Netanyahu at UN: Iran Is More Dangerous Than North Korea

8 Comments

1. 

   Oui on October 2, 2013 at 3:05 pm

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   Syrian President Assad Regarded As a ‘Reformer,’ Clinton Says

   (CNS) March 28, 2011 – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton drew a contrast between Syrian President Bashir Assad and his late father and predecessor, and said U.S. lawmakers who recently have visited Damascus regarded him as a “reformer.” She made the startling comment while explaining why the United States will not intervene on behalf of Syrian civilians revolting against the regime as it has done in the case of Libya.

   When Kerry was asked about Syria during a question-and-answer session afterwards, he voiced optimism about the direction relations were taking. “I have been a believer for some period of time that we could make progress in that relationship. And I’m going to continue to work for it and push it. President Assad has been very generous with me in terms of the discussions we have had,” Kerry continued. “And when I last went to – the last several trips to Syria – I asked President Assad to do certain things to build the relationship with the United States and sort of show the good faith that would help us to move the process forward.”

   ○ Clinton to meet Syrian President Hafez al-Assad in Geneva – 2000
   ○ Report: Netanyahu agreed to full Golan Heights withdrawal

   James Rubin Advocates Syrian Regime Change, U.S. Military Intervention to Defang Iran

   (Tikun Olam) June 12, 2012 – Jamie Rubin, a one-time foreign policy spokesperson in Bill Clinton’s administration has put forward a truly diabolical argument in Foreign Policy Magazine on behalf of Syrian regime change as a way of defanging the Iranian mullahs.  The odd thing about Rubin’s essay is that while he’s offering nostrums on behalf of U.S. foreign policy objectives, he makes no bones that the reason we should do these things is not so much for ourselves, but on behalf of Israel.

   Syria: From Regime Change To Regime-Led Change

   (M of A) Nov. 2012 – The U.S. does want to kill the SNC, but that is necessary to create a viable Syrian opposition that allows for a political solution for the situation in Syria. Largely because of Libya the aim and plan of the U.S. has changed from regime change in Syria to regime-led change. Clinton made clear that she thinks the SNC is worthless. She used quite undiplomatic language to express her disdain about their disunity.

   Washington is no longer following the Brookings Doha Center advice. Shadi Hamid, the Brookings Doha man, is furious about this. He wants a military intervention and his most important issue now is to further arm the rebels. That is understandable for two reasons. The rebels can no longer hold ground and had to revert to terror tactics because they did not follow the steps of guerrilla warfare. They are likely to fail and the false hope is that more weapons would help them. The other reason is money. Brookings Doha Center is a paid piper for the Emir of Qatar.

   The Neocon March on Damascus

   (Global Research) Aug. 28, 2013 – Here we go again. As Americans prepare to march on Washington, Washington is preparing to march on Damascus. As part of the buildup to war, a chorus of liberal hawks and neoconservatives has issued a new manifesto in–where else?–the Weekly Standard calling upon President Obama to engage in regime change in Syria. Just as they demanded military action to topple Saddam Hussein, so they now are insisting upon the removal of Bashar al-Assad.  

   ○ France24 – Domestic opposition groups not part of talks for a political solution in Syria

2. 

   Oui on October 2, 2013 at 3:08 pm

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   I must have listening to another speech …

   ADL praises Netanyahu’s ‘rational and emotional’ UN speech

   (JPost) – “Prime Minister Netanyahu has disappointed his critics who warned him not to be negative or shrill. He did not reject diplomacy, but in an articulate, reasonable, rational and emotional way made clear why the international community cannot afford to be complacent about Iran’s ongoing nuclear weapons program,” ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman said in a statement.

   ADL Op-Ed: It’s Iran, Stupid — How to Guarantee US Credibility Remains After Syria Crisis

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     yastreblyansky on October 3, 2013 at 7:52 pm

     You must have been listening tout court. Foxman, in contrast, didn’t have time to listen, and had his intern write up a response to what he imagined BN would say.

3. 

   Oui on October 2, 2013 at 3:46 pm

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   The Other Lobby: Newspapers of Gulf Oil Monarchies Condemn US-Iran Rapprochement

   On 29 and 30 September, Bahrain and UAE newspapers were observed to carry commentaries reacting to Obama’s comments regarding Bahrain and the latest developments in the US-Iranian relations, expressing mixed views on the “rapprochement” between them, Ruhani’s stances, and the way they affect the Gulf states. Following is a roundup of some of these opinion pieces:

   Manama Akhbar al-Khalij Online in Arabic [English] — Website of independent, pro-government daily

   – on 29 September carries a commentary saying that the Gulf states “are going to pay the price” for the US-Iranian relations. The commentary says that the United States “will steadily adopt the Iran’s stances toward the region,” referring to President Obama’s recent description of the situation in Bahrain as “sectarian tension.” The commentary says that Iran agreed to work with the United States on its nuclear program and Washington “will not hesitate to give up the head of the GCC” in return.

