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At the moment two world leaders are fighting a battle in the court of public opinion. President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are facing off over the Obama Administration's "deal" with Iran over its quest to obtain nuclear weapons. Mr. Netanyahu has made a plea directly to American Jews to oppose the deal.
I find this offensive. I am a Jew. While I haven't been observant of my faith for more than two decades and have no plans to change this stance, my fundamental identity as a Jew has never wavered. However, first, foremost and always, I am an American first. That doesn't mean I'm not a supporter of Israel and its right to exist. I am. However no one should use my faith and identity to get me to take a position on a political issue within the nation I call home.
Iran is already a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a treaty whose provisions they have failed to comply with on more than one occasion. Mr. Netanyahu's caution about what Iran will do once sanctions have been loosened is well-taken. But the fallacy of his opposition to this deal is found in his own words when he spoke to American Jews. This quote can be found on the CNN website:
The deal, Netanyahu claimed, "gives Iran two paths to the bomb: Iran can get to the bomb by keeping the deal, or Iran could get to the bomb by violating the deal."
That being said, it becomes apparent that Iran can eventually get the bomb even without the deal. In spite of sanctions. Sanctions won't prevent them from ultimately obtaining a usable nuclear device, but they do make it tougher on the civilian population of Iran. If this deal improves the chances that there will NOT ever be an Iranian nuclear device, I'm all for it. From a limited reading of the deal, I think that to be the case.
Israel has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. When Israel signs, it will have room to talk. When they open their Negev Nuclear Research Center near Diamona to inspectors, they can criticize Iran's noncompliance with a treaty they haven't signed. Intelligence estimates are that the reactor at Diamona probably produced enough plutonium prior to the year 2000 that the Israelis could possess between 200 and 400 nuclear weapons.
I get it that Israel feels it must have nukes to insure its survival. A little less hypocrisy would be nice.
I find this offensive. I am a Jew. While I haven't been observant of my faith for more than two decades and have no plans to change this stance, my fundamental identity as a Jew has never wavered. However, first, foremost and always, I am an American first. That doesn't mean I'm not a supporter of Israel and its right to exist. I am. However no one should use my faith and identity to get me to take a position on a political issue within the nation I call home.
Iran is already a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a treaty whose provisions they have failed to comply with on more than one occasion. Mr. Netanyahu's caution about what Iran will do once sanctions have been loosened is well-taken. But the fallacy of his opposition to this deal is found in his own words when he spoke to American Jews. This quote can be found on the CNN website:
The deal, Netanyahu claimed, "gives Iran two paths to the bomb: Iran can get to the bomb by keeping the deal, or Iran could get to the bomb by violating the deal."
That being said, it becomes apparent that Iran can eventually get the bomb even without the deal. In spite of sanctions. Sanctions won't prevent them from ultimately obtaining a usable nuclear device, but they do make it tougher on the civilian population of Iran. If this deal improves the chances that there will NOT ever be an Iranian nuclear device, I'm all for it. From a limited reading of the deal, I think that to be the case.
Israel has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. When Israel signs, it will have room to talk. When they open their Negev Nuclear Research Center near Diamona to inspectors, they can criticize Iran's noncompliance with a treaty they haven't signed. Intelligence estimates are that the reactor at Diamona probably produced enough plutonium prior to the year 2000 that the Israelis could possess between 200 and 400 nuclear weapons.
I get it that Israel feels it must have nukes to insure its survival. A little less hypocrisy would be nice.
posted by me at 6:58 AM
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