Israel Matzav: Obama Israel to attack Iran?#links#links#links

Obama wants Israel to attack Iran?

Jennifer Rubin makes a plausible case that the Obama administration is leaving Israel no choice but to attack Iran.

The abject lack of seriousness from the Obama administration — its disinclination to even suggest the use of force or to aid the Green Movement in any meaningful way — has not gone unnoticed either here or in Israel. At the AIPAC conference, the contrast between Hillary Clinton’s platitudinous “unacceptable” formulation and Tony Blair’s “whatever it takes” phraseology was hard to ignore. And, as Kristol points out, even doves in Israel like Ephraim Sneh, a former deputy defense minister, are talking about the need for an Israeli strike on Iran this year, absent the implementation of “crippling sanctions.” (”An Israeli military campaign against Iran’s nuclear installations is likely to cripple that country’s nuclear project for a number of years. The retaliation against Israel would be painful, but bearable.”)

We can speculate as to whether the Obami’s assault on Netanyahu over the Jerusalem housing permit was meant to stymie Israel’s plans for such action. If so, this is yet another gross error in judgment by the Obami, who have an exaggerated sense of their own ability to bully those who interfere with their plans. As fraught with peril as an Israeli military operation might be and as unseemly as it might be for the U.S. to stand idly by – ignoring its role as leader of the West and shrinking from its international responsibilities – Israel, if faced with the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran and a recalcitrant U.S. administration, will have no choice but to act in its own defense. Netanyahu said it clearly last month, no doubt to put the administration as well as the mullahs on notice. (”The future of the Jewish state can never depend on the goodwill of even the greatest of men. Israel must always reserve the right to defend itself.”)

By publicly savaging the Israeli government and making apparent just how not solid is the current relationship between the U.S. and Israel, the Obami are encouraging, not dissuading, the Israeli government to take matters into its own hands. Given the treatment by the Obama administration, what Israeli government could place its trust and the fate of the Jewish state in the Obami’s hands? It would be foolish and irresponsible — and the Israelis are neither.

All true. But does Obama not know what he is doing? Is he such a fool that he would place Israel in a position where it feels that it has to attack Iran? Or is there another reason for his actions?

I believe that there's a method behind Obama's madness. From Day One of his administration, Obama has articulated only two foreign policy goals. In order of importance, one is the creation of a 'Palestinian state' and the other is bringing about nuclear disarmament. Obama went a long way toward the second goal on Monday by effectively announcing that America would no longer use its nuclear weapons even in its own defense. But the first and most important goal is what's at stake in Iran.

Obama is betting that Israel will attack Iran rather than risk seeing itself destroyed. And when the World heaps opprobrium on Israel for that attack, Obama will lead it. He will not only abandon Israel in the United Nations. He will insist on attacking it. The price of ending that attack will be a 'Palestinian state' on Obama's the 'Palestinians' terms.

So Prime Minister Netanayhu is left with a Hobson's choice: Allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons and Israel will be destroyed God forbid. Attack Iran and even if he succeeds, the price will be the creation of a 'Palestinian state' that will attempt to destroy us.

For Obama, it is truly a 'win-win' situation - a 'teachable moment.' Israel, like the Jews in Monday's Torah reading, is trapped between the raging sea Iran and the Egyptian army Obama and the 'Palestinians' (see Exodus 14). We must advance into the sea attack Iran and then only God can save us.

What could go wrong?

Israel Matzav: Obama wants Israel to attack Iran?