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Saber Rattling

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George Moon

Published: July 5, 2008

This is in response to the small boats and saber rattling letter. No rational person believes that Iran would give up support for Hamas, Islamic Jihad, disarm Hezbollah, agree to a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians plus open their nuclear program to international inspection solely by virtue of diplomacy. To think otherwise is being deceived.

Remember, this is the same Iran that held 52 U.S. diplomats hostage for 444 days during the Jimmy Carter administration. Under Carter, Iran ignored established principles of international law granting diplomats immunity and sovereignty of diplomatic compounds. Ironically releasing them the day Ronald Reagan was sworn in office.

To his credit Carter did make one failed attempt to rescue them resulting in the death of eight U.S. soldiers. Iran is an Islamic Republic governed by sharia or Islamic law and Ayatollah Ali Khamacei is the supreme leader over politics and religion. Ayatollah Khamacei refuses to change their nuclear enrichment program and rejects any ties or talks with the United States.

Since 2006, negotiations are conducted by the European Union foreign ministers including Germany, England, France, Russia, China and the United States. Many reasonable offers have been made if Iran would give up its nuclear weapon quest. To date they have been unresponsive. Now the issue comes down as to what to do next.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly promised to eradicate Israel once they get the bomb. He wouldn't dare make those statements unless approved by the Supreme Leader Ali Khamacei. Israel finds itself between a rock and a hard place. They fear that if Barack Obama is elected president they will be left "twisting in the wind" as the liberal Democrat Congress sacrificed our allies in Vietnam. In all likelihood, absent a breakthrough in negotiations, Israel will need to take out Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities before the next U.S. election. For them, it's a matter of life and death.

George Moon
Lake Placid

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