NYC: here we go again. Someone challenges the actions of ISRAEL and immediately the charges of “anti-Semitism” start flying. What a load of hooey. There isn’t an anti-Semitic word in a single one of the comments here (the majority of which, by the way, come from your ally jgarbuz). Crying “anti-Semitism” in cases like this is the last refuge of scoundrels. Either defend ISRAEL and its actions or be quiet, stop accusing people of racism when it’s totally unwarranted.

09/09/2009 :: 07:04:17 PM
A.C.Bryan Says:

Iran used poison gas in the Iran-Iraq war and has not dismantled its WMD supply or disavowed
thier use. So what!

09/09/2009 :: 06:59:29 PM
Hy Says:

I’m of the opinion that access to nuclear technology is a near inevitability for every country that seeks it in earnest, so for me the question is really what a country might do once they have that access. You can try to restrict knowledge, but, like water, it often finds a way around obstacles. Would Iran really attempt to attack Israel, or any country for that matter, with a nuke? That’s highly unlikely and would lead to its own destruction. If anything, nuclear weapons for Iran would act as an equalizer to those nations it considers belligerent: the U.S. and Israel, both of whom have had nuclear weapons for many years.

Because Iran has been agitated by the foreign policy of the Bush (43) administration–including infamously being labeled part of an “axis of evil”–it’s not unexpected that they would urgently seek nuclear weapons as a deterrent to the distinct possibility of unilateral action by the U.S. against them, especially after the unilaterally-minded behavior of the U.S. in Iraq. It’s no surprise that the apparently deliberately antagonistic behavior of the U.S. during the Bush (43) presidency would urge them onward on the nuclear path.

With regard to Israel, Iran’s leadership has made it clear they consider it to be without legitimacy, and Iran’s president has advocated for Israel to be destroyed outright. This is highly inflammatory rhetoric and the question is, is it just verbal saber-rattling, or do they have a plan in mind? If they have a plan in mind, it would have to be highly covert, perhaps using a third-party or some such means, because any overt action on their part would be met with the swiftest response. Should Iran in some fit of madness use a nuclear weapon on Israel, or even on any nation, they would be sealing their own tragic destruction. I think this is clear to everyone.

Should Iran be allowed to have nuclear weapons? Ultimately, yes, but of course it would be preferable if they didn’t have them, and even more preferable if it were their choice to decline them, but in light of recent history, I can’t say they should not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, considering that any use of those weapons would likely assure Iran’s destruction.

I also don’t think there should be any added sanctions against Iran unless it is made clear they’ve done something more and directly offensive, or non-defensive, towards another nation or nations. The Iranian populace is of a different mindset to their leaders, so any sanctions that can’t address a clear offensive behavior on Iran’s part will only backfire and begin to get the Iranian populace thinking like their leadership. Their recent elections are a good example of what happens once their leadership takes action seriously contrary to general Iranian opinion–and the U.S. and others are not available to take the blame.

At this point Iran has been all talk and covert offensive moves in Iraq and Pakistan. We should address those actions as overtly as possible and be aware and ready for any possible future actions on their part. Anything more than this would be counterproductive, in my opinion.

09/09/2009 :: 06:58:46 PM
Bin Safi Says:

President Obama doesn’t have many choices. There’s not much he can do to dissuade Iran.
If I were a Persian, I wouldn’t give up any of my Ambitions (Nuclear), untill they (US, Russia, UK, France, China, Pakistan, India & especially Israel) give up some of their Arsenals.

You give up yours, I’ll give up mine. Otherwise, it’s just Hypocrisy…….

Peace, Love & Respect.

09/09/2009 :: 06:57:27 PM
jgarbuz Says:

No, Alan, I disagree.

Let the hatemongers vent. That is what the internet is for, to let it all out. Better than simmering under the surface and pretending it’s not there.

09/09/2009 :: 06:51:21 PM
jgarbuz Says:

Heh, to talk about dismantling Israel’s nuclear deterrent when 18 out of 21 Arabs states, many other Muslims states, don’t even recognize its right to exist, and are still technically in a state of war with it is quite absurd. Why don’t the US and Russia dismantle their own? Does Russia or the US not recognize each other’s right to exist? WHy does the US still have nuclear weapons? I thought the Cold War was over and communism was dead. If the US and Russia want others to disarm, let them both start by getting rid of all their own first. Same with CHina, UK, France, India and Pakistan as well. Why Israel first? I thought it was mostly Jewish scientists who invented the darn things at Los Alamos in the first place. ISrael should be the very last country to get rid of them, when all its present enemies sign peace treaties and accept its very right to exist. Then Israel can disarm too. But not a moment before.

