What was missing in Hillary's AIPAC speech
Rick Richman points out what was missing in Hillary Clinton's AIPAC speech on Monday.At yesterday’s Roundtable on Foreign Policy, there was the following exchange between moderator Dan Senor, Dr. Robert Kagan, and Senator Evan Bayh:Yes, and that's no change either. That's been the problem with the Obama approach to Iran since Day One.Dan Senor: Rob, there has been an attempt at engagement for — with Iran now for a year. The results speak for themselves. What are President Obama’s policy options for Iran?The absence in Secretary Clinton’s speech of any sense of urgency, or of a possible Plan C, will be noted by those looking for something more significant than a rhetorical expression of “determination.”Dr. Robert Kagan: Dan, the president came to office, in my estimation, believing that the key problem with Iran was Iran’s isolation, and you solve the isolation problem through engagement. Well, we figured out pretty early on that that was a mis-analysis, that the key problem was that Iran really wants to have a nuclear bomb. And if that’s the problem, then you need a different strategy, and there are three necessary elements to that strategy. One is diplomacy, second is economic sanctions, and third is a credible threat of force that’s — hovers in the background to compel the Iranians to take seriously the sanctions and the diplomacy. (Applause.)
Now — now, to — to the credit of the