From the “Bad ideas never die, they just get resurrected” files.
In America we would call someone who favors an attack on Iran in order to jump start regime change a neoconservative, a wingnut, a Bush Koolaid drinker or Dick Cheney. In Israel, I’m not sure what label you would apply to a person advocating for a pre-emptive strike against Iran, but I do know that the Jerusalem Post will allocate space on it’s editorial page for him to promote his dream of Iranian regime change through the judicious application of military force:
It is true that, unlike Saddam Hussein, the ayatollahs of Teheran have dispersed their nuclear facilities in heavily fortified underground facilities across their nation. This makes the kind of air strike Israel employed in 1981 to take out Saddam’s nuclear reactor impractical.
THIS DOES not mean, however, that a military option does not exist. Several possible military viable military options do exist. The problem is not a lack of means or capabilities, but a lack of will and fortitude.
“A lack of will and fortitude” is a nice way to say that our leaders have too little testosterone influencing their decision making (i.e., balls) to do what Jonathan Ariel, the Israeli writer of this op-ed believes is necessary: making Iran go BOOM!
(cont.)
… A surgical missile strike against Iran’s few advanced air defense facilities would dismantle them, neutralizing the country’s entire air defense system.
Attacking air forces equipped with the most advanced technological capabilities would enjoy total air superiority, enabling the launching of a sustained prolonged strategic bombing attack.
Such an assault, in addition to causing significant damage to at least some of the facilities, could also jump-start regime change. The sight of US and perhaps also Israeli aircraft flying unopposed over Iran would be highly demoralizing for the regime. Dictatorships, which survive solely on the perception of power and fear, have difficulty surviving such humiliations.
I don’t believe any attack on Iran is now imminent due to the results of the recent US election, and for that we should be thankful. However, as Mr. Ariel reminds us, just because the hard-liners in the US and Israel have been forestalled this time doesn’t mean they are going to willingly surrender their ridiculous vision of remaking the Middle East through the use of air power. Despite the fact that there is scant evidence an attack like the one advocated here would result in a popular revolt against the current rulers of Iran’s government, conservatives here and in Israel continue to believe that the solution to all the problems we face in the Middle East can be solved with cruise missiles and bunker busting tactical nukes.
We may relax for the moment, but let’s not forget this truth. The far right in both Israel and the America is never going to abandon their faith in war as a panacea for our problems in the Middle East. Against all evidence, they will hold firm to their dream of raining death and destruction from the skies upon the “evildoers” in Iran. We’ve merely won a temporary respite. Nothing more.
Yup, Steven, you are right with your analysis. I will, however, apply a good thought, as I see it tho. They are dreaming and with this dream comes a total distruction of their country…The total demise of their nation is due in that regard. Why? Because the entire middle East will come down on them like monkey on an ape. Their last breath will be saying OH SHIT! I suggest they think long and hard before they act on such a dream.
Actually PEACE would be a better thing for them to try to dream about and try to achieve, in my honest opinion. I would think it would behove them to start this and soon, if they think anything of their future and the future generations of their land/nation.
Plus, I want a million dollars and I dream of all of which I could do with that $$ too, but will never happen…So dreams are just dreams…good to have but that will never happen..for the most part…
Hope all is going well for your wife…Thinking of her always and hope she does well with new therapy….hugs
The cognitive dissonance is just absolutely stunning.
Looks like we’re getting ready to change our lead horse in Iraq before that Iran attack.
There’s more fallout in Amman with a link to Israel.
Al Maliki failed to join Bush and King Abdullah for a threeway dinner – The Independent, UK reports
Basic Lesson 101: How to screw up a summit.
And of willpower, Failure Needs No Plan.– Napoleon Hill
From before Doctor Strangelove to Dick Cheney himself, we have always had those who “hold firm to their dream of raining death and destruction from the skies upon the ‘evildoers’.” It is a non-stop battle. The diarist is right, it is a temporary victory in a never ending struggle.
Hi Barry, I hear you gave a good fight towards winning. Good for you! I sure hope there will be a next time. Give my best to Cherrie
I am often amazed at the ridiculousness of hawks such as this. More balls than brains. Alas, I think your right, there will always be morons that think the only solution is to blow things up.
My smart ass commnet: I think Jesus, David and Mohammad need to sit down and have a peace talk.
There is indeed a lack of will and fortitude. It is the lack of will for the thinking people in government (and there are many) to say to the “Harder Faster Stronger” crowd “STFU.”
Also that guy is factually wrong – taking out air defenses and achieving air superiority will mean nothing. The fact is the bunkers are under lots and lots of dirt and concrete, and we don’t have bombs that can get there, air superiority or not. In Gulf War I we tried to blast our way through to the bunkers by blowing up the dirt with normal bombs and then dropping bunker-penetrating bombs into the craters. It didn’t work.
The sight of Israeli/American planes over Iranian skies blowing up Iranians will not make Iranians overthrow their regime, it will piss them off and give the regime an external threat to coalesce around.
issue we as reasonable human beings as well as Americans face is making sure that neither we nor the insane warmongers in Israel actually attack Iran in any way whatsoever. That really would be the end whatever vestiges of responsibility we are still seen to have in the eyes of most of the world. All the already ludicrous fantasies of friendly Sunni governments allied with us and Israel would rapidly be seen by even the neo-con likudnik idiots as the flawed fantasies they are. The once pro-western puppet dictatorships established in some Middle eastern countries would either turn against us or be overthrown. The middle east would be in total turmoil and even the average American at home would face paying a fortune for gas and an impending recession would probably not go down too well. As for us Americans abroad well we are already regarded as legitimate targets by much of the world and that wouldnt change. And if a bomb or two went off in mainland America most of the people of the world would cheer, and if it weas dirty or chemical that cheering would be louder.
Now do we want to be a responsible member of the international community or do we want to be an international pariah hated by most of the world? Actually we aint too popular around the world right now but it will only get worse.