As Iran announced the construction of 10 new enrichment facilities, each to be at least as large as the current one at Natanz, the magnitude of the “Iran problem” has been significantly ratcheted up. How should the world respond?
I have no problem with questions having many possible answers, but when all of them are lousy, I get concerned. And in this case, all of the answers really stink, unless of course you are painfully naïve or dangerously apocalyptical.
Short of pretending that a nuclear Iran is of no concern, which is hard to do in light of the ranting of President Ahmadinejad, the ferocity of the Ayatollah’s repression of alternate political views, and the honor-driven posturing which dominates a foreign policy supported by both of them, it’s hard not to be concerned. On the other hand, short of looking to start World War III, it’s not like any kind of military response is so practical or desirable either. So what to do? And more to the point, what is Israel to do?
It’s not that I value Israel’s response more than that of either the US or the collective voice which includes the British, French, Germans, Russians and Chinese, but there is no country more immediately threatened and no country whose national narrative is as deeply rooted in earlier attempts to obliterate it’s entire people. That is precisely the kind of combination which leads people to make choices, which no matter how understandable, may be deeply regrettable.
So what to do? Do you feel safe with a nuclear Iran? Is it possible that nuclear power can be separated from nuclear weapons? Would that satisfy those who are most concerned, or are there forces at work which are simply chomping at the bit to take on what may well be the world’s most militarily formidable Islamic state?
More questions that answers today, but why should I be different from the offices of either Prime Minister Netanyahu or President Obama?
Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of 
posted November 30, 2009 at 10:37 am
Iran’s president is evidently one of the demon-possessed
“kings” of the east who start the Battle of Ar Mageddon.
posted November 30, 2009 at 1:26 pm
A nuclear Iran is a worry to the whole world, not just Israel. But the talk about 10 new enrichment facilities is bluster for the following reasons:
–The cost of 10 enrichment facilities is in the 10s of billions of dollar range. Not an inconsiderable sum even for oil rich Iran.
–Iran has great problems providing resources,jobs, and economic growth to its citizens even before it has to figure out how to pay for the 10 new facilities.
–10 new facilities would need an enormous amount of power just for construction alone, let alone the power needed to run that many faciltiies. Where would they get that much extra power?
–How, and from where, would Iran secure that much uranium?
–How, and from where, would Iran get the many thousands of centrifuges needed to run 10 new facilities.
–How would they be able to hide the construction of 10 new facilties from spy satellites?
–Even the Chinese and Russians are on Iran’s case about the latest developments. That being so, Iran may have blustered its way into a box.
posted November 30, 2009 at 8:05 pm
This is who we are dealing with so we are on the same page.
Ahmadinejad’s Demons
http://www.matthiaskuentzel.de/contents/ahmadinejads-demons
posted December 1, 2009 at 1:22 am
“Iran To Build 10 New Enrichment Sites, What’s Proper Response?”
You have two options.
1. Wait for Iran to develop nukes and vaporize Israel as promised.
2. Go to war now and take out as many of their nuke sites as possible (along with the scientists and leadership).
The clock’s running.