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Panetta to Israel: Don’t Touch Iran
FrontPage Magazine ^ | November 21, 2011 | P. David Hornik

Posted on 11/21/2011 5:12:23 AM PST by SJackson

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has given Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak a clear warning: don’t attack Iran. Panetta

pointed to a U.S. analysis that a strike on Iran would set back its nuclear program, which Iran says is only for peaceful purposes, by one or two years at most. It would also have implications for U.S. forces in the region.

He added that “thirdly, there are going to be economic consequences to that, that could impact not just on our economy but the world economy.”

What to do, then, if a military strike would be both pointless and harmful?

“The United States feels strongly,” Panetta says, “that the way to deal with [the problem] is to work with our allies, to work with the international community to develop the sanctions and the diplomatic efforts that would further isolate Iran.”

Barak, for his part, doesn’t seem reassured by that. He said it would “probably” take no more than “three-quarters” of a year before

no one can do anything practically about [Iran’s nukes] because the Iranians are gradually, deliberately entering into what I call a zone of immunity, by widening the redundancy of their plan, making it spread over many more sites with many more hidden elements.

Barak also warned that “a nuclear Iran would have deep repercussions for the Middle East, prompting countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt to ‘turn nuclear’ and starting a countdown to putting nuclear materials in the hands of terrorists.”

Another who’s not impressed by the Obama administration’s Iran policy, which Panetta’s words can be assumed to reflect, is Illinois Republican Senator Mark Kirk. As he told FoxNews: “They are not taking any real action against the Central Bank of Iran or other parts of the nuclear program…and then telling everyone else that they shouldn’t do anything either.”

Kirk, who is sponsoring legislation to sanction Iran’s Central Bank, says the administration is

afraid of any instability and oil markets, and therefore wants to take no decisive action. They’ll give some pretty good speeches against Iran, but they will not take decisive economic action. That may be because they don’t want disruption in Western economies, worried about prospects for the campaign.

Certainly there’s nothing in Panetta’s words to cast doubt on that analysis. His warning to Barak amounts to saying: the West is militarily helpless before a threat like Iran’s nuclear program; the tooth fairy will take care of it.

Particularly inane is the rationale that attacking Iran would only set it back one or two years, which amounts to a new military doctrine of never attacking an opponent if he has a chance to recover from it. As noted by Jim Lacey, professor of strategic studies at the Marine Corps War College:

The most commonly used excuse for non-action…is that an American military strike would only cause the Iranians to redouble their efforts. Really? In any case, is there some rule against our blowing up their “redoubled” program a year or two from now? Is there not a point where even the Iranians will tire of seeing hundred-billion-dollar investments repeatedly turned into rubbish?

But the real insult to one’s intelligence is Panetta’s assertion that “work[ing] with…the international community…to develop the sanctions and the diplomatic efforts” is the solution—as if that hadn’t already been tried ad nauseam, with the “results” being the November 8 IAEA report clarifying that Iran is fast approaching its nuclear goal.

Here even Kirk’s belief in sanctioning Iran’s Central Bank is overblown. True, the U.S. administration is now reportedly considering sanctions on Iran’s petrochemical industry while making no mention of its far more significant Central Bank. But even if the administration aimed for sanctions on that body, it’s hardly likely it could get its allies—let alone Russia and China—to cooperate, and certainly not within the timeframe clarified by Barak.

As Benjamin Weinthal notes: “When it comes to sanctioning Iran, Germany has long been the weakest link in the chain. Yet France, Italy and the United Kingdom also refuse to sanction Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or its central bank.” That’s so even though “both entities are deeply immersed in Iran’s nuclear program and finance its terrorist proxies….”

But what to do when, “in 2010, as the US moved to tighten economic sanctions on Iran, European capitals merely paid lip service, while their bilateral trade with Iran flourished to over 25 billion Euros a year.” That’s a lot of Euros—especially for a continent on the brink of economic collapse.

Israeli hopes, then, that the latest IAEA report would prompt greater seriousness are already fading. The analogies with the 1930s are striking: the West’s ongoing pathological inability to cope with the danger; Jews as the immediate target, trying vainly to convince others that they’re but the canary in the coalmine. The difference, though, is that this time the Jews have a state and the ability to act.

