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28 August 2012 By Stephen
Lendman America's special relationship
with Israel too often reflects the tail wagging the
dog. Increasingly, the Jewish state is more strategic
liability than asset. The Israeli Lobby has a virtual
stranglehold on US foreign policy. Blunt pressure is
applied to get Washington to accede to interests
harming its own. Fear prevents most House and Senate
members from openly expressing criticism. It's no
different for presidents and administration officials.
Anyone stepping out of line is
called anti-Semitic, challenged electorally, or
replaced. Journalists know doing it risks
recriminations and/or dismissal. Netanyahu combines street
bullying, belligerent bluster, hotheaded arrogance,
and childish pouting. He's an adolescent who never
grew up. Why Israelis put up with him who knows. More
at issue is why Washington doesn't cut him loose and
treat Israel no differently than other allies. Both countries threaten world
peace. Together, the danger is heightened. They're
joined together at the hip like a two-headed monster.
Each seeks regime change in Syria and Iran. Netanyahu's practically rabid
about the Islamic Republic. It's not about Tehran
posing a threat. He knows there's none but claims
otherwise. At issue is unchallenged regional
dominance. Iran is Israel's main political rival. Media scoundrels don't explain.
They endorse Israeli belligerence. They consider
opponents heretics. Rupert Murdoch is a longtime
pro-Israeli stalwart. He received numerous awards from
Jewish organizations for supporting decades of Israeli
lawlessness. On September 3, his Wall Street
Journal headlined "Why Israel Doesn't Trust Obama,"
saying: His Joint Chiefs Chairman, Gen.
Martin Dempsey, warned against attacking Iran. He said
he won't be complicit if Israel goes it alone. Is he
freelancing or speaking for Obama, asked the Journal? "We don't know what exactly Gen.
Dempsey thinks American non-complicity might entail in
the event of a strike. Should the Administration
refuse to resupply Israel with jets and bombs, or
condemn an Israeli strike at the UN?" His remarks "were
counterproductive and oddly timed." At the same time,
"(a)dministration officials have also repeatedly told
the media that they aren't entirely sure if Iran
really intends to build a bomb." Annual US intelligence
assessments say no evidence suggests a nuclear weapons
program. The Journal called its reports "misleading." "No wonder the Israelis are
upset." Obama's "tr(ying) to sell to the public a
make-believe world in which Iran's nuclear intentions
are potentially peaceful, sanctions are working, and
diplomacy hasn't failed after three and a half
years." "The irony for the Administration
is that its head-in-the-sand performance is why many
Israeli decision-makers believe they had better strike
sooner than later." "Not only is there waning
confidence that Mr. Obama is prepared to take military
action on his own, but there's also a fear that a
re-elected President Obama will take a much harsher
line on an Israeli attack than he would before the
first Tuesday in November." "Since coming to office, Obama
Administration policy toward Israel has alternated
between animus and incompetence." Murdoch's world reflects
demagoguery, propaganda, warmongering, and support for
the worst of Israel's lawlessness. His goal isn't
journalism. It's raw power, deception, arrogance,
intimidation, poisonous influence, and bottom line
priorities. Editorials in broadsheets he owns
reflect his views. They better or editors will be
sacked for more compliant ones. Why anyone believes or
supports him is unfathomable. He's itching for more
war and wants it now. He also wants Romney replacing
Obama. Both candidates are pro-war.
Obama plans it but not yet. Electoral priorities come
first. At the same time, he's staunchly pro-Israel. On
September 2, The New York Times headlined "To Calm
Israel, US Offers Ways to Restrain Iran," saying: Obama may declare "red lines." If
crossed, Iran's nuclear facilities may be attacked.
He's considering a range of overt and covert actions.
They include sabotaging Tehran's program to delay it.
He wants to placate Netanyahu and help him save face.
Internal discussions continue
about overt public warnings. Regional military
measures are planned. They include deploying radar
systems in Qatar able to detect Iranian rocket
launches. Israel and Turkey have similar capabilities.
September and October military exercises are also
scheduled. "Some of Mr. Obama's advisers
have argued that Israel needs a stronger public
assurance that he is willing to take military action,
well before Iran actually acquired a weapon. But other
senior officials have argued that Israel is trying to
corner Mr. Obama into a military commitment that he
does not yet need to make." Israeli cabinet members
downplayed alleged US/Israeli tensions. Finance
Minister Yuval Steinitz said: "All in all, the strategic and
defense relations between Israel and the United States
have remained as strong as they have ever been. The
cooperation is very good, and also my in contacts with
senior officials in the United States I don't hear of
any unprecedented crisis in the relations. I hear it
in the media. I don't see it in reality." Environment Minister Gilad Erdan
agreed, saying: "I don't think there's an
American signal here. There are internal American
issues with which we do not interfere….(W)e are still
very proud of the fact that the security cooperation
between Israel and the United States has reached
unprecedented records during the term of the present
government." Vice Prime Minister Silvan Shalom
added that Washington and Israel are in lockstep
agreement on Iran's nuclear program. Disagreement only
reflects timing. Netanyahu is more volatile,
brash, and belligerent. He puts his foot in his mouth
so often he risks swallowing it and choking. On
Sunday, he told cabinet ministers: "The international community is
not setting Iran a clear red line, and Iran does not
see international determination to stop its nuclear
project." "Until Iran sees a clear red line
and such determination, it will not stop the progress
of its nuclear project….Iran must not be allowed to
have nuclear weapons." Earlier he said time ran out on
diplomacy. He wants action with Washington in the
lead. Haaretz contributor Chemi Shalev
apparently agrees. On September 2, he called General
Dempsey's comments "insulting and counterproductive."
Is he "goading Israel to attack
Iran," he asked? Is Shalev serious or exaggerating for
effect? His column reeked with misinformation. We've
heard it all before. Iran's peaceful nuclear program
is called threatening. Falsified IAEA claims are
called legitimate. Ban Ki-moon regurgitating Western
propaganda long ago lost credibility. Writers doing
the same thing lost theirs. Shalev accused Dempsey and other
US officials of "chronic misunderstanding of Israeli
public opinion." They "misinterpret
superficial….headlines that 'most Israelis are opposed
to an attack on Iran.' " Polls indeed show most Israelis
oppose war. They also show war weary Americans oppose
additional conflicts and want ongoing ones ended. Sensible high officials in both
countries feel the same way. War with Iran will be
disastrous, they believe. Shalev is hawkishly pro-war.
"Israel must take its fate into its own hands, before
it's too late," he claims. Too bad his readers aren't told
Iran threatens no one. It's nuclear program is
peaceful. Over 100 NAM nations support it. They also
oppose war. Falsifying threats have no place in
legitimate journalism. Doing so shows complicity with
what should be condemned. On September 3, CIA Director/US
General David Petraeus arrived in Israel. Placating
Netanyahu and other hardliners is planned. He spent
time in Turkey discussing Syria. Ankara officials were
tight-lipped. They neither confirmed or denied his
visit. In America, it's Labor Day
weekend. A recording by a Washington public affairs
officer said "We are not able to share information due
to security reasons." No further comments were made. Petraeus is the latest US
official to visit Israel. Perhaps he'll assure
Netanyahu that Washington and Israel only disagree on
timing. Don't expect official statements to explain. Don't expect peace. Both nations
are in lockstep. They support war. Washington has its
own timetable. Netanyahu's bluster won't change it. Stephen Lendman lives in
Chicago and can be reached at
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book is
titled "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized
Banking, Government Collusion and Class War"
http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html Visit his
blog site at
sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge
discussions with distinguished guests on the
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