Israel worried by 'weakening' US

[shaayecanaan]

'ISRAEL is troubled by the perception the US is an "empire of the past" and wants a resurgent America to lead a decisive confrontation with Iran, a top official has said.

"America is tested" at a pivotal moment in the history of the Middle East, said Israel's Deputy Prime Minister, Dan Meridor, who is also the Minister for Intelligence and Nuclear Energy.

The Arab world was watching the US closely: "They look to America. If America does not seem to be able to contain the Iranian threat, will they go with Iran?"

"This is of world-order magnitude," he told the Herald in an interview. Israel, which depends on the US as its security guarantor, itself appears to have new doubts about US judgment.

Mr Meridor said he was "surprised" at the Obama administration's treatment of a longstanding US ally, Egypt's former president: "Was it necessary to immediately empower the demonstrators against him and let Mubarak go? It's seen by all the allies of America in the Arab world. I don't know where the tide of history will go and I'm not sure they know."

"The perception, that I hope is wrong, that America is weakening is not good, but I hope that America will find a way, and I believe they can, to restore itself as the leading country and not allow those impressions spread by the Iraq war that America is an empire of the past. All this is here on the table.

"America has started wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Is it a success story or not? What happens in Pakistan? … It may be the use of power showed the limits of power."

Mr Meridor, a senior member of the Likud party of the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said the confrontation with Iran was "a decisive conflict".

"The end of it is very important.

If the end of it is that Iran has nuclear power, it will have grave effects on world order, on balance of power, and on the Middle East.'

http://www.smh.com.au/world/israel-worried-by-weakening-us-20110411-1db5i.html

[provis99]

1. how lovely.

They want us to do their fighting for them.

[hardcover]

2. Tell them we're busy.

[dipsydoodle]

3. Life's a bitch

.

[Shining Jack]

5. And then you die...

[bemildred]

4. So the light dawns in their little minds, eh?

Stupid wars don't make you stronger. Who knew?

[shaayecanaan]

7. More like reverse psychology, I think...

"So you still don't want to go to war with Iran? Ah well. I guess the old grey mare she ain't what she used to be. Has to be said, you're not looking so sprightly these days. Why, I don't think you could go to war with Iran even if you wanted to, you old sod..."

[bemildred]

8. That is most unlikely to work, but you could be right.

It might work in Israeli politics and it could have worked here ten years ago.

It would show a better grip on the situation if the thrust of the OP was intended seriously, because it is quite correct.

[shaayecanaan]

9. Perhaps this is an example of "chutzpah"

after all, its quite insulting, indeed quite an outrageous thing for an ally to be saying (its difficult to imagine a British leader saying the same thing) - but audacity does seem to be characteristic of Israel's diplomacy these days.

In other words, I suppose they think its worth a try...

[Shining Jack]

6. Well...

They'll turn to the next empire. Probably China.