Freedom Center pamphlets now available on Kindle: Click here.

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Article printed from FrontPage Magazine: http://frontpagemag.com

URL to article: http://frontpagemag.com/2011/11/21/panetta-to-israel-don%e2%80%99t-touch-iran/


TOPICS: Front Page News; Israel; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: obama4iran; obamavsisrael; panetta4iran; panettavsisrael
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To: apoliticalone

So what do you want to do? Wait? They´ve already told us they´re bringing their ships near the US. To me that means EMP attack once they´re ready. And Obummer even wants it. And what does he care about US troops in the region? Just what in hell should they do?


41 posted on 11/21/2011 7:41:17 AM PST by onedoug (lf)
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To: muir_redwoods

+1


42 posted on 11/21/2011 7:43:27 AM PST by bksanders (Spewing Forth Vitriol at the Speed of Spit)
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To: apoliticalone

Israel doesn’t have to think about the repercussions to the U.S. They are not in the business of taking care of the U.S.’s business. Their job is taking care of their own business, regardless of the U.S. (Although I think I would prefer them taking care of our business, too, given our current regime...)


43 posted on 11/21/2011 7:54:55 AM PST by LaRueLaDue
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To: SJackson
ALMIGHTY GOD
TO
PANETTA & OTHUGA:

!DON'T TOUCH ISRAEL!

In the least
harmful way to the
least harmful degree!

Even your curse words
against Israel
shall bring a heavy penalty.

'Touch the apple of my eye,
and I will make of you
less than dung.

I will erase every evidence
of your existence from all the earth.'

Those who bless Israel will be blessed.
Those who curse Israel will be cursed.

GENESIS 12:3

New International Version (©1984)
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

New Living Translation (©2007)
I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you."

English Standard Version (©2001)
I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you, I will curse. Through you every family on earth will be blessed."

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.

American King James Version
And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.

American Standard Version
and I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Bible in Basic English
To them who are good to you will I give blessing, and on him who does you wrong will I put my curse: and you will become a name of blessing to all the families of the earth.

Douay-Rheims Bible
I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee, and IN THEE shall all the kindred of the earth be blessed:

Darby Bible Translation
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

English Revised Version
and I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

World English Bible
I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you."

Young's Literal Translation
And I bless those blessing thee, and him who is disesteeming thee I curse, and blessed in thee have been all families of the ground.'

Genesis 12:3

The Message (MSG)



 2-3 I'll make you a great nation
      and bless you.
   I'll make you famous;
      you'll be a blessing.
   I'll bless those who bless you;
      those who curse you I'll curse.
   All the families of the Earth
      will be blessed through you."


44 posted on 11/21/2011 8:27:35 AM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: SJackson

These so-called “warnings” made for public consumption may or may not signify anything. The real communication does not take place in the newspapers or on the interwebs. Which is not to say that the policy is the correct one - it’s just to say that you should believe half of what you see and none of what you hear.


45 posted on 11/21/2011 8:31:25 AM PST by 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten
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To: SJackson
“The United States feels strongly,” Panetta says, “that the way to deal with [the problem] is to work with our allies, to work with the international community to develop the sanctions and the diplomatic efforts that would further isolate Iran.”

"Peace for our time", said the smiling Neville the Devil on September 30, 1938, where he proudly touted the Munich Agreement for Peace, which was signed by the ever trustworthy adolph amedenejan


46 posted on 11/21/2011 8:39:19 AM PST by USS Alaska (Nuke The Terrorist Savages)
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To: SJackson

I wonder why the Saudis have not started tightening their grip on our scrotum? If they were concerned wouldn’t they start to express their dismay by squeezing the price of oil because of the “uncertainty.”


47 posted on 11/21/2011 8:59:17 AM PST by Vermont Lt (I just don't like anything about the President. And I don't think he's a nice guy.)
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To: onedoug

I’m expressing an opinion of caution for Israel, not that anyone gives a damn what I think. Americans are more than fed up with these costly ME wars. We don’t even have the fiscal ability to wage war unless we tack on an economically harmful war surtax, which would have been the fiscally responsible and conservative thing to do 10 years ago, to keep the deficit under control.

