It’s looking very uncomfortably like Biden is willing to go the whole route to a war with Iran out of “ironclad” support for the reckless, brutal, irresponsible government of Bibi Netanyahu.
Breaking Points has this report (1):
Matt Duss discussed the current Biden Administration’s policy on Israeli escalation against Iran on The Majority Report (2):
The US should have cut off military aid to Israel months ago over their war and starvation campaign against the people of Gaza. The US going to war with Iran on Israel’s behalf would be thoroughly irresponsible.
It really is looking now like Biden is stuck in a dogmatic 1980s mentality when it comes to Israel policy. As Matt Duss discusses in the interview above, Biden campaigned in 2020 on a commitment to go back into the nuclear deal with Iran, but seems to have just blown that off. Netanyahu was bitterly opposed to the deal, which in strictly pragmatic terms seems bizarre. Israel has nukes, Iran doesn’t, so wouldn’t it be in Israel’s interest to keep it that way? But that’s obviously not the calculation Netanyahu is making.
It was Donald Trump who pulled out of the deal unilaterally having no real clue about what the implications might be. If Biden had re-entered the deal, there’s a very good chance that tensions between Israel/the US and Iran would not be on the brink of war today.
Politico reports on the situation with this graphic included (3):
Simple answer to simple question: No.
The story gives this illustrates of the bizarreness of Netanyahu’s policies: “The question Israel is now highlighting, especially in conversations with European leaders and diplomats, is: What would this attack have looked like if Iran had nuclear weapons?”
Good question! It was a question the Israeli government should have been asking instead of pushing their buddy Trump to cancel the nuclear non-proliferation deal.
We’re seeing reports like the following:
But unless the Biden Administration actually cuts off military aid to Netanyahu’s government, this diplomatic fluff is unlikely to mean anything. It is Netanyahu’s goal to get the US into a direct war with Iran. And he’s never been this close to achieving it before.
Notes:
(1) ON THE BRINK: US GREENLIGHTS Israel-Iran Response. Breaking Points YouTube channel 04/16/2024. <https://youtu.be/iYtWQI4cwr0?si=ZdoQM2a7xosAZ99w> (Accessed: 2024-16-04).
(2) Gauging Iran's Response To Israel; FISA Passes House, Spying Intact w/ Matt Duss (begins at 23:00 in the full video). The Majority Report YouTube channel 04/16/2024. <https://www.youtube.com/live/GEV8qbEaN30?si=mXyKSTt9Vi_LndrS&t=1380> (Accessed: 2024-16-04).
(3) Dettmer, Jamie (2024): Friendly Arab nations urge restraint, but will Netanyahu listen? Politico Europe 04/16/2024. <https://www.politico.eu/article/friendly-arab-nations-urge-restraint-but-will-netanyahu-listen/> (Accessed: 2024-16-04).
(4) Berman, Lazar, et. al. (2024): US, Europe to up Iran sanctions as Israel pressed to ditch threatened retaliation. Times of Israel 04/16/2024. <https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-europe-to-up-iran-sanctions-as-israel-pressed-to-ditch-threatened-retaliation/> (Accessed: 2024-16-04).
It really is looking now like Biden is stuck in a dogmatic 1980s mentality when it comes to Israel policy. As Matt Duss discusses in the interview above, Biden campaigned in 2020 on a commitment to go back into the nuclear deal with Iran, but seems to have just blown that off. Netanyahu was bitterly opposed to the deal, which in strictly pragmatic terms seems bizarre. Israel has nukes, Iran doesn’t, so wouldn’t it be in Israel’s interest to keep it that way? But that’s obviously not the calculation Netanyahu is making.
It was Donald Trump who pulled out of the deal unilaterally having no real clue about what the implications might be. If Biden had re-entered the deal, there’s a very good chance that tensions between Israel/the US and Iran would not be on the brink of war today.
Politico reports on the situation with this graphic included (3):
Simple answer to simple question: No.
The story gives this illustrates of the bizarreness of Netanyahu’s policies: “The question Israel is now highlighting, especially in conversations with European leaders and diplomats, is: What would this attack have looked like if Iran had nuclear weapons?”
Good question! It was a question the Israeli government should have been asking instead of pushing their buddy Trump to cancel the nuclear non-proliferation deal.
We’re seeing reports like the following:
The United States and European allies redoubled efforts Tuesday to press Israel for restraint following Iran’s unprecedented weekend bombardment, promising to levy tough sanctions on Tehran’s ability to sell oil and build attack drones.
Western powers fear an Israeli retaliation could plunge the region into a wider war that could draw them in while further eroding international support for Jerusalem. Senior Israeli officials have vowed to respond while promising to take the position of the US and other allies into account. (4)
But unless the Biden Administration actually cuts off military aid to Netanyahu’s government, this diplomatic fluff is unlikely to mean anything. It is Netanyahu’s goal to get the US into a direct war with Iran. And he’s never been this close to achieving it before.
Notes:
(1) ON THE BRINK: US GREENLIGHTS Israel-Iran Response. Breaking Points YouTube channel 04/16/2024. <https://youtu.be/iYtWQI4cwr0?si=ZdoQM2a7xosAZ99w> (Accessed: 2024-16-04).
(2) Gauging Iran's Response To Israel; FISA Passes House, Spying Intact w/ Matt Duss (begins at 23:00 in the full video). The Majority Report YouTube channel 04/16/2024. <https://www.youtube.com/live/GEV8qbEaN30?si=mXyKSTt9Vi_LndrS&t=1380> (Accessed: 2024-16-04).
(3) Dettmer, Jamie (2024): Friendly Arab nations urge restraint, but will Netanyahu listen? Politico Europe 04/16/2024. <https://www.politico.eu/article/friendly-arab-nations-urge-restraint-but-will-netanyahu-listen/> (Accessed: 2024-16-04).
(4) Berman, Lazar, et. al. (2024): US, Europe to up Iran sanctions as Israel pressed to ditch threatened retaliation. Times of Israel 04/16/2024. <https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-europe-to-up-iran-sanctions-as-israel-pressed-to-ditch-threatened-retaliation/> (Accessed: 2024-16-04).
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