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What is really going on
Below is today’s column by Mr. Krauthammer’s.
Only thing added by me is emphasis. It is worth the 90 seconds it will take you to read.
The search, now 30 years old, for Iranian “moderates” goes on. Amid the enthusiasm of the latest sighting, it’s worth remembering that the highlight of the Iran-contra arms-for-hostages debacle was the secret trip to Tehran taken by Robert McFarlane, President Reagan’s former national security adviser. He brought a key-shaped cake symbolizing the new relations he was opening with the “moderates.”
We know how that ended.
Three decades later, the mirage reappears in the form of Hassan Rouhani. Strange résumé for a moderate: 35 years of unswervingly loyal service to the Islamic Republic as a close aide to Ayatollahs Khomeini and Khamenei. Moreover, Rouhani was one of only six presidential candidates, another 678 having been disqualified by the regime as ideologically unsound. That puts him in the 99th centile for fealty.
Rouhani is Khamenei’s agent but, with a smile and style, he’s now hailed as the face of Iranian moderation. Why? Because Rouhani wants better relations with the West.
Well, what leader would not want relief from Western sanctions that have sunk Iran’s economy, devalued its currency and caused widespread hardship? The test of moderation is not what you want but what you’re willing to give. After all, sanctions were not slapped on Iran for amusement. It was to enforce multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions demanding a halt to uranium enrichment.
Yet in his lovey-dovey Post op-ed, his U.N. speech and various interviews, Rouhani gives not an inch on uranium enrichment. Indeed, he has repeatedly denied that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons at all. Or ever has. Such a transparent falsehood — what country swimming in oil would sacrifice its economy just to produce nuclear electricity that advanced countries such as Germany are already abandoning? — is hardly the basis for a successful negotiation.
But successful negotiation is not what the mullahs are seeking. They want sanctions relief. And more than anything, they want to buy time.
It takes about 250 kilograms of 20 percent enriched uranium to make a nuclear bomb. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported in August that Iran already has 186 kilograms. That leaves the Iranians on the threshold of going nuclear. They are adding 3,000 new high-speed centrifuges. They need just a bit more talking, stalling, smiling and stringing along of a gullible West.
Rouhani is the man to do exactly that. As Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator between 2003 and 2005, he boasted in a 2004 speech to the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council, “While we were talking with the Europeans in Tehran, we were installing equipment in parts of the [uranium conversion] facility in Isfahan. . . . In fact, by creating a calm environment, we were able to complete the work in Isfahan.”
Such is their contempt for us that they don’t even hide their strategy: Spin the centrifuges while spinning the West.
And when the president of the world’s sole superpower asks for a photo-op handshake with the president of a regime that, in President Obama’s own words, kills and kidnaps and terrorizes Americans, the killer-kidnapper does not even deign to accept the homage.Rouhani rebuffed him.
Who can blame Rouhani? Offer a few pleasant words in an op-ed hailing a new era of non-zero-sum foreign relations, and watch the media and the administration immediately swoon with visions of detente.
Detente is difficult with a regime whose favorite refrain, fed to frenzied mass rallies, is “Death to America.” Detente is difficult with a regime officially committed, as a matter of both national policy and religious duty, to the eradication of a U.N. member state, namely Israel. It doesn’t get more zero-sum than that.
But at least we have to talk, say the enthusiasts. As if we haven’t been talking. For a decade. Strung along in negotiations of every manner — the EU3, the P5+1, then the final, very final, last-chance 2012 negotiations held in Istanbul, Baghdad and Moscow at which the Iranians refused to even consider the nuclear issue, declaring the dossier closed. Plus two more useless rounds this year.
I’m for negotiations. But only if it’s to do something real, not to run out the clock as Iran goes nuclear. The administration says it wants actions, not words. Fine. Demand one simple proof of good faith: Honor the U.N. resolutions. Suspend uranium enrichment and we will talk.
At least that stops the clock. Anything else amounts to being played.
And about the Khamenei agent who charms but declares enrichment an inalienable right, who smiles but refuses to shake the president’s hand. When asked by NBC News whether the Holocaust was a myth, Rouhani replied: “I’m not a historian. I’m a politician.”
Iranian moderation in action.
And, by the way, do you know who was one of the three Iranian “moderates” the cake-bearing McFarlane dealt with at that fateful arms-for-hostage meeting in Tehran 27 years ago? Hassan Rouhani.
We never learn.
Step One completed
The move to corner Israel is almost complete.
Step Two – declaration that Israel must rid themselves of nuclear weapons.