09/09/2009 :: 06:44:02 PM
Alan-NYC Says:

I have been working under a false assumption, I thought we were looking for rational postings with policy suggestions on todays’s topic: what should the US do regarding Iran’s nuclear program. Reading the posts, I find most are filled with antisemitic language & Israel bashing. Iran is often not even mentioned. It seems these bigots take any opportunity to post hate.I also notice they make endless posts recycling their hate speech.Time for someone from world focus to take the role as moderator & purge hate messages from the site.

09/09/2009 :: 06:40:23 PM
Jacob Nammar Says:

We need a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue with Iran. The middle East must stop all the proliferation of nuclear weapons. First, we must dismantle Israel 200 nuclear weapons, since it is the only state that has the weapon and is the threat to all its neighbors and peace in the region. Secondly, we demand Iran to stop all weapons production. The US and Western hypocrisy is old, we need to be honest with our diplomacy.

09/09/2009 :: 06:38:29 PM
jgarbuz Says:

Look, the US doesn’t have to support Israel. Israel could obliterate Iran with its nukes tonight if it wanted to. Who is going to retaliate? Hezbollah?> Russia? China? Pakistan? I doubt it. If the US cannot or will not do something to stop the mad Mullahs, then Israel will have no choice but to go it alone to the hilt.

09/09/2009 :: 06:35:36 PM
jgarbuz Says:

In 1947 the UN authorized Israel’s right to exist. Soon thereafter, the Arab armies broke the UN Charter by militarily attacking the newborn Jewish state. What the UN do to stop the Arab attack? What the US do? Nothing. Israel was on its own. But a year later, communist North Korea attacked the South. The UN sent an army, mainly the US army, which lost 38,000 to defend South Korea.
The fact is, that without the US, the UN is as worthless as the League of Nations became. That’s just the way it is.

09/09/2009 :: 06:31:23 PM
Jim Barney Says:

Israel purchased a nuclear submarine with ICBM capabilities. Think about the possibilities. They could lay off the U.S. coast, submerged, and threaten us if we don’t continue to support them. We are watching the wrong countries.

09/09/2009 :: 06:24:15 PM
pete Says:

What is Obama going to do about Israel?

Isn’t that the real question?

09/09/2009 :: 06:22:33 PM
pete Says:

Ah well, Israel did not sign the Non Proliferation Treaty…I suppose that makes it OK then!

09/09/2009 :: 06:20:05 PM
Eli Stephens Says:

And, of course, the real proliferation scofflaw in the Middle East is Israel, which HAS nuclear weapons, refuses to sign the NPT, and judging by their utter disregard for human life as exhibited by the Dec-Jan assault on Gaza, is without question the most likely nation on earth to USE the nuclear weapons they have.

09/09/2009 :: 06:17:07 PM
John Barney Says:

I say let Iran develop nuclear weapons. Then they can keep Israel in check.

09/09/2009 :: 06:16:58 PM
pete Says:

Israel has nukes…

…and is itching to use them.

09/09/2009 :: 06:16:55 PM
Eli Stephens Says:

Iran has every right under the NPT to enrich as much uranium for nuclear power as it wishes. Not only is there no evidence that Iran has a nuclear weapons program, but Iran has RENOUNCED nuclear weapons, even going so far that it’s Supreme religious Leader, in a country ruled by religion has issued a fatwa against their possession ( http://lefti.blogspot.com/2006/04/irans-intentions.html ). All that being said, what the U.S. should DO is DROP the sanctions against Iran, not increase them. The only thing Iran is in violation of are Security Council resolutions requiring Iran, without its consent, to do MORE than required by the NPT. In reality, it is the *US* which is in violation of the NPT, not Iran.

09/09/2009 :: 06:08:24 PM
Richard Says:

We must find a diplomatic solution to Iran. It’s easy to see we are headed for a military solution. We must stop killing human beings as we are doing in Irag and Afganistan as we try to make the Middle East our big gas station. Every person who has been killed whether it is an American or an Iraqi or an Afgan has a mother and a father, is someone’s brother, or husband, or friend, like you and me. What did it get us in Vietname with 59,000 Americans killed and hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese. When we ever learn war is not the answer?

09/09/2009 :: 06:07:27 PM
Richard Says:

We must find a diplomatic solution to Iran. It’s easy to see we are headed for a military solution, goaded on by Israel. We must stop killing human beings as we are doing in Irag and Afganistan as we try to make the Middle East our big gas station. Every person who has been killed whether it is an American or an Iraqi or an Afgan has a mother and a father, is someone’s brother, or husband, or friend, like you and me. What did it get us in Vietname with 59,000 Americans killed and hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese. When we ever learn war is not the answer?

09/09/2009 :: 05:57:53 PM
Girard O'Malley Says:

The U.N. is the world’s policeman. It has been chartered as such. We should work to strengthen it rather than rendering it irrelevant as we did when we invaded Iraq against its wishes.

