Did the U.S. throw Israel under the bus in its nuke proposal to Iran?
posted at 2:55 pm on June 14, 2006 by Allahpundit
Remember when Ahmadinejad threatened to reveal details of the secret EU/U.S. nuke offer? Sure enough, two days later the Iranian papers published what they claimed were the nuts and bolts. MEMRI has a translation. Here’s the interesting part:
Diplomacy
- Security cooperation in the region.
- Support for the establishment of a regional intergovernmental organization, to include the countries of the region and other countries interested in advancing the level of cooperation and talks on security issues in the Persian Gulf, with the aim of fulfilling the security agreements in the region and cooperating on important security issues in the region, including guarantees of political power and territorial integrity [for Iran].
- Elimination of WMDs in the Middle East.
- Support for maintaining a region free of WMDs and from middlemen who transfer this kind of weapon to the Middle East.
Italics mine. Arab regimes have aspired to eliminate WMDs from “the Middle East” for years, of course. It’s their way of demanding that Israel give up its nukes while sounding even-handed. (Syria supports Iran’s nuclear ambitions even though Assad knows full well it’s a weapons program, and Saudi Arabia reportedly is working on nukes of its own.) The State Department has, I believe, paid lip service to the idea of a nuke-free “Middle East” in the past, but so far as I know, we’ve never committed to it in the context of a formal agreement. So what gives? What if Iran takes the deal but only on the condition that the western powers live up to their promise and make the region truly WMD-free?
Ah, but Iran won’t take the deal, will it? It’s fun to play “what if,” though.
Newsweek has an interesting piece about the negotiations with Iran that suggests it’s not just Israel that’s at risk of being sold out. And WaPo reports that China isn’t the only Asian power with something to say about sanctions in the event of Iranian noncompliance.
I leave you with this, from Fox News. Birds of a feather, except for the Jew-hatred, terrorism, misogyny, etc. etc.
Thanks to Sugiero for the MEMRI link.
Update: Here’s new video from Fox News of John Moody relaying an offer — completely credulously — from one of Khamenei’s aides about Iran “helping” the U.S. in Iraq if we play ball with them on the nuke issue. Repulsive.
Blowback
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The US did this before in Iraq in Gulf War I
I still think this is the US’s way of calling Iran’s bluff (here’s what you say you want, will you take it?). I think Israel is going to be ok but yeah the US wasn’t talking to the Israelis about their nuke proposals or we could’ve heard the screaming from tel aviv here in San Diego
Defector01 on June 14, 2006 at 2:59 PM
Good post, but I just don’t think that we are gonna sell out Israel. I figure we can finagle the wording on WMD free middle east. I mean, has Israel ever admitted to having WMDs? Yeah, I know Iran has never admitted (except for the Freudian Slip in a past HotAir post) to seeking WMDs, but I don’t think that we are gonna start putting pressure on Israel to disarm.
Just my prediction. The next few months will bear me out or reveal this prediction to be false.
EFG on June 14, 2006 at 3:05 PM
I want to say that we are not going to sell off Israel, but are we in control of the situation there?
Over and over again I warn people that our true enemy is always been Russia. They are doing everything they can to de-stablize the middle east. EU is so damn dumb that they probably won’t do a thing until the Slavic boots marching on their door step again.
When there are mini wars at the Russia border, may be then they would take another look at their middle east policy.
easy87us on June 14, 2006 at 3:21 PM
The U.S. sold out EVERYONE when it decided to negotiate with terrorists. THAT’s when Israel and Americans were “sold out.”
What was it Bush said? Oh, yeah. . . “We will not negotiate with terrorists.” That vow, it seems, was as solid as was his father’s “Read my lips, NO NEW TAXES!”
And I do not think Iran is “bluffing.” Those running Iran, both secular and cleric, are deadly serious. And key, is that THEY ARE NUTS! We are repeating the mistakes that plunged us into World War II and no amount of appeasement disguised as diplomacy will change that.
Nero fiddled while Rome burned, and so are we.
ForYourEdification on June 14, 2006 at 3:40 PM
Well, it has been my observation that SoS Condi is no great friend of Israel. Never have been able to get a handle on how President Bush REALLY feels about it.
So, let’s just say that I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if Israel is ‘thrown under the bus’. But until that becomes a fact, I’ll continue to hold out hope that this is more of the ‘poker playing’ that the President can be so good at.
LegendHasIt on June 14, 2006 at 3:42 PM
Why do we trust that Iran has accurately disclosed these terms? They have an interest in driving a wedge between Israel and the USA. It’s quite likely we offered nothing of the sort.
see-dubya on June 14, 2006 at 3:43 PM
No one throws Israel under a bus! No one!!!
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on June 14, 2006 at 3:46 PM
No one throws Israel under a bus! No one!!!
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on June 14, 2006 at 3:46 PM
=================================
RIGHT!
Which means that Bush’s true intentions may be to ultimately force ISRAEL to attack Iran! Bush can help from the sidelines, silently, while Israel takes worldwide heat.
Wouldn;t be the first time the U.S. did that, either.
ForYourEdification on June 14, 2006 at 3:56 PM
ForYourEdification, I don’t think Bush would force Israel to attack Iran. If that happens, it will de-stabilize the entire middle east.
Bush is trying to apply pressure on Russia and China,behind the scene, to hope for them to convince Iran to stop or else.
Russia is meeting with that nut job now. As to how effective would this strategy be, I can say not very effective because it is not in Russia best interest to have a stable oil supply from middle east.
Unless Israel is going to smuggle a couple nukes, through a third party, to the Chencheyn rebels if Russia won’t stop Iran. Now that is what I would like to see.
This is much better than any other options I know of.
easy87us on June 14, 2006 at 5:51 PM
Iran won’t go for it. To their jihadist supporters, it will be like cohorting with the enemy. Israel will be forced to nuke them and that will be the end of that.
pullingmyhairout on June 14, 2006 at 6:18 PM
I’m afraid that I have to agree with ‘pullingmyhairout.’ The U.S. IS going to force Israel’s hand (by doing nothing and dragging out these ridiculous “talks”) because eventually, Israel will determine that it needs to bomb Iran to survive.
But ‘easy87′ is also correct because if that happens, and I believe it will given present circumstances, the Mideast will indeed be plunged into widespread war.
ForYourEdification on June 14, 2006 at 7:16 PM
I think that Israel needs to make it abundantly clear to the Muslim world that if it is ever attacked with nuclear weapons, Mecca and Medina will be wiped off the planet along with the large cities of other hostile nations such as Damascus, Tehran, Tripoli, etc.
tommy1 on June 14, 2006 at 8:37 PM
Tommy1, I think they know that! At least the governments of those countries do.
It’s the wacko factions within their borders that they’ve appeased for years to suit their own self-interests, and of which they’ve now lost control, which will eventually lead to their destruction.
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on June 15, 2006 at 9:23 AM