Obama on Iran, Israel and Nukes

[Jacob]

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/03/obama-to-iran-and-israel-as-president-of-the-united-states-i-dont-bluff/253875/

He sounds so reasonable.

[Kleves]

It will probably be a tough sell for Obama. He's essentially asking the Israelis to give up any opportunity they have to (conventionally) have a direct impact on Iran's nuclear program. This means Obama is going to have to convince Netanyahu that 1) if worst comes to worst, Obama will go to bat for Israel, no matter the domestic and international ramifications and 2) a U.S. strike in the future will be at least as effective as an Israeli strike now would be.

[Razgovory]

The only way he can do that is promise the Israelis a deadline.

[CountDeMoney]

He sounds so reasonable.

You would be critical, you Canuck carebear.

[Jacob]

He sounds so reasonable.

You would be critical, you Canuck carebear.

Eh? What do you mean?

He sounds reasonable when he's talking about basketball too: http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-obama-sports-guy-interview-20120301,0,5952436.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Fpolitics+(L.A.+Times+-+Politics)

[Berkut]

It will probably be a tough sell for Obama. He's essentially asking the Israelis to give up any opportunity they have to (conventionally) have a direct impact on Iran's nuclear program. This means Obama is going to have to convince Netanyahu that 1) if worst comes to worst, Obama will go to bat for Israel, no matter the domestic and international ramifications and 2) a U.S. strike in the future will be at least as effective as an Israeli strike now would be.

Did you read the interview?

The entire point was that Obama made it clear that in the scale of possible outcomes, Nuclear Iran came a distant second to US Bombs Iran. In other words, the US is pretty much stating that they will take military action if necessary to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.

I think Obama's point about the danger of proliferation is well made. It is not only about nuclear Iran, but about nuclear Saudi Arabia. And every other country in the region.

[Berkut]

What would be really fucking great is if the Republicans could recognize that some issues transcend partisan politics, and this is one of them.

[CountDeMoney]

What would be really fucking great is if the Republicans could recognize that some issues transcend partisan politics, and this is one of them.

Obama is surrendering to teh mooselimbs.

But hey, Mitt says if he's President, Iran won't have nuclear weapons.  And without any explanation of precisely how that's gonna happen, that'll be good enough for the voters.

[Berkut]

What would be really fucking great is if the Republicans could recognize that some issues transcend partisan politics, and this is one of them.

Obama is surrendering to teh mooselimbs.

But hey, Mitt says if he's President, Iran won't have nuclear weapons.  And without any explanation of precisely how that's gonna happen, that'll be good enough for the voters.

Yeah, no it won't.

[CountDeMoney]

What would be really fucking great is if the Republicans could recognize that some issues transcend partisan politics, and this is one of them.

Obama is surrendering to teh mooselimbs.

But hey, Mitt says if he's President, Iran won't have nuclear weapons.  And without any explanation of precisely how that's gonna happen, that'll be good enough for the voters.

Yeah, no it won't.

Wanna bet?  $10,000!

[crazy canuck]

What would be really fucking great is if the Republicans could recognize that some issues transcend partisan politics, and this is one of them.

Obama is surrendering to teh mooselimbs.

But hey, Mitt says if he's President, Iran won't have nuclear weapons.  And without any explanation of precisely how that's gonna happen ...

Same way Mormons turn dead Jews into Mormons.  He will simply say it is so.

[Ed Anger]

In an interview with ESPN's Bill Simmons, President Obama talks about how he is able to sneak in watching sports during the day.

"Well, first of all, I don't watch network news or cable news. So in the morning, when I'm working out with Michelle, it's on SportsCenter. This is the one thing that she allows me," Obama told Simmons.

Oh man. "ALLOWS" Mr. President?

Shame. SHAME!

[Kleves]

The entire point was that Obama made it clear that in the scale of possible outcomes, Nuclear Iran came a distant second to US Bombs Iran. In other words, the US is pretty much stating that they will take military action if necessary to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.

Yeah, he says that. Now he just has to get Netanyahu to believe it. I mean, would Obama bomb Iran if it meant losing his reelection bid? Would he do it if he thought that it would cause the situation in Iraq/Afghanistan to spiral completely out-of-control? Would he bomb Iran if he thought it would hurt US interests, even if it would help Israeli interests? Doesn't Obama have to convince Netanyahu that the answer to all of these questions (among others) is 'yes'? Obama can say all the right things, but, in the end, Netanyahu is going to have to trust him enough to put Israel's future in Obama's hands.

[Malthus]

I dunno, if I was Iranian I'd be reluctant to gamble that Obama is bluffing - at the least I'd want to know my good neighbour Saddam's opinion on that point. 

[Kleves]

I dunno, if I was Iranian I'd be reluctant to gamble that Obama is bluffing - at the least I'd want to know my good neighbour Saddam's opinion on that point. 

That's a strange example. Saddam would probably still be in power if Obama was in charge back in 2003.