What would a major bump in energy prices do to the world economy and food prices? Those who were around in the 70s like me, remember the gas shortages and the major bump in our gas prices and rampant inflation which according to historians were caused by the wars in the ME and a direct result of our arms involvement.

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/1973_oil_crisis

If Israel loses USA public opinion it will have a huge negative long term impact. Some might think it isn’t possible. If Israel’s actions result in major damage to an already hurting economy or loss of our troops in that area all bets are off.

Israel needs to make its own decisions, but so will Americans. Most of us put our own families’ needs first not other countries.


48 posted on 11/21/2011 9:03:06 AM PST by apoliticalone (Honest govt. that operates in the interest of US sovereignty and the people, not global $$$)
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To: Quix

Amen and amen.


49 posted on 11/21/2011 9:09:53 AM PST by Karliner ( Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28, "...this is the end of the beginning."WC)
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To: Quix

When the “authorities” (and I use that word judiciously) put the Bible on the Kindle they can then take literary license to make it say anything they wish. They have a global edit and global delete key. No need to even burn books. Your book data file is subject to modification and edit the first time your book reader establishes a session with their server via the internet.

The masses generally aren’t yet aware of the significance of replacing hard copy books, which provide society with an indelible permanent unchangeable history, to one where history can be changed at whim.


50 posted on 11/21/2011 9:12:03 AM PST by apoliticalone (Honest govt. that operates in the interest of US sovereignty and the people, not global $$$)
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To: SJackson
Israel will act.

And, again, the will surprise the world with their daring and ability.

The Gulf will go up in flames in retaliation...and the USA will have to pick up the pieces.

We should just get on board and be involved on our terms rather than Iranian and Israeli terms and timing.

51 posted on 11/21/2011 9:16:06 AM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: apoliticalone

I greatly enjoy being able to carry 12 (currently) pages (or more) of book titles on the Kindle in my breast pocket—including 6-8 Bible versions.

However, I treasure hardcopy, for sure. I was a librarian part time for 6 years of my life.

I was acting Director of the university Special Collections Dept of the university library.

We had foredge painted books and many other exquisite volumes that were wonderful to handle, read, admire.

However, folks would probably do well to begin now to carefully and very wisely hide Bibles and other books of merit . . . tyranny is looming closer and closer.


52 posted on 11/21/2011 9:22:16 AM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: Mariner

The USA

will BE part of the pile of pieces

that the Anti-Christ will . . . deal with . . .


53 posted on 11/21/2011 9:23:18 AM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: Mariner

That’s part of the globalists’ script from hell.


54 posted on 11/21/2011 9:24:01 AM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: SJackson

Leon Piñata needs to be hit over the head and have all that candy spill out.


55 posted on 11/21/2011 10:07:01 AM PST by crosshairs (Liberalism is to truth, what east is to west.)
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To: SJackson

Panetta, go to hell!!!


56 posted on 11/21/2011 11:04:37 AM PST by tina07 (In loving memory of my father,WWII Vet. CBI 10/16/42-12/17/45, d. 11/1/85)
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To: SJackson

Sorry, but I side with Israel on this. I hope they not only the nuke sites but they’re oil refinery sites (and I think they only have one).


57 posted on 11/21/2011 11:09:27 AM PST by Scythian
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To: All

Obama Appeasement Alert !!

Obama Appeasement Alert

Obama Appeasement Alert


58 posted on 11/21/2011 12:55:19 PM PST by rbmillerjr (Conservative Economic and National Security Commentary: econus.blogspot.com)
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To: SJackson

Israel to Panetta, “go to hell”


59 posted on 11/21/2011 1:23:21 PM PST by katiedidit1 ("This is one race of people for whom psychoanalysis is of no use whatsoever." the Irish)
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To: SJackson

Disregard, Bibi!


60 posted on 11/21/2011 1:28:40 PM PST by American Quilter (Herman Cain for President: a conservative with 40 years of executive experience.)
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