Roger L. Simon

July 7th, 2009 8:00 am

Mixed Message to the Mullahs (or not)

Well, maybe not. I like the alliteration, but the words of Barack Obama and Joe Biden are (for once) not so far apart as they seem, regarding how the US would view an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear installations. Obama said: “We can’t dictate to other countries what their security interests are.” Biden said: The US “cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do.” Sounds pretty similar to me, despite all the caveats added, particularly by Obama, of course. Even the State Dept’s Ian Kelly said: “We’re not going to dictate its [Israel's] actions…” (You can bet the US would have sharp words for Israel on this matter if they wanted. They certainly don’t hesitate on the settlements.)

Coordinated? I wouldn’t bet against it. A message is being sent to the mullahs. I would add into the mix the recent Timesonline release that the Israelis are working with the Saudis regarding fly-over rights for the IAF?

Will the mullahs listen to this muffled saber-rattling? Well, as we know, they are not normal, so it is hard to say. One thing I will predict: if the Israelis decide they have to act, those fly-over rights won’t be the issue.

Comment
Bookmark and Share
Digg Print Digg PJM Home

Pajamas Media appreciates your comments that abide by the following guidelines:

1. Avoid profanities or foul language unless it is contained in a necessary quote or is relevant to the comment.

2. Stay on topic.

3. Disagree, but avoid ad hominem attacks.

4. Threats are treated seriously and reported to law enforcement.

5. Spam and advertising are not permitted in the comments area.

The clause regarding "hate speech" has been deleted because readers criticized it as being too loosely defined. We agreed.

These guidelines are very general and cannot cover every possible situation. Please don't assume that Pajamas Media management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment. We reserve the right to filter or delete comments or to deny posting privileges entirely at our discretion. If you feel your comment was filtered inappropriately, please email us at story@pajamasmedia.com.

12 Comments

1. jungus:

I had a good feeling that once Ahmadinnerjacket got the nod that Israel would attack those nuclear targets. Sadly, it may help the mullahs consolidate power again. However, we could be reading this backwards. The world (Jewish and Muslim) joining together against the mullahs may show the people of Iran that it is time for a change.
Let’s hope for minimal loss of life in either case.

Jul 7, 2009 - 8:11 am 2. jungus:

Well, maybe not a “good” feeling, I should have said a “strong” feeling.

Jul 7, 2009 - 8:47 am 3. Professor Guvinoff:

When arabs foreigners get medical treatment in Israel, sometimes with the financial backing of jewish charities, they usually don’t show any gratitude, nor even any detectable sign of softening of their hateful positions.

An israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure could well help bring the theocratic regime down at a time when its internal structure is already showing cracks.

At the same time, a foreign attack would bring the tyrants a choice excuse for defending their abusive powers. The clincher would be how the Iranian people react. They would face a choice between nationalistic impulses and a possible path to freedom.

Who could possibly predict which way they would go? Vox populi, who would have thunk it?

Jul 7, 2009 - 10:04 am 4. vb:

This is known as the Speak Softly and Let Israel Carry a Big Stick policy. AKA voting present.

Jul 7, 2009 - 10:09 am 5. David Thomson:

“When arabs foreigners get medical treatment in Israel, sometimes with the financial backing of jewish charities, they usually don’t show any gratitude, nor even any detectable sign of softening of their hateful positions.”

These Arabs believe that the Jews owe them big time. They are the children of Mohammed and entitled to the best of everything. The slimy Jews are only trying to keep their victims halfway contented. I’m sure that’s what they think. This is why talks between the Jews and the present Palestinian leadership is virtually a waste of time. At the end of the day, it’s all about the Jews giving and the Arabs getting their perceived just desserts. There was a young Arab girl only a few years ago that tried to blow up a Jewish health facility. It was the same one that served her own medical needs. She obviously was not thankful.

Jul 7, 2009 - 10:18 am 6. Simon Hawkin:

Arabs who have received medical treatment in Israel do, for the most part, express gratitude. There is no reason to pile up on them.

It may be different with Palestinians, however. I remember the case of a young Palestinian woman who was trying to bring a bomb in the Israeli clinic where she was undergoing treatment. I also remember medics describing a room full of Palestinian patients cheering when victims of terrorist attacks were brought in.

Jul 7, 2009 - 11:14 am 7. Professor Guvinoff:

@6, Simon Hawkin:

That’s good news to me. The accounts I know about are about palestinian attitudes.

@5, David Thomson:

Yes, if you read through an English translation of the Koran, you find a lot of statements about who has privileges, and who does not, and the jews are definitely at the bottom of the totem pole, as it were. The christians are lucky to be a bit above the jews, but not by much. Some arabs today are even arguing that we should still give them money after they run out of oil! So that notion of privilege would be hard to eradicate, it seems.

Bottom line the western world has enough doubts about itself to elect an apologist the US presidency, whereas the islamists are fully convinced of their superiority, untill they lose militarily as they did in the barbary wars in the days of Jefferson. In that case, it’s okay, because that can only be the way Allah decided it.

Jul 7, 2009 - 11:30 am 8. Anita Hope:

The mind of a Palestinian can not be read by a fellow Palestinan, so we must not expect either Jews or other Arab countries to figure them out. They have never been educated to show any emotional feelings towards others outside their own and then it is male against female as an added attitude. It is like hitting your head against a brick wall, Israel will have to defend itself till the end, and as a classic saying goes, “Only Time Will Tell” and the time is growing very close.

Jul 7, 2009 - 11:49 am 9. David Thomson:

“…and the jews are definitely at the bottom of the totem pole, as it were.”

Women captives may be a the bottom of the totem pole. Numerous Islamic theologians contend that they can be raped by Muslim men. There are even rules and regulations regarding these rapes.

Jul 7, 2009 - 12:12 pm 10. jungus:

“There are even rules and regulations regarding these rapes.” This being a mitigating factor as to why Arab slavery is civilized compared to our (antebellum) barbarian slave holding ways. Apparently, this even absolves those that still take slaves.

Jul 7, 2009 - 12:47 pm 11. David Thomson:

“This being a mitigating factor as to why Arab slavery is civilized compared to our (antebellum) barbarian slave holding ways.”

Slavery is intrinsically evil. Things were bad enough in the United States. Still, when everything is said and done—the odds were that a slave would prefer to be sent to our country rather than an Arab one. Southern Christians were indeed often hypocritical, but normally they felt a flawed sense of obligation toward their slaves. Arab slave holders usually did not give a fat damn.

Jul 7, 2009 - 1:06 pm 12. J. Rockford:

The Israelis will do what they have to do without a care as to what the U.S. thinks. At this point, what the U.S. says is meaningless to them. And they now now that the U.S. is not their ally. After six months of the Obama administration, the U.S. has lost all credibility in foreign affairs. Leaders in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuala, et al now regard Obama as a joke and a patsy. As long as they don’t do anything stupid like nuke a U.S. city — which even Obama would have to respond to with the still potent US armed forces — they can do anything they want. The world is passing the U.S. by.

Jul 10, 2009 - 7:08 am

Write a Comment

Name: (required, displayed)
Email: (required, not publicized)
URL: (optional, displayed)
Comments:
 

Roger L Simon

Author Photo
The blog of the mystery writer, screenwriter and CEO of Pajamas Media

Just Published

Blacklisting MyselfWith gratitude to the readers of this blog without whom my new -- and first non-fiction -- book would likely never have been written.

Simon's first non-fiction book - Blacklisting Myself: Memoir of a Hollywood Apostate in an Age of Terror - Pub. date: February 5, 2009

Archives

Books