Who Has Leverage? Iran or Israel?
ISLAM AND THE WEST
By Daniel Brumberg
"It's a crucial condition if we want to move forward," said Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon,... "Realistically, we need to keep Iran at bay... Until that happens, the Israeli government will largely limit itself to matters such as trying to improve the Palestinian economy and strengthen its civil institutions. The Iranian clock should be measured in months," he said... By contrast, the timetable on Palestinian statehood "is open-ended."
Let us thank Iran's President for making Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's job easier. Grandstanding, Ahmadenejad told the UN conference on racism that "Zionists" had "penetrated into the political and economic structure including their legislation, mass media, companies, financial systems...to the extent that nothing can be done against their will." In an apparent bid to soften his outrageous remarks, Ahmadenejad dropped a line in his speech repeating his denial of the Holocaust.
Some consolation! Who can blame Deputy Foreign Minister Ayalon for arguing that Iran must be prevented from 'sabotaging" Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking?
I agree with the notion--accept for one crucial point, and that is this:
Ayalon's position suggests that any event, trend or development--be it a calculated insult, a Hamas rocket or a failure to force Tehran to renounce enrichment--can and should stall talks. Yet linking Palestinian-Israeli peacemaking to the vague goal of "keeping Iran at bay" puts Tehran in the driver's seat.
This does not mean that the challenge posed by Iran should be ignored--far from it. But the link that really counts is the reverse of that suggested by Ayalon. If Tehran's leverage has increased, this is partly due to Israel's military campaigns in Lebanon and Gaza. Whatever the justification, these actions had the unintended effect of strengthening Iran and its local allies. This development points to one clear lesson: The most effective way for Israel to undercut the region's radical forces is by committing itself to a serious, substantive and relentless effort to achieve peace.
Indeed, this is precisely why in January 2009 Saudi leaders made the case to a USIP-Stimson Center delegation that Washington should first address the Arab-Israeli issue and then engage Iran. Otherwise, Arab leaders fear that Tehran will enter talks with overbearing negotiating leverage.
Why do some Israeli leaders make the opposite case? First, I would guess that some Israeli leaders want to stall talks on a Palestinian state. Second, some may want to discourage Washington from pursuing a deal over the nuclear issue that might be unacceptable to Israel (and to many Arab states). Pushing for a fast-paced negotiation could limit Washington's room for maneuver as it stiffens Tehran's position. This dynamic would then open the door to further sanctions, or perhaps even an air attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
To avoid this scenario, Washington must make it clear that the linkage Tel Aviv proposes is unacceptable and dangerous; unacceptable because it could undercut our negotiating stance, and dangerous because it makes the peace process itself hostage to Iran's whims. Moreover, Washington should politely reject Ayalon's assertion that the timetable for Palestinian statehood is "open ended." If anything, American diplomacy must reflect the hard reality that the window for creating a politically and economically viable Palestinian state is closing fast, and indeed may already be shut.
If that window has been sealed, Iran will be the big winner. If it has not, or if can be pried open, then the US, the Palestinian National Authority and Israel should get to it. Secretary of State Clinton put it succinctly to a Congressional committee: "For Israel to get the kind of strong support it is looking for vis-a-vis Iran, it can't stay on the sidelines with respect to the Palestinians and the peace efforts. They go hand in hand."
Daniel Brumberg is Associate Professor of Government at Georgetown University Acting Director of U.S. Institute of Peace's Muslim World Initiative.
By Daniel Brumberg |
April 24, 2009; 2:46 PM ET
| Category:
Islam and the West
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Posted by: Farnaz1Mansour1 | April 26, 2009 1:56 PM
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George Washington on Israel
“A passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest in cases where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the latter without adequate inducement or justification.” ~George Washington Farewell Address
“The nation which indulges toward another habitual hatred or habitual fondness is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interests." ~ George Washington
"Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none." ~ Thomas Jefferson
Posted by: tommyj7648 | April 26, 2009 2:08 AM
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israel is a stinking corps.
Posted by: TomKK | April 26, 2009 1:14 AM
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Persiflage,
I posted this earlier today. Don't know how far you've gotten on this blog, but evidently others have been active in trying to do something about these moronic postings, "bearing of false witness" against me and another identifiable person, the real victim in all this.
Hi Persiflage,
No, the moronic "alias" postings haven't stopped. The blogger in question is continuing them on the Main Thread
I noted one such post there and also emailed onFaith, using the "Report Abusive Comments" mechanism.
Maybe, you might do the same?
"People are fleeing in droves." Indeed, they are. It's good to see you haven't. Please don't give in to the troll.
