Israel's Netanyahu On a Different Planet

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright Oct. 30, 2012
All Rights Reserved.                                         

        Speaking to Paris’ Match Magazine, 63-year-old Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu said an Israeli strike of Iran’s atomic facilities would come as a relief to Arab countries.  Telegraphing to the world his intent to take military action to stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb, Netanyahu asked the U.N. and United States to set “red lines” on Iran’s nuclear enriching uranium.  Convinced that Tehran seeks to develop atomic weapons, Netanyahu has applied pressure on President Barack Obama to set deadlines for Iran to give up its nuclear program.  Crippling sanctions—backed by the U.S. and European Union—affecting Iran’s global oil sales hasn’t stopped Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from continuing the nuclear fuel cycle that typically ends with an A-bomb.  While Netanyahu has no better intel than anyone else, he’s convinced that Iran has reached the nuclear threshold.

            Merging Oct. 29 with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beiten Party, Netanyahu now has the political clout to stop the more dovish Labor Party from preventing a military strike against Iran.  Like the build up to the Iraq War in which former President George W. Bush hyped Iraq’s weapons on mass destruction for two years before launching air strikes March 20, 2003, Netanyahu’s government has hyped the Iranian nuclear threat.  Taking Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s threats against Israel out of context, Netanyahu has been on a propaganda binge convincing the Israeli public that Iran poses an “existential” threat to the Jewish State.  Most nuclear experts believe Iran is bluffing about it nuclear prowess, lacking the know-how to produce A-bombs.  Netanyahu plays on old fears of the Holocaust to sell his case against Iran.

               White House and European officials have done their utmost restraining Netanyahu’s proclivities toward military action.  “Five minutes after, contrary to the skeptics say, I think a feeling of relief would spread across the region,” Netanyahu told Match Magazine.  With Iran sure to retaliate in the Persian Gulf, with world oil prices going through the roof and with a larger scale conflict possible, no one other than Netanyahu believes anyone would be “relieved.”  Whatever differences remain in the Arab world with Iran, no one wants to see the Persian Gulf, especially the narrow Strait of Hormuz, turned into the shooting gallery.  Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ speedboats in the Gulf would have a field day attacking oil tankers and naval vessels.  Thinking that air strikes would not have disruptive consequences shows that “Bibi” lives on a different planet that the rest of us.

            Most military experts believe that any strike on Iran’s deeply buried underground nuclear facilities would not have lasting results on Iran’s nuclear enrichment program.  Starting a shooting war in the Persian Gulf would have far greater repercussions for Saudi Arabia, the world largest oil exporter.  “Iran is not popular in the Arab world, far from it, and some governments in the region, as well as their citizens, have understood that a nuclear armed Ira would be dangerous for them, not just for Israel,” Netanyahu told Match Magazine.  While it’s true that tensions exist from largely Shiite Iran with most Sunni Arab states, it’s not true that Arab states would like to see Israel take out Iran’s nuclear facilities.  Most Arab states trade petroleum in world markets and would be destabilized by any military action in the Persian Gulf.  Attacking Iran’s nuclear sites is no way of resolving problems in Gulf States.

              Talking tough in Europe sends a loud message to Washington that time is running out on resolving the Iranian nuclear standoff peacefully.  Debating his Republican foe Oct. 22 former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Barack made is clear that he will not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran.  Iran plays a dangerous game of chicken continuing to enrich uranium while the world demands it to stop.  Khamenei and Ahmadinejad have made it clear that Iran won’t capitulate to “bullying” powers that seek to stop Iran’s nuclear program.  Insisting Iran is well within its rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, Tehran defies the international community.  Netanyahu’s threats of air strikes push Tehran to dig it its heels.  Instead of going public on global magazines, Netanyahu should confine his political statements inside Israel.

            Running for reelection in January, Netanyahu needs to tone down the incendiary rhetoric and work more discreetly with the U.S. and EU.  Making political speeches outside Israel to foreign magazines only ratchets up global tension, putting more pressure on world oil prices.  Iran’s nuclear program has become a feeble bargaining chip for the Persian nation trying to win back some concessions from the West.  If diplomacy fails to stop Iran nuclear program, any strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities would have to go much further than simply to halt nuclear enrichment.  Netanyahu knows that Israel cannot act unilaterally without close coordination with the U.S.  Striking Iran nuclear facilities would open up a shooting war in the Persian Gulf, interfering with world oil shipments.  Before things go too far, Netanyahu should keep domestic politics out of potentially disastrous global events.

 John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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