   Manama Akhbar al-Khalij Online in Arabic

   on 29 September carries a commentary saying that the “United States and Iran accustomed us to their hidden malicious coordination as they did in Iraq and Afghanistan,” but they revealed it now. The commentary adds “no wonder” Obama called Ruhani, because “improving the relations with Iran publicly became urgent now; it is the announcement of an illegitimate relationship that lasted for years.” The commentary further talks about the US Ambassador to Bahrain saying that his mission is to “ignite the sectarian rivalry.” …

   Manama  Al-Watan Online in Arabic [English] — Website of pro-government daily, harshly critical of Bahraini opposition, featuring articles by prominent Bahraini commentators…

   – on 29 September carries a commentary saying that “amid the US-Iran intimacy that came up suddenly, we find that President Obama went back in his last comments to stick Bahrain between Syria and Iraq.” The commentary adds that “inserting Bahrain in what happens in these two countries is the biggest political crime committed by Obama against our peaceful country.”  

   US moves on Syria, Iran outrage Saudi Arabia

   RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Gulf News) – The Obama administration’s handling of overtures on Syria and Iran have outraged regional ally Saudi Arabia, which is signaling it wants to do more to boost the power of armed rebel groups on the ground in Syria as the US pursues diplomacy.

   Saudis fear that Syrian President Basher Al Assad will use the time afforded by US- and UN-backed diplomacy on Syria “to impose more killing and to torture its people,” Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal said Thursday night in New York, in a warning that was overshadowed by the attention paid to the weekend’s first public contacts in three decades between the presidents of Iran and the US.

   Accordingly, Saudi Arabia wants “intensification of political, economic and military support to the Syrian opposition…to change the balance of powers on the ground” in Syria, Prince Saud said in his remarks to the Friends of Syria group, a coalition of Western and Gulf Arab countries and Turkey that supports the Syria opposition against Al Assad.

   Saudi Arabia cancels UN speech

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     kafkananda on October 3, 2013 at 1:48 am

     The GCC states have a lot to be concerned about. An Iran freed of crippling sanctions becomes a regional powerhouse with much potential to be developed. The Wahhabi stylings of the KSA don’t have the appeal that a vibrant Iranian culture brings.

     And, heavens forbid, if Iran ceases to be an enemy of Israel, the KSA might find itself in an uncomfortable spot as the new ‘existential threat’.  

4. 

   Oui on October 3, 2013 at 3:10 am

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   On how American Jews are Mostly the Opposite of Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu

   (Informed Comment) – A huge  Pew Charitable Truest telephone poll of American Jews confirms many of the things learned by previous religious polls conducted by Barry Kosmin and colleagues under the rubric of the American Religious Identification Survey. What is striking is how dissimilar the mainstream of Jewish Americans is to the ruling Likud Party in Israel, headed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

   Netanyahu and his party use Judaism and Jewish heritage as the basis for the construction of an exclusivist, nationalist, hardline ideology hostile toward and suspicious of non-Jews.

   … AIPAC, the Zionist Organization of America, the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Anti-Defamation League (which too often defames other people) are completely unrepresentative of Jewish Americans. But they do represent a few very wealthy super-nationalists such as Sheldon Adelson and (on his bad days) Haim Saban.

   One of the takeaways of the poll is that American politicians and media should stop being so afraid of the American Likudniks, who very ironically use their extreme nationalism to accuse other people of being bigots. The Israel lobbies don’t represent most Jewish voters, and if voter sentiment is the issue, they can most often safely be defied. Likewise, organizations such as CAMERA, who monitor journalists and attempt to discipline them or get them fired if they dare criticize Likud policy, should just be ignored. They don’t speak for Jewish Americans. They speak for a small group of fanatics.

   New Pew Poll on U.S. Jewish Identity

   (Tikun Olam) – The Pew Research: Religion and Public Life Project commissioned a new poll on American Jewish identity (full report here) and the results are fascinating and chilling at the same time.  Pew decided to take up the task when the Jewish federations, who’d done the last, controversial poll in 2000, declined to do so.

   According to the poll, there are now 6.6-million American Jews.  35% of Jews identify as Reform; 18% as Conservative; and 10% as Orthodox.  19% of Jews have no denomination.  58% of Jews intermarry and that figure rises to 71% for non-Orthodox Jews.  Two-thirds of American Jews do not belong to a synagogue.  One-quarter do not believe in God.  Only 26% believe that religion is “very important” in their lives compared to 56% of the overall American population.

