The New Republic

We can only hope it will get that kind of attention -- the kind of attention this issue should have had for at least four years, now. Difficult decisions await the Obama administration, and I'm not sure I trust Jim Jones to handle them.

- rozenson

December 22, 2009 at 1:03pm

"...and I'm not sure I trust Jim Jones to handle them." Frankly, I don't have any confidence in any of the Obamanoids. They have met or exceeded my worst expectations. What will happen, I fear, is that they will just throw up their hands, shrug their shoulders and opt for an illusion of containment, claiming that since it worked for the USSR, it will work for Iran. The two are very very different, with different ideologies, beliefs, interests, and motivations. Conflating the two is indicative of ignorance. Many in the West are oblivious to what is happening in Yemen, with Iran backing a Shi'ite insurgency there (for a good summary and analysis of Iran's proxy war in Yemen see here). Once Iran elects (and at this point it is simply a matter of a decision on their part; the tech problems are largely solved) to announce that it has (or simply tests) a nuclear weapon, and spreads its nuclear umbrella over its clients, the current Yemen mess will be seen merely as a sneak preview. Iran is also beginning to plant nuclear roots in the New World, most notably in Venezuela (see here). At minimum Iran seems to be going after Venezuela's potentially rich uranium deposits, preferably enriched near the source. Also note that Iran has successfully tested 3 times in the past year a greatly improved solid-fueled 2-stage missile, the Sajjil-2 the existence of which surprised Iran watchers with the rapid progress Iran is making in missile technology (see here). The Sajjil-2's current range (as reported in the Israeli media) is rated at 2,500 KM, and is expected to improve. The distance from Caracas to Miami is 2,200 KM. Last, but not least there is some indication that Iran's interest in an atom bomb may be limited to its use as the necessary trigger for something far worse -- thermonuclear weapons. The information, at least the public info, is sketchy (see here), but just remember the Monday morning quarterback's mantra post-9/11 -- connect the dots. Hershel Ginsburg Efrata / Jerusalem

- ginzy

December 22, 2009 at 4:42pm

"...and I'm not sure I trust Jim Jones to handle them." Frankly, I don't have any confidence in any of the Obamanoids. They have met or exceeded my worst expectations. What will happen, I fear, is that they will just throw up their hands, shrug their shoulders and opt for an illusion of containment, claiming that since it worked for the USSR, it will work for Iran. The two are very very different, with different ideologies, beliefs, interests, and motivations. Conflating the two is indicative of ignorance. Many in the West are oblivious to what is happening in Yemen, with Iran backing a growing Shi'ite insurgency there that has Saudi Arabia concerned enough to send in its forces to Yemen's rescue (see here for a good summary and analysis of Iran's proxy war in Yemen). Once Iran elects (and at this point it is simply a matter of a decision on their part; the tech problems are largely solved) to announce that it has (or simply tests) a nuclear weapon, and spreads its nuclear umbrella over its clients, the current Yemen mess will be seen merely as a sneak preview. Iran is also beginning to plant nuclear roots in the New World, most notably in Venezuela (see here). At minimum Iran seems to be going after Venezuela's potentially rich uranium deposits, preferably enriched near the source. Also note that Iran has successfully tested 3 times in the past year a greatly improved solid-fueled 2-stage missile, the Sajjil-2 the existence of which surprised Iran watchers with the rapid progress Iran is making in missile technology (see here). The Sajjil-2's current range (as reported in the Israeli media) is rated at 2,500 KM, and is expected to improve. The distance from Caracas to Miami is 2,200 KM. Last, but not least there is some indication that Iran's interest in an atom bomb may be limited to its use as the necessary trigger for something far worse -- thermonuclear weapons. The information, at least the public info, is sketchy (see here), but just remember the Monday morning quarterback's mantra post-9/11 -- connect the dots. Hershel Ginsburg Efrata / Jerusalem

- ginzy

December 22, 2009 at 4:51pm