Let us see what Barak Hussein Obama’s administration does and say.
Intentions
Over the last two weeks much has been written about the events that are unfolding in the Middle East. Much of what has been pushed out to the masses has been commentary and opinion not actual developments. Here is my 2 cents:
The matter of Iran and the nuclear weapon issue gets down to discerning their intention based on their actions. What they want is for everyone to believe their intention in reference to nuclear technology has no correlation to their actions and policy in actual experience in the Middle East and abroad. The lives negatively impacted in the region because of their funneling funds, weapons and soldiers in places such as Syria should be considered the exception to the rule. The same goes for their funding, weapons and strategic leadership to Hezbollah; yes, another supposed exception. The same goes for their … with Hamas and other identified terrorist groups. All of these we are to believe are the exception to their “noble” intentions. Yes, what they want the world to believe is that when it comes to nuclear technology they have no desire to develop and use it for military resources. They have no desire to make it available to Hezbollah, Hamas, etc. They have no desire or intention to acquire the “flaming sword of Islam”. We are to believe that the ayatollah – the chief ruler of Iran – has an ethical precept when it comes to nuclear weapons. (Mind you, not the tons of WMD chemical weapons in Syria’s arsenal. This they allowed to be after all who are they to infringe on a sovereign recognized nation?) No we are to disregard the current and historical practices of the leadership of the country and accept the warm smile, kind words and a promise that they have no intention to create nuclear weapons.
I have written it before but am stating it again – the current president of the USA is actively working a nuclear strategy in the Middle East that will make the demand that Israel must get rid of their nuclear weapons. The groundwork has been made over the past six to twelve months. The final calling line – If Iran is to have no nuclear weapons why is Israel allowed to have them? The political strategies the chief empty suit is trying to make into a staunch reality is one in which Israel will be positioned as a war-monger and in order to exist peacefully (wink, wink) they will need to relinquish much more land and authority to the Palestinians and scrap heap their nuclear weapons. They are being quickly corralled into a corner (if not have been) that is of the making of Barrack Hussein Obama.
The events which are occurring and the way our current administration is engaging them is scary. We have a HORRENDOUS vacuum of leadership in our government – Wise, Ethical Leadership. And if I may take it even a step farther – Christian Leadership.
MEANWHILE, in the USA’s MSM and the populace as a whole important matters have been relegated to the small font, less prominent headline placeholders (if even present) on websites and publications:
- the NSA and government invasion of privacy across the globe the economy and the change of the norm for the average employee remains inferior and for many unacceptable and unsustainable
- the mandatory national health insurance plan created by the president that is economically and practically unsustainable is uncoiling and coming to life
- the almost complete erosion of moral principles, civility, decency and etiquette in society
- many more things but I’m sure you get the point
Back off!
Again, no military action should be taken by the USA on Syria/Assad.
Syria has agreed to an arrangement that Kerry said would result in no military action being taken.
After midnight tonight the interview Assad had with Charlie Rose should be available for viewing online.
It remains to be seen what will transpire in our Congress. It is widely known that the vast majority of citizens here disagree with our country taking military action against Assad.
I look forward to the UN report on their analysis of the alleged chemical weapons use. Thing is Assad says they were used but against his army. So depending on where the specimens were taken would be good information to share with the world.
Chemical weapons – more to the story?
“Syrian rebels in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta have admitted to Associated Press correspondent Dale Gavlak that they were responsible for last week’s chemical weapons incident which western powers have blamed on Bashar Al-Assad’s forces, revealing that the casualties were the result of an accident caused by rebels mishandling chemical weapons provided to them by Saudi Arabia.”
Syrian rebels admit chemical weapons incident their fault
Syrian rebels also have access to chemical weapons via Saudi Arabia
Is it possible WH knows this and is using it as a false flag ops?
Follow up questions:
1. Why isn’t this story appearing on AP News?
2. Why isn’t MSM following up on this story?
3. What reasonable advantage would Assad have had to do such a thing?
4. Is the intercepted phone call misunderstood by the WH? Is it the actions of a panicked officer/administrator reacting at a subordinate assuming one of theirs took things too far (i,e. not following orders)?
Still – with this swirl and the pounding the WH is now giving Congress via MSM that they need to give him the okay – STILL – whatever the answers are to the questions stated above – we have absolutely no business engaging in Syria via military actions of any kind. We have no business funneling any type of guns, ammunition or other weapons into the mix either. Humanitarian assistance by those who want to help, have at it.
Think of it this way, the less opportunity for bungling by the president of the USA – the better.