Once any one country becomes the world’s policeman then it cannot be policed. That is how we got away with the Iraq invasion.

We began to take on this policeman’s role only after the fall of the Soviet Union. Before that they checkmated us at every turn. Without them we could do whatever we wanted. So the U.S.policy of “Might makes right” was born. Well, “Those who live by the sword, die by the sword”, so if we continue, our fate will be sealed. It will be so gratifying to die for Israel.

09/09/2009 :: 05:50:37 PM
Dave Ray Says:

The President of Iran has made it clear that he
(not the Iranian people) will “blow Israel off the map”. When will the West wake up to the danger of this madman? The US and Israel (with support from Western governments) need to “take out” Iran’s widely dispersed nuclear facilities before it’s too late!

09/09/2009 :: 05:42:10 PM
jgarbuz Says:

More people today are falling for the line that Israel is the problem, and America’s close relations with is the reasons for all of America’s problems. But what did ISrael have to do with IRaq’s attack on Kuwait? On Iran? And a number of other underreported conflict in the region? Did Israel create the schism between Sunni and Shia? That would be like blaming Jews for the schism between Catholics and Protestants a few centuries back. And what about the Kurds and the Turks? Or the Kurds and Arab Iraqis? The list of conflicts and potential conflicts in the region that Israel had no role in is very long. The scapegoating of Israel, and Jews in general,is a very old tradition, that frankly is getting very old.

09/09/2009 :: 05:35:30 PM
jgarbuz Says:

The US is the world’s policeman, or sheriff, if you prefer, because nobody can do, or wants the job. And there has to be a cop on the beat, or the criminals run rampant. When criminals sign international treaties only to try to subvert them, someone has to stop them. No one stopped Hitler when he tore up the Versailles, and the US was absent and in the throes of the Great Depression. Eventually, like it or not, the US was dragged into WWII and had to lose hundreds of thousands, whereas Hitler could have easily been stopped at the Rhineland years earlier. The US retreat after WWI inevitably led to WWII. A total retreat of the US today will inevitably lead to WWIII.

09/09/2009 :: 05:25:00 PM
Girard O'Malley Says:

The United States should not respond to Iran’s nuclear development. It is none of our business. We are not the world’s policemen and a nuclear-armed Iran does not endanger the U.S. It endangers Israel and the country who has the most to lose by a particular development should be the one to deal with it. If we had followed this policy during the Kuwait crisis, Israel would have invaded Kuwait instead of us and our 911 tragedy would have never occurred. That being the case, Bush would have never sold the Iraq invasion to the American people and the Muslims wouldn’t harbor such extreme hatred towards us. We wouldn’t have spent a trillion dollars on the Iraq war and maybe more on homeland security and, consequently, might not have had this recession.

Let Israel fend for itself. We can’t afford to take on any more of their enemies. Besides, why is Israel the only Middle East power allowed to have nuclear weapons? Isn’t that kind of sticking it down the other Middle Eastern country’s throats?

09/09/2009 :: 05:23:05 PM
jgarbuz Says:

Israel doesn’t have to admit to anything. It has never tested a nuclear weapon (that anyone can prove) and the Vanunu pictures prove nothing other than the output of Dimona was a lot greater than had been thought.

If Israel were to admit to being a nuclear weapons state, that would give Egypt, Syria, and all the other surrounding enemy states the right to withdraw from the NPT which would only exacerbate things. Hence, Israel’s policy is total silence on the matter. Incidentally no country was forced to sign the NPT. It was purely voluntary.

09/09/2009 :: 05:19:34 PM
shayda ashkani Says:

WHY IS OBAMA FOLLOWING THE FAILED BUSH FOREIGN POLICIES ? why is ISRAEL running AMERICA ?
The head of IAEA just issued a statement indicating the fabrication of evidence by us and israel againt irans nuclear program ,he stated that there no no evidence indicating iran is pursuing a nuclear bomb .
why is islael allowed to have 0ver 200 atomic bombs and use the worst possible war tactics against civilian population and the world including the obama administration just looks on
CAN SOMEONE STOP THIS INSANITY ?IS ANYONE LISTENING ?

09/09/2009 :: 05:17:04 PM
Dan Maceda Says:

We should start by acknowledging Iran has a right to develop nuclear energy and then go from there to insist it live up to it’s obligations under the NPT. We should further press Israel to either admit it has nuclear weapons or submit to inspections to confirm it doesn’t. India and Pakistan should be subject to sanctions for their nuclear programs. A treaty to renounce first strike by all nuclear powers would be useful

09/09/2009 :: 05:15:43 PM
Marjorie Graybeal Says:

What right has the U.S., as the most prominent offender to date with nuclear arms, to demand of any nation that it abstain from developing its nuclear potential?

