Today’s peace talks between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority were productive, if only modestly so. And while most people might be looking at whether this can possibly be used as a springboard for a genuine peace in the Levant, a number of US officials are looking to make this, as with everything else, all about Iran.
Sen. Scott Brown (R – MA) was the most high profile out of the gate, insisting that the only way the peace talks could possibly move forward was “to further isolate Iranian President Ahmadinejad and to impose even more punishing sanctions on the Iranian economy.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has added momentum to this position, inexplicably shoehorning Iran into the middle of any comments more than a few minutes long. Mentions of Iran’s civilian nuclear program and the “threat” it somehow poses seem more common in a discussion of the peace deal than any of the actual issues.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) remains able to verify the non-diversion of Iran’s civilian nuclear materiel to any unapproved purposes. The Bushehr nuclear power plant is in the process of being fueled and could begin to produce energy sometime soon.
It's just a few thousand American military members and several hundred thousand Iranians who will die in this. What does the political class care?
What does Iran have to do with Palestinians wanting Israelies to STOP stealing Arab lands? Since 1990, Israel spewed the same lies about Iraq and needed to be taken out and hired Uncle Scam. After Iran–who is next– Turkey/Russia/China?
I thought Scott Brown was suppose to be a major victory for the Tea Party and a smaller and more fiscally responsible government, yet here he is doing everything he can to start another Middle Eastern war that will destroy what is left of liberty in America and push the American economy as well as the world economy even further into the abyss/ Scott Brown's election was a major victory allright, for the warmongers over at AEI, for the MICC (Military Industrial Congressional Complex), and the Likud Lobby/ Scott Brown is proof that voting in the United States is just about as meaningful as voting in the former Soviet Union/ You can vote for a warmonger with a "D" after his name or a warmonger with an "R" after his name/
Oh yeah, punishing the Iranian people will really help the Palestinians, creating a second Gaza nonetheless. The so-called Peace Process is a strange kind of trap. Normally when you want to trap someone or something you put honey in the trap. But here they are trying to attract Palestinians with vinegar, sour, harsh, and stupid vinegar. But then Palestinians are already in the trap aren't they? They can complain if they want to but the Media will simply shut down and go see what Paris or Lindsay are doing.
Next time ( after Iran is balkanized like Iraq is ) Israel will insists on assassination of Miandano separatist leades ( Phliipine) to advance peace process.Brown ( R -MA ) will have the message emblazoned on windshield of his truck ( preventing the MA citizen seeing the danger for US)
Whjy do you bellieve that the Isalmic religious fanatics are the only problem? The Zionists insistence that all of Palestinian lands will become theirs since they ruled it for maybe 300 years some time ago consititutes a greater danger to peace in the Middle East than anything from Iran. If Israel gets the world to agree that Iran can never benefit from nuclear physics, when will they start demanding that they dismantle all their molecular biology labs which can be much more dangerous in developing stelth weapons? Israel should meet with the Arab leaders who have offered peace and recognition for returning to the land they were given by the UN. Zionist expansionism is the root of the midEast problem.
Iran leaders feel the pain suffered by the Palestinians at the hands of the Zionist.. That has little to do with Shia vs, Sunni. In any event Hezbollah is mostly Shia.
And why exactly do you claim, with blinding authority, that Iran is backing Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria therefore the Middle East peace is in danger? That is usually assumed by those who believe that Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorists and the settlers and IDF are freedom fighters? Confusing terminology, isn't it? Iran backing H&H and Syria…backing…you mean supporting regardless of their deeds? As US backing Israel? Still…this terminology….was not Osama a freedom fighter against imperialistic Soviet occupation that became an acid terrorist fighting a "democracy-dispensing" and just US?
Iran can not be trusted with nuclear technology? Why ? Any solid evidence? Many would love to learn. Honestly.
You can't talk peace without considering ALL the parties in conflict. It doesn't matter whether you designate Hezbollah and Hamas terrorist organizations or freedom fighters, in the context of this larger point. What matters is addressing ALL the players involved who are in conflict with each other. Since it's well known that Iran supplies Hezbollah and Hamas with weapons, finances and training, why is the author of this article so surprised that Iran receives attention at the peace talks?
"Iran can not be trusted with nuclear technology? Why?"
It's a crazy, crazy risk to trust Islamic radicals with nuclear technology. If you have to ask why, you don't know the first thing about Islamic radicals, and you probably haven't paid much attention to the news in the last few decades. Tony Blair recently declared that Islamic radicalism is the great threat of our time, and Iran (under the mullahs) must never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. I wholeheartedly agree, regardless of the views expressed here.
