Israel and Others in Mideast View Overtures of U.S. and Iran With Suspicion

[Purveyor]

JERUSALEM — For Israel and Persian Gulf states like Saudi Arabia, President Obama’s telephone call with President Hassan Rouhani of Iran on Friday was the geopolitical equivalent of discovering your best friend flirting with your main rival.

Though few nations have a greater interest in Mr. Obama’s promise to stop Iran from developing a nuclear bomb, his overtures to Mr. Rouhani were greeted with alarm here and in other Middle East capitals allied with the United States. They worry about Iran’s sincerity, and fear that Mr. Obama’s desire for a diplomatic deal will only buy Iran time to continue a march toward building a nuclear weapon.

But beyond that, the prospect of even a nonnuclear Iran — strengthened economically by the lifting of sanctions, and emboldened politically by renewed relations with Washington — is seen as a dire threat that could upend the dynamics in this volatile region.

One gulf academic, in a Twitter post, likened the phone call to “the fall of the Berlin Wall.” An Israeli lawmaker said in a radio interview that he hoped that Mr. Obama would not be the next Neville Chamberlain, known for appeasement of the Nazis in 1938.

“There is a lot of suspicion and even paranoia about some secret deal between Iran and America,” said Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi journalist who is close to the royal family. “My concern is that the Americans will accept Iran as it is — so that the Iranians can continue their old policies of expansionism and aggression.”

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/29/world/middleeast/israel-and-others-in-mideast-view-overtures-of-us-and-iran-with-suspicion.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

[Ron Green]

1. Peace takes good diplomacy, and that takes courage.

Something lately in short supply.

[PCIntern]

5. You know what else takes courage?

Going to the same cafe which had been bombed by a terrorist a week later...getting onto a public transit bus on the same route on which one had been bombed a few days before...living within shelling range of the Golan Heights before the 67 War...sending your child away to mandatory military service while still a teenager no matter what...watching SCUD missles come down into your neighborhood and being powerless to retaliate because the USA instructed you not to do so...you get the point.

Did I forget to mention that Israelis have won ten Nobel Prizes, including three for Peace? It also has the 11th highest per capita ratio of Laureats to population...not too shabby since the country as we know it has only been in existence for 55 years. Just sayin'...

[Wilms]

2. John Bolton is losing his mind over it.

Well, John Bolton losing his mind is nothing new.

[Purveyor]

4. I seen him on some network this morning and indeed, he is in meltdown mode. I'm certain the

same sentiments are being had in Tel Aviv.

[bluestate10]

3. OUR President must do what is in OUR best interests. OUR President is a smart person who

has proven himself over and over since being elected President. I trust him far, far more than I trust some talkers in the Middle East.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. One of three things

When President Rouhani returned to Iran after "the phonecall", there were some protests and shoes thrown at his car (signifying a great disgust).

Either:

A. He arranged for the protests to throw us off guard (you know, a fake-out like Karl Rove), or

B. The protests are sincere and he better be careful of assassination by an Iranian, or

C. Same as "B", but Al Quaeda will be gunning for him.

Therefore, unless it's "A", I doubt Israel and the other Middle Eastern countries would think for a minute that Rouhani would risk his life for a fake-out. There's martyrdom and then there's stupidity.

[bunnies]

7. There were also supporters.

But I understand what youre saying. Personally, I think anything BUT option A. I could be wrong though. He's a politician after all.