Obama Requires Israel Not Defend Itself

Michael

In an interview with The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg, Barack Obama insisted that Israel not defend itself against a future Iranian nuclear threat. Goldberg writes:

Though he struck a consistently pro-Israel posture during the interview, Obama went to great lengths to caution Israel that a premature strike might inadvertently help Iran: "At a time when there is not a lot of sympathy for Iran and its only real ally, [Syria,] is on the ropes, do we want a distraction in which suddenly Iran can portray itself as a victim?"

Portray itself as a victim?

Barack Obama is telling the world that Israel should not take out the Iranian nuclear program because then it can portray itself as the victim? Look, I do not care if Iran portrays itself as a hot pastrami sandwich on rye with mustard and melted swiss (my personal favorite) so long as they do not attain nuclear weaponry. So, what is this nonsense?

Obama then went on to say:

The only way historically that a country has ultimately decided not to get nuclear weapons without constant military intervention has been when they themselves take [nuclear weapons] off the table. That's what happened in Libya, that's what happened in South Africa.

In other words, it has to be voluntary? We have to somehow convince Iran that it's in its own best interest not to develop nuclear weapons? Ho. Ho. Ho. Good luck with that one, guys. Does anyone really have any faith that Barack Obama can somehow talk the Iranians out of pursuing a nuclear weapons program?

It makes no sense. Whatever Barack Obama tells the Iranians they are going to want nuclear weaponry as a means of self-defense against perceived American and western aggression. To their east is Afghanistan and to their west is Iraq and both were attacked by American forces in recent years. Nothing is going to convince the Iranians that it is not in their own best interest to pursue nuclear weaponry.

Obama then went on say:

I think that the Israeli government recognizes that, as president of the United States, I don't bluff.

He doesn't bluff? What is that, some sort of veiled threat to the Iranians? What horrendous nonsense. Of course, he bluffs. All politicians bluff now and again and as a poker player I can tell you that the only time people claim that they do not bluff is when they are bluffing. Of course, only truly bad poker players claim never to bluff because no one is going to believe it, anyway.

I also don't, as a matter of sound policy, go around advertising exactly what our intentions are. But I think both the Iranian and the Israeli governments recognize that when the United States says it is unacceptable for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, we mean what we say.

Ya got that? He means what he says and he doesn't bluff. Yet, Israel must not take out Iran's nuclear program because it would make Iran look like a victim.

This has to be some of the most feeble nonsense that I have ever heard in my entire life. Vague promises. Vague threats. Nothing that can give any observer the least bit of confidence that this president is really going to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear arsenal.

In order to think otherwise, one must have something close to a religious faith in this president which... although I recognize that many people suffer from that particular problem... I do not.

Finally:

Why is it that despite me never failing to support Israel on every single problem that they've had over the last three years, that there are still questions about that?

Jeez, the guy sounds almost petulant.

Why? Why, you ask? Here, let me help you, Barack.

You screwed up any potential for a negotiated peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians through a demand for "total settlement freeze" and then went forward to blame the Israelis for the failure, suggesting that they need to "search their souls" if they honestly wanted peace.

That was a big one.

You also helped usher in the rise of radical Islam throughout the region. By pushing for the ouster of Hosni Mubarack in Egypt at a time when you knew that the Muslim Brotherhood was waiting in the wings you helped pave the way for that genocidal organization with historical roots to Nazi Germany. Furthermore, you tell us, in one of the most ridiculous and horrendous statements from any politician in recent history, that the so-called "Arab Spring"... with its riots and rapes and murder and mayhem, and the emergence of al-Sharia throughout the region, with its oppression of women, oppression Gay people, and oppression of non-Muslims and genocidal intention toward the Jews... that we should "think of the defiance of those patriots in Boston who refused to pay taxes to a King, or the dignity of Rosa Parks as she sat courageously in her seat."

That's why there are questions about your relationship with the Jewish state.

It's because you cannot be trusted, Mr. President.

Get it?