Farnaz
Posted by: Farnaz2 | April 25, 2009 4:53 PM
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Beware of any commentarties written by Farnaz aka Farnaz2 aka Observer12 aka Observer31 aka Yael1 aka ivri5678 aka Billy8 aka nadinebatra aka stadtbear aka Spark1 aka Masumian MA? aka Ma'sumian? aka Sheikhazdeh?
They are all from the same person. BTW, these aliases do not qualify as Buddha's reincarnated clones.
Part of the evidence trail:
"Interestingly, the proof of the multiple aliases is on display prominently in this thread. Look carefully at the posts in which her sign-on name doesn't match the alias she's writing under.
For example, in her post of Feb 10, 3:18 a.m., she signed on as the Yael alias but then wrote a "Dear Yael" message and signed it "Farnaz."
Another, more recent example: her post of Feb. 16, 9:52 a.m. She signed on as Farnaz but wrote a "Dear Farnaz" message and signed it "Yael."
I guess it's tough keeping up with the finer details of having several personas.
Posted by: kjohnson3 | February 17, 2009 10:29 AM "
Posted by: CCNL | April 25, 2009 3:38 PM
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Hi Persiflage,
No, the moronic "alias" postings haven't stopped. The blogger in question is continuing them on the Main Thread
I noted one such post there and also emailed onFaith, using the "Report Abusive Comments" mechanism.
Maybe, you might do the same?
"People are fleeing in droves." Indeed, they are. It's good to see you haven't. Please don't give in to the troll.
Farnaz
Posted by: Farnaz2 | April 25, 2009 12:25 PM
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"Ahmedenajad who?"
Are you the voice of naivete or denial ??
Ahmadinejad speaks what is in the hearts of millions and millions of Islam's faithful followers..
Posted by: SursumCorda | April 25, 2009 12:21 PM
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Ahmedenajad who? This man is a clown, "governs" Iran as much as I do.
The Racist UN Conference is helping the situation not a whit. No matter how much Israel attempts to keep its citizenry ignorant of ant-Jewish racism, it will get through. It is getting through. And it is hardly in Netanyahu's interest to suppress it.
Ayalon is right to the extent that he goes. First, Iranians are tired of getting antisemitism from their clown president in lieu of the strong economy he promised him, and, which, to the extent that they could honestly vote, they voted for him.
Demonstrations for jobs continue in Iran. People want to eat. As for Ayalon, the problem is that strengthening the Palistinian economy is difficult given the corruption that inheres in the Fata Party, in a different way in Hamas. Palestine is still a feudal society with "aristocratic" thugs, and other varieties stealing from the mouths of the people.
Then there is the Temple Mount/Dome of the Rock issue that will not go away.
Three blind eyes. To the extent that Ayalon goes, he is right. To the extent that three blind eyes, possibly a fourth, on which more later, govern the "peace" inititatives in Israel-Palestine relations, Ayalon is incorrect in hoping for progress.
Then, we must recall the extent to which Britain (the shape-shifting BP, lawless in the US), the US. FRance, et al, mess with Middle Eastern politics, supporting goons throughout the region, further undermining prospects for peace.
If that is a fourth blind I, then there is a fifth, on which, more later.
No. I'd leave Iran alone for the moment. Bombing it could further jeopardize US security, now that we have brought the Taliban to Iraq via Iran. It's enough that we're responsible for the Shah, Homeini, and the Clown.
We don't want to face any more consequences of our imperialism. Israel would do the US a favor if it would let Iran alone for awhile.
The US meanwhile, Britian, France need to start cleaning up the filthy houses they built throughout the region. And, Germany, as well.
Posted by: Farnaz2 | April 25, 2009 12:19 PM
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I really thought all of these moronic and tiresome 'alias' posts were supposed to be expunged. Enough is enough already!!
What happened to all of those good intentions to block the redundant, mindless garbage, WaPo??
Posters are fleeing in droves.....
Posted by: persiflage | April 25, 2009 12:10 PM
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DAILY ALIAS ALERT:
As part of our 24/7 war against Islam and against the bearing of false witness:
Again Farnaz2 commentaries continue unabated. Other aliases used by Farnaz in the past are:
Observer12 aka Observer31 aka Yael1 aka ivri5678 aka Billy8 aka nadinebatra aka stadtbear aka ????
Farnaz was caught "red handed" using most of these aliases some threads ago:
Other aliases used by Farnaz in the past are:
Observer12 aka Observer31 aka Yael1 aka ivri5678 aka Billy8 aka nadinebatra aka stadtbear aka Spark1.
Posted by: CCNL | April 25, 2009 10:22 AM
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Ahmedenajad who?
Posted by: Farnaz2 | April 24, 2009 7:38 PM
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