So… it's just an opinion and not a fact. I appreciate your sense of humor by quoting Blair as an expert voice. I really do…
Yes, it matters a lot how public is fed with unilateral statements that terrorists are only on one side and "the most humane" military above any criticism. It does matter. Yes, all the players must be involved but on equal terms without ignoring history.
Risk of trusting Islamic country with nuclear technology….? It is just a word…risk. It was apparently a "risk" to allow Saddam "attack" the US with risky WMD. Is there a possibility of a grave mistake to believe slogans without looking into the facts? Historical facts including. The evil of Tehran apparently wants to wipe Israel out of the map. It's bad. The most respected "rabbi" in peace loving Isreal just expressed his desire to wipe out Abbas and the Palestinians. Isn't this bad too? Wishing for genocide in this case is not, as slogans tell us, an unique to Iran. So….what about the risk. Really…factually…in unbias words. Facts…these have been missing for a decade or more from the US media. Only self-serving opinions.
"The most respected "rabbi" in peace loving Isreal just expressed his desire to wipe out Abbas and the Palestinians."
The most respected rabbi? Are you kidding me? And you had me believing you have such a fondness for "facts"! Looks like you're the one expressing opinions now, not facts. That guy's got no shortage of harsh critics in Israel. And even if he WAS the most respected rabbi EVER, he still wouldn't be the LEADER OF THE COUNTRY, with the power to make good on his violent ambitions. So, nice try. Next time draw your parallels between analogous figures.
And how many highly respected imams could one find who spew the most odious venom 24/7? Their numbers are legion, so don't start congratulating yourself just coz you found one ranting rabbi.
Lost a post…__The "most respected rabbi" was meant to be a "salutation". But here you throw few classics of quasi-facts….that's how our public gets the news…well chewed. You say: "That guy's got no shortage of harsh critics in Israel."……what's wrong with this foxy statement? It is meaningless…it gives one a superficial and measured conclusion…end of the story. However…this statement means absolutely nothing since it is utterly immaterial for our public what one reads in Israel…or Bonn…or Madrid. Most have no clue where Israel is…. The issue is….was this hatefull statement, along with "criticism", discussed or presented in any form in our media? Just to give people a chance to decide on their own? No…nothing critical of Israel…it would be anti-semitic…:)__Is the rabbi immaterial?…Really?….again, let people read about him and his history. For you he is "not important"…not a leader of any nation so his rantings mean nothing. Remember Sadr? Not a leader of any nation…How many weeks was he on our front pages…terrorist…:)__It is nothing complicated to be honest…just have a testicle. At least one. Spine is not necessary.
In the 1930's, you and others who post here would have been among the many who were more than happy to ignore the radical nature and violent ambitions of Hitler and his henchmen. You would have argued against nipping that problem in the bud. I don't think you really want "facts", despite your repeated demands for them. You protest so much that I wonder if ANY facts unfavorable to Iran would sway you.
Hitler is being here compared to who? A parallel between analogous figures? Lost in thoughts…:) I thought Saddam was….
The "guy got harsh criticism in Israel"…good! But we do not live in Israel…at least I do not. It does not matter unless this is reported the same way here…with exposure equal to the "right"…or righteous…voices. Front pages, perhaps…and why not? Some imams spew the most vicious venom 24/7…so do some on the right…here. Identical…no difference.
You see…the fairness is one…not by a biased design accommodating ones ideology. It starts at schools…or at least it should. Alexandria and Baghdad are of historical importance. So is the Belfour Declaration and Deir Yassir.
Cheers to fairness.
Sounds distinctively familiar…sound of a wolf…nay!…a fox!
the usual smoke and mirror show!
America has nobody with balls enough to stand up to Netanyahu….a POS like him has power.
You are very right. But, to be fair, if we look at the last two-three decades of total and blind support of Israel, including "no bad news or comments on Israel" in the US media, this is the first time that the negative statements on Israel and Israel's policy were made in public by the gov. official…the President. With a notable exception when our war president and scholar GWB uttered a striking warning…"I mean it"!
Brown is just another Likud Party member
peace talks – an excuse to dine at others expense all else is what is left when the body is finished with what they dined on
Will bombing and destroying Iran bring a peace deal with the Palestinains? Once Iran is out of the way look for a forcible population transfer from the West Bank as in 1948.
One of the talking points used to justify Operation Iraqi Freedom was that attacking Iraq would make the Palestinians beg for peace. Operation Recycle B.S. is in full swing.