"Experts" to Obama: Forget Sanctions. Embrace Iran.

[Israel Insider]

US President-elect Barack Obama, plotting his strategy on Iran, is getting this advice from a panel of American diplomats and other experts: Don't pile on economic and military threats; it doesn't help.

"An attack would almost certainly fail" while coercing Iran with economic sanctions has very little chance of success, the experts say in a report to be presented next week at a conference on the future of US-Iran policy.

"Threats are not cowing Iran and the current regime in Tehran is not in imminent peril," according to a copy of the report obtained by The Associated Press. The Iranian people "have seen the outcome of US-sponsored regime change in Afghanistan and Iraq. They want no part of it," the report said.

Far more likely to succeed, said former US ambassadors Thomas Pickering and James F. Dobbins, Columbia University scholar Gary G. Sick and 17 other experts, is to "open the door to direct, unconditional and comprehensive negotiations at the senior diplomatic level."

[Jef Wallace]

I love the discussion here, it is very amazing.

Like all nations, Israel is threatened by evil. I think the greatest error man makes when defending against evil is absorbing evil within itself to fight it. So you have Henry Kissenger and Operation Paperclip bringing evil murderous ideological bastards into the US Government so it could combat Soviet Russia. It is not Iran that is the enemy; it is EVIL. I worry about the effect of sanctions upon the Iranian population, who are more likely to support liberals during prosperity. Iranian kids, for instance, are crazy about Western movies, music, video games and everything else. Doesn't starving these kids help the forces of fundamentalism within Iran?

Jewish culture creators are a worldwide force. Iranian moviemakers are 100% against fundamentalism. From this American's point of view the two cultures have much in common. I certainly am concerned by the threat of a nuclear Iran. But I am more concerned by a clash of ancient monotheisms, which would threaten not just the region but much of the world with internecine conflict. Should a war break out in the two countries how would Jews and Muslims in the USA be able to relate to one another in peace?

I must chide those posting inane militarism. I have zero doubt in Israel's ability to defend itself, and no Muslim nation should be stupid enough to mess with that. There must be a more subtle psychological cast to your thinking on this set of topics. A nation such as Israel must never forget its essential geographic vulnerability, surrounded as it is on all sides, with much to lose in contrast with its relatively impoverished neighbors. Such a nation should rule through the transmission of common sense. Islam is a strange field, yet it has thinkers and poets and parties and great food and beautiful women. It would behoove those who love Israel to get to know these progressives and figure out how they can best support them in their struggle against the islamofascists who rule the state of Iran. We must render their entire ideology obsolete, and this is not done through starvation but through intellectual flowering and rebirth.

Supporting alternative energy would also naturally cripple Iran's mullahs, who are dependent on oil-based socialism to keep their nightmare solvent. A war between Israel and Iran would be a financial disaster for the world. Please think before rattling sabers.

As for abortion, PLEASE do yourselves a favor and research the involvement of the Bush family with Planned Parenthood before their abrupt reversal in the 1970's. Do not accuse "liberals" of a nightmare foisted upon America by George W Bush and his Satanic family.

Finally, I strongly doubt Anne is an atheist or a secular humanist either. She's just trying to participate. You've created a great forum here and the problems faced by humanity in the face of possible future events are too great for this bogus nastiness. Thanks !

[wharold]

Anne, your reasoning is circular and does not allow for the infuence of full reality. If, as you say, the "good" part of religion is that it brings people together, then you should be all for !slam.

As for anger, I'd rather be smart and angry than intellectually lazy and placid. Perhaps you can tell us why no Jews have lived or are allowed to live on the Arabian peninsula since the time of Mo'mad?

At any rate, IF we are jr and sr high school kids ... that would be impossible coz they're taught Left Asleepism; they could hardly argue for what's right and wrong according to things they are not taught. If you have any idea of what passes for history ed or ME ed in school these days, you'd never make such a remark.

[anne in texas]

Shovav: I'm deeply touched by your sentimental sensibilities. But you may want to be careful what you wish for. Cynthia's recommendations make sense to me!

[Cynthia]

I'll put my trust in economic sanctions against Iran. They negatively impact Iran and should be continued and supported while military options remain in place. More sanctions please!!!!

[Yosef]

TRUST IN G-D – and you will have peace.

"When the Jewish people will trust in G-d, that the Land of Israel belongs unequivocally to them, and are willing to declare this openly to the nations of the world, then “No one will contest the matter, and you will not need to go to war.” In fact, even weapons will prove unnecessary…” The Lubavitcher Rebbe, (Likutei Sichos, vol. 34, p. 8)

All the nations are one day going to come together and start talking peace amongst themselves. This talk of peace will have one underlying goal: to destroy Israel. And their rationale shall be: because they [the Jews] established for themselves their own government; and though the Jews will be in tremendous danger at that time, nevertheless they will not be destroyed; in fact, from that very situation they will be saved.

Rabbi Moshe Cordevero (Ramak) on Zohar Bereishis, 199 - approximately 500 years ago

[anne in texas]

Krisium: You have "always noticed?" Who is saying that Israel can't defend itself?

[Krisiun]

I have always noticed how doves would rather let Israel be devoured by the wolves rather than let it defend itself against aggression.

[anne in texas]

JMKC: I'll add that the despair you express for those 50 million infants is justified. It shouldn't be happening, just as the murder of million, and millions more who suffer because of warfare, greed, and ineptitude by world leaders. But righteous anger won't help but hurt. Look what righteous anger by whites did to blacks like Medgar Evers. Be smart and use your powers for good. PS: Read the section about comments below the Add a comment line. It's a good rule of thumb for all communication.

[anne in texas]

JMKC: anger, righteous or any other kind, is like fire. It can be very dangerous. Take a deep breath. It is going to be okay. We have freedom, democracy, love, liberty. We are among the luckiest people who have lived since the beginning of time. Be thankful. Religion is a good thing when people use it to bring people together, to give people strength and comfort during difficult times. It is not supposed to be used to hurt other people, would you agree with that?

[JMKC]

"Separation of church and state" is a myth that is neither stated, nor a principle, in the U.S. Constitution.

Religion, which is what you experienced, is not the same as Relationship with G*d, whom you, Anne, admittedly have rejected.
Rejection of G*d causes blindness.
It is why you cannot see.
Religion is a return to bondage, man's ways.
Relationship with G*d is necessary for wholeness in life.

Clearly, you are a Secular Humanist, which is a religion that you, and others like you, have shoved down the throats of the American public.
Look at where it has taken the U.S.
As the Word says, a sword of violence has come on the land FIRST in every city where abortion flourished.
Youth have no regard for the elders, as the Word clearly says will happen when you do those things.
All of the curses that are written in the Word have come on the U.S., primarily because of two things.
Rejection of G*d, and the slaughter of the innocents.
Read the curses associated with the slaughter of innocent infants for yourself.
Cause and effect.
Secular Humanists have gotten their way, and look at where it has led.
Soon enough, you will get your total way,,you will have an existance totally removed from G*d, as you desire.
It's not Global Warming that has brought about the increased intensity and occurrence of "natural" disasters.
It is the Earth travailing against the shed blood of nearly 50 million innocent infants.
The U.S. is the only nation on the face of the Earth to have committed such a thing on such a huge scale.
You say you've got a brain, figure it out.
Abortion is a vile, hideous, primitive act.
There is no difference at all between the sacrifice of infants in G*d's word, and the sacrifice of infants today.

Try as you may, you cannot stop that train now.
There is a day of recompense that is already barreling down the tracks.

There is hatred, and then there is righteous anger.
What you see here is righteous anger.