Dear Graham,

Timely article thank you.

I found both the Democratic and Republican conventions quite interesting on the question of Israel.

The Democrats or more specifically Obama was forced into a rather ludicrious rewrite of the party platform to include the position that Jerusalem was the capital of Israel. The reaction of dissent from the convention floor was very telling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoPrBnrWvrE

Of course Bush had promised to relocate the US embassy to Jerusalem but once in office declined to do so. All theatre really.

However the even Republican rhetoric has dialled back from their 2008 position that “We support Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel and moving the American embassy to that undivided capital of Israel.” to “Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state with secure, defensible borders; and we envision two democratic states -- Israel with Jerusalem as its capital and Palestine -- living in peace and security.”

It may well be that both sides are adopting more measured positions, a welcome move if true.

Dear Hasbeen,

I hear there is a bridge opening in Sydney you might want to attend. Full dress uniform and bring horse and sabre.

Judging from the news reports, there is actually one side which is pushing for a showdown in the ME and that is Israel. The Iranians are merely trying to establish a nuclear facility which may, repeat may, be used to produce nuclear weapons. At no time have they suggested that they will attack Israel with nuclear weapons. That is just rhetoric from the far right in Israel and their friends in the United States.

David

It is comforting to see that rational people are encouraged that Israel's colony and piggy-bank the USA, in the form of its head of state President Obama, is actually thinking for itself for once.
I forgot to check Graham Cooke's article to find out what financial support Israel was offering in its sponsorship of the recession-troubled USA- maybe bodybags- for the grisly task of obliterating Iran to assuage Israel's perpetual night-terrors concerning its neighbours, who, with the exception of middle-power Iran, have already been bombed back to the Stone Age.

Further confirmation of what is already known:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/netanyahu-eying-victory-for-israel-in-us-election/article4550389/?cmpid=rss1

and one of the more concise summaries of events to date:

http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/142108/will-israel-drag-the-us-into-a-war-with-iran.html

I suspect Obama is struggling up hill at this point. Let's hope the ground flattens out soon. I hate to think of what will happen in the ME if Netanyahu gets his way.

I would hate to think what the result would be if anything serious were to happen with this gas bag fool in charge of the US.

While he has definitely proved to be an expert at paying off his cronies with grants & loan guarantees of taxpayer funds, he has yet to actually do anything worth while, or effective.

Thanks everyone for your comments and thanks especially for the links.

There are signs even within the Israeli Cabinet that the PM is going too far with his anti-Iran rhetoric. I also have some sympathy with the view that Iran, while playing to the international gallery, might actually have no greater intention than a domestic peaceful nuclear program.

After all, that means it could sell more oil to the West and be better prepared when the oil wells finally run dry.