Israel Has the Right to Attack Iran's Nuclear Reactors Now

[oberliner]

Iran's recent attempt to ship arms to Hamas in Gaza is an act of war committed by the Iranian government against the Israeli government. The Israeli Navy seized the ship, loaded with weapons designed to kill Israeli civilians, and traced the weapons back to Iran. Nor is this the first act of war that would justify a military response by Israel under international law. Iran has sent other boatloads of anti personnel weapons to Hamas and Hezbollah. In addition, back in 1992, the Iranian leaders planned and authorized a deadly attack on Israel's embassy in Argentina. That bombing, which was carried out by Iranian agents, constituted a direct armed attack on the state of Israel, since its embassy is part of its sovereign territory. Moreover, the Iranian government has publicly declared war on Israel by calling for it "to be wiped off the map."

Under international law, these acts of war -- known as Casus Belli -- fully justify an Israeli armed response. Even the UN Charter authorizes a unilateral response to an armed attack. Providing weapons to a declared enemy in the face of an embargo has historically been deemed an armed attack under the law of war, especially when those providing the weapons intend for them to be used against the enemy's civilians. So too is the bombing of an embassy.

Two other recent events enhance Israel's right use military means to prevent Iran from continuing to arm Israel's enemies. The recent disaster in Japan has shown the world the extraordinary dangers posed by nuclear radiation. If anybody ever doubted the power of a dirty bomb to devastate a nation, both physically and psychologically, those doubts have been eliminated by what is now going on in Japan. If Iran were to develop nuclear weapons, the next ship destined to Gaza might contain a nuclear dirty bomb and Israel might not intercept that one. A dirty bomb detonated in tiny Israel would cause incalculable damage to civilian life.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan-dershowitz/israel-has-the-right-to-a_b_836764.html

For anyone who is wondering what Alan Dershowitz is thinking these days.

[JuniperLea]

1. Two wrongs never, ever made a right...

I'm growing more and more disgusted by the day.

[Vinnie From Indy]

2. Bombing Irans nuclear facilities could unleash radiation that would drift back to Israel

and God knows where else. Dershowitz is a putz.

[plumbob]

3. weapons designed to kill Israeli civilians

Thank god they can't harm military personnel.





Look, anyone looking for an excuse to start a war can find one, whether it's a Polish cry for help or the search for weapons of mass destruction, it will involve killing people, including innocent ones.


To those itching to get in a war, may you be the first casualty.

[TheWraith]

4. If you can call that shit "thinking." nt

[WhiteTara]

5. eww, Alan Dershowitz

isn't he like a herpes virus?

[Violet_Crumble]

6. Dershy's a bit of a warmongerer, that's for sure n/t

[ixion]

7. *sigh* well, no, they don't, Mr. Dershowitz

geez. :eyes:

[shaayecanaan]

8. Is it also an act fo war for the US to supply Israel with cluster munitions?

Christ, does anyone take this guy seriously anymore?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

11. They make their own these days which are arguably better than ours

Much lower failure rate

[shaayecanaan]

21. they make their own sub-munitions (as well as US-made), which have a pretty high failure rate

you can find plenty of pictures of unexploded ordnance in Lebanon:-

www.landmineaction.org/resources/ActionPacks/m85_factsheet.pdf

[azurnoir]

9. well then sn't it time to quit talking and start doing?

if Israel feels it has the "Casus Belli" to start a war what can I say, however if this is simply more blather and -waving then it's gotten quite tiresome indeed, but I will say that this 'Iranian arms shipment to Gaza' certainly has been a distraction from other matters concerning Israel of late and is also timely considering the unity rallies taking place in both Gaza and the West Bank right now

[oberliner]

13. Pretty sure Alan Dershowitz does not make Israeli foreign policy

Offers for him to serve as Israel's ambassador to the UN notwithstanding.

[Alamuti Lotus]

10. anyone that actually was wondering what he thought should have themselves checked out immediately...

There's very little in that steaming pile of horseshit worth taking seriously enough to compose a rebuttal for, however one passage sticks out.

...recent disaster in Japan has shown the world the extraordinary dangers posed by nuclear radiation

Exactly why a nuclear reactor should be bombed. Yeah, sure. The man is dangerously delusional, singularly insular in his zionist obsessions.

[oberliner]

12. What about a computer virus?

That would be much less dangerous than actually bombing the reactor, wouldn't it?

Might be a way for Israel to attempt to sabotage Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons without actually killing anyone.

[shaayecanaan]

17. I dont think they will fall for that one again...

The last Stuxnet virus was introduced by using a USB thumb drive. After that happened, they sealed all the USB ports on their machines with glue, then they replaced all the hardware and reinstalled their systems from scratch.

[oberliner]

18. I guess that leaves Israel with no choice

Now that Dershowitz has given the clearance...

[TomClash]

15. Note

His analysis completely ignores the critical principle of Proportionality, which essentially makes his analysis look foolish. What an embarrassment to Harvard.

This old flaccid pig will wallow in hell for what he did to Norman Finkelstein.

[14thColony]

14. Except that it would be a war crime under international law

Geneva Conventions Additional Protocol I of 1977 specifically exempts nuclear power plants (aka "nuclear reactors") from attack under any circumstances whatsoever. Oh wait, except Israel already violated that one with the Osarik attack in 1981. And possibly the Syria airstrike in 2009. Never mind.

[oberliner]

16. Iran has already violated that one too

They attacked the Osarik reactor in 1980, about eight months before the Israeli one.

[14thColony]

19. Well you have educated me

I was unaware of the Iranian airstrike that preceded the Israeli one at Osirak (I spelled it incorrectly).

Nonetheless as I'm sure you'll agree, two wrongs don't make a right. Although I hear three rights make a left.

[oberliner]

20. I certainly do agree with that

Better for everyone if folks stopped building nuclear plants in the first place methinks, but that's another argument altogether.