   ○ RT.com – Israeli govt to recruit students as undercover agents on social media
   ○ Gerald Steinberg’s Hasbara War
5. 

   Oui on October 6, 2013 at 4:29 am

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   Iran’s Leader ‘Optimistic’ about Rowhani’s US Diplomacy, but Skeptical of Washington, Israel

   (Informed Comment) – Undersecretary of State for political affairs Wendy Sherman the point person in US negotiations with Iran, asked Congress not to impose a new round of sanctions on Iran given it just opened a round of diplomacy. But she went on to say that the Obama administration would insist on thorough-going negotiations, saying of Iran that “we know that deception is part of the DNA“.

   YouTube Video – Under Secretary Sherman Testifies on Iran

   I don’t think people in Washington who talk like that realize how offensive such language is, with racialist overtones. Try saying of a Western country that deception is part of its people’s DNA and see what happens to you. I’m sure the Islamic Republic is duplicitous, but I’m not sure it is a matter of DNA or that it is more duplicitous than many other governments that are US allies.

   In any case, Khamenei has given evidence in support of Rouhani’s assertion that the Leader has given him support in his diplomatic initiative, and has expressed “optimism” about that initiative despite his distrust of Washington and its special relationship with Israel.

   The USG Open Source Center translated Khamenei’s remarks from his website.

   “Iran’s Supreme Leader `Pessimistic’ About USA
    . . . Speech by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamene’i at a military cadets ceremony in Tehran on 5 October —
    Saturday, October 5, 2013
    Document Type: OSC Translated Text

   The Iranian nation is a nation that has shown its firmness in defending its ideals and interests and it has shown its desire for safety and peace and coexistence with Muslim brothers and all human beings. These are parallel to each other. We should add that we approve and support the government’s diplomatic moves. We emphasize diplomatic efforts and measures along with the Iranian nation’s comprehensive preparedness . . . We support whatever our government does, be it the recent events of the (president’s and foreign minister’s) trip (to New York) or other diplomatic efforts and measures they take. Of course, some of the things that happened during the New York trip, we believe, were not proper. However, we are optimistic about the diplomatic delegation of our dear nation and its servant, the government.

   Certainly, we are pessimistic about the Americans. We do not trust them. We consider the government of the United States of America as an unreliable, arrogant, illogical, and trespassing government, which is badly possessed and dominated by the international Zionist network. They are forced to appease the extorter and forged regime that has occupied Palestine to observe the illegitimate desires and interests of the international Zionist network. They ought to be flexible against it for the interests of the international Zionist network.

   They call it America’s interests, whereas America’s national interests entirely contradict what they are doing today in support of the forged regime. The government of the United States of America is blackmailing the entire world, appeasing the forged Zionist regime. We witness these facts. We do not trust the US government. We trust our own officials. We are optimist and we want them (officials) to take right and firm steps carefully and considering all aspects. They should not forget national interests even for a second.

   The important point for the Islamic Republic’s system is the internal strength of the structure of the Islamic Republic, the internal strength of the Iranian nation. This has managed to protect the country, national unity, respect to great ideals of the Islamic Republic, and respect to the national honor. The Iranian nation is a dear nation. The revolution gave honor back to them.

   The time when an American sergeant could dare to beat up an Iranian colonel on Iranian land and officials of our dear country had to observe the arrogant enemies is over. The Islamic Republic made the Iranian nation dear. This honor remains and it is increasing day by day. It is the duty of all officials and the Iranian nation to defend and steward it. A nation becomes proud by its main identity and honor. Otherwise, the nation cannot make progress. The duty of the Armed Forces is to be prepared. They should have the spirit to defend the ideals and the nation that trusts them and backs them.”

   Khamenei throws support behind Rouhani’s trip to UN

   ○ Obama: Iran a ‘year or more’ away from nuclear bomb
6. 

   Oui on October 20, 2013 at 3:11 pm

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   Last August, a banker’s friend without a scandal?

   After string of failures ‖ Netanyahu eyes Argentine economist as top candidate for Bank of Israel governor

   Mario Blejer, who briefly headed the Central Bank of Argentina a decade ago, reportedly is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s latest preferred candidate for governor of the Bank of Israel following the abortive appointments of Jacob Frenkel and Leo Leiderman, each of whom bowed out after allegations of past scandals surfaced.

   Nice cartoon in Haaretz!

    « click  
   There's no place in the world for middle-aged Jews, except Israel

   BOI candidate Mario Blejer had side role in DSK scandal – to be specific, his wife did

   … and if you had missed it:

   ○ The most qualified candidate for Fed chair isn’t Summers or Yellen. It’s this guy. [Stanley Fischer!]
   Yeah, musical chairs or how to be a friend’s friend in Israel.