09/09/2009 :: 05:00:51 PM
jgarbuz Says:

Excerpt from recent interview with A. Q. Khan, the notorious Pakistani nuclear proliferator.
Malik was the interviewer:

[Malik] What about Iran?
[Khan] Iran was interested in acquiring nuclear technology. Since Iran was an important
Muslim country, we wished Iran to acquire this technology. Western countries pressured
us unfairly. If Iran succeeds in acquiring nuclear technology, we will be a strong bloc in
the region to counter international pressure. Iran’s nuclear capability will neutralize
Israel’s power. We had advised Iran to contact the suppliers and purchase equipment
from them.
[Malik] Were the suppliers same as yours?
[Khan] Yes. The Iranian officials would meet them in Dubai. We had told the Iranians
that the suppliers were very //reliable//.
[Malik] Musharraf had stated in his book that P1 centrifuges were taken from Pakistan to
North Korea.
[Khan] There are different stories behind this accusation. According to Musharraf, this
event took place in 2001. Musharraf himself was the chief executive and the chief of
staff. The Inter-Services Intelligence [ISI] men performed their duties at the airport. If the
material was being transported, then it meant it was being transported with Musharraf’s
consent.
[Malik] It means that it is true that the material was transported to North Korea?
[Khan] May be.

09/09/2009 :: 04:57:26 PM
jgarbuz Says:

From an interview given on August 31st, 2009 of A.Q. Khan, the Pakistani father of its atomic bomb program. He openly admits to having transferred nuclear knowledge to Iran:

[Malik, the interviewer] You were accused of having transferred nuclear //technology// to North Korea.

[Khan] These are just accusations. I cannot comment on this topic at the moment.

[Malik] What about Iran?
[Khan] Iran was interested in acquiring nuclear technology. Since Iran was an important
Muslim country, we wished Iran to acquire this technology. Western countries pressured
us unfairly. If Iran succeeds in acquiring nuclear technology, we will be a strong bloc in
the region to counter international pressure. Iran’s nuclear capability will neutralize
Israel’s power. We had advised Iran to contact the suppliers and purchase equipment
from them.

[Malik] Were the suppliers same as yours?

[Khan] Yes. The Iranian officials would meet them in Dubai. We had told the Iranians
that the suppliers were very //reliable//.

[Malik] Musharraf had stated in his book that P1 centrifuges were taken from Pakistan to
North Korea.

[Khan] There are different stories behind this accusation. According to Musharraf, this
event took place in 2001. Musharraf himself was the chief executive and the chief of
staff. The Inter-Services Intelligence [ISI] men performed their duties at the airport. If the
material was being transported, then it meant it was being transported with Musharraf’s
consent.

[Malik] It means that it is true that the material was transported to North Korea?

[Khan] May be.

09/09/2009 :: 04:51:58 PM
jgarbuz Says:

If Iran develops nuclear weapons, it will be tearing up the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty that it signed. Israel, India and Pakistan never signed that treaty and have no obligations under it.
Tearing up the NPT will mean that others can follow suit. I wonder how Cuba with a nuclear weapon would suit Americans?

09/09/2009 :: 04:14:13 PM
William Dalton Says:

The Obama administration and the rest of the world should leave Iran alone. Iran has the sovereign right to process nuclear fuel and there is no legal basis to interfere with it.

09/09/2009 :: 04:09:17 PM
Jacob Griesmer Says:

We could apologize to Iran for the Shah and his SAVAK, whom the CIA taught Nazi torture techniques to.

And then we could stop complaining about Iran refusing to discuss their nuclear program until the US discusses the prevention of having an arms race in space.

It seems obvious to me. Am I missing something here?

***

“But America has rejected the desire by 160 other countries to have United Nations talks about banning an arms race in space, an extravagantly unilateral approach whose appeal you might have thought would have been tarnished by its experience in Iraq.”
-Times of London

“SAVAK’s torture methods included electric shock, whipping, beating, inserting brokon glass and pouring boiling water into the rectum, tying weights to the testicles, and the extraction of teeth and nails.”
-FAS

09/09/2009 :: 04:07:43 PM
Jacob Griesmer Says:

We could apologize to Iran for the Shah and his SAVAK, whom the CIA taught Nazi torture techniques to.

And then we could stop complaining about Iran refusing to discuss their nuclear program until the US discusses the prevention of having an arms race in space.

It seems obvious to me. Am I missing something here?

***

“But America has rejected the desire by 160 other countries to have United Nations talks about banning an arms race in space, an extravagantly unilateral approach whose appeal you might have thought would have been tarnished by its experience in Iraq.”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/bronwen_maddox/article605583.ece

“SAVAK’s torture methods included electric shock, whipping, beating, inserting brokon glass and pouring boiling water into the rectum, tying weights to the testicles, and the extraction of teeth and nails.”
http://www.fas.org/irp/world/iran/savak/index.html

http://obrag.org/?p=4099