Israel watches as world rejects Iran sanctions
Israel watched the developments at the IAEA in Vienna on Thursday very closely, yet was unable to convince the world to implement crippling sanctions on Iran that would convince it to jettison its military nuclear program.
On Thursday, a resolution was agreed upon in Vienna by the five permanent members of the Security Council, plus Germany, to slam Iran for its defiance, but stopped short of sending the matter back to the UN Security Council for another round of sanctions. The resolution is expected to be passed by the International Atomic Energy Agency board of governors meeting on Friday.
So, in other words, a "tongue-lashing" is about all Iran will get. This issue isn't even going back to the UNSC for more sanctions - a decision that doesn't bode well for those who want to see peace in the region.
Barak said that Israel should not adopt a policy of “whining and fear and saying that they are going to do all kinds of things to me, but rather Israel must make clear that it understands the situation very well, and that what is being discussed is a challenge to the whole world because it threatens the whole world.”
Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya’alon picked up on the universality of the threat during a speech Thursday at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, saying Tehran’s fingerprints can be seen in every area of conflict in the region.
“The significance of an Iran with nuclear weapons capability is that it could create nuclear chaos in the Middle East, and lead to the use of the nuclear umbrella to encourage terrorism and irredentism, and the transfer of a dirty bomb to Manhattan and Europe,” he said.
Barak, meanwhile, warned in a US television interview on Wednesday that if Iran succeeded in developing a nuclear weapon, a Middle East arms race would ensue, with Saudi Arabia and Egypt eventually seeking nuclear weapons as well.
At some point the ball will be in Israel's court. The hope for any kind of significant sanctions has grown dim. It must be apparent to Israel that no such sanctions will be put in place.
The question now becomes - what will Israel do?
Was the military threat real or was it simply intended to prod the UNSC into implementing sanctions?
This answer to these questions should come soon - once winter arrives it will be very difficult for Israel to attack Iran - and if no action is taken by Israel before that, then Iran could have serviceable nuclear weapons by spring.
The clock is ticking.
Ok, so where is this marble at?
ReplyDeleteSyria: So, the Arab league is cutting off their bank accounts that let Syria buy and sell what few oil/gas assets they have. This is going to force a huge change and quickly unless someone (like Russia) steps in to take up the slack. Also, even the Arab league (ie Turkey) is threatening to carve out a refugee free area inside Syria. Assad is in a corner and it's getting smaller...quickly. I can see only one area of escape that will pull all his enemies together behind him....only one way to keep his position and his skin. Attack Israel.
Iran:(!??!)Iran speaks for itself and, as the article says, winter is not the time to do it. Either Israel acts in a few weeks before onset of the cloud cover or Iran may have the "bomb" by the time the clouds part in the spring.
At any rate, certainly shaping up to be an interesting fall.
For years I've watched as he Lord let things proceed so far down a path. You could not see any way it would not go critical and just at the last minute, Wham! He would put the breaks on and turn events on a dime.
Something is different this time. We often discuss that here, and there is one world difference we can see. Obama.
He has enabled everyone...everything.
Oh well, Whieee Doggie as we say here. It may not be any fun at all, but it are exciting.
I keep hearing all this talk that if Israel attacks Iran, then a snowball effect will take place resulting in oil jumping to potentially $200/barrell. One article that was talking about that used that reason as a reason that Israel should just sit on their hands and do nothing. How self-absorbed have we become that we care more about paying $5+/gal for gas than we do about a mad man having access to a nuclear bomb. Wow. That really makes me scratch my head.
ReplyDeleteOn a lighter note. In case anyone was wondering, when a tractor/trailer pulls away from a dock door with the dock plate still sitting on the tail of the truck, the sound that the grinding steel makes sounds EXACTLY like a shofar. I thought the rapture was happening today. I was pretty disappointed. =) That's twice now I've heard trumpet-type sounds at my work. One of these days, we'll hear the real thing.
May you live in interesting times
ReplyDelete(Rough translation of an old Russian curse)
Caver, you said "if Russia steps in".
ReplyDeleteThis is something I just got through reading.....(I hope you can copy and paste this.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/report-russia-warships-to-enter-syria-waters-in-bid-to-stem-foreign-intervention-1.396359
Helen
Helen, good catch! Yep, Russia and Syria have been working on Russia developing a huge naval port in Syria for a few years now.
ReplyDeleteThe Western and Israeli thoughts are that the location selected and being developed is also a huge transportation hub....road, rail, and air. Anything off loaded there can be almost anywhere in the ME within 24 hours.
Also, it gives Russia a huge Fleet warm water base for year round use....right in a very active and interesting neighborhood.
The Lord sure knows how to set a drama up, don't He. I can't think of one other element to bring into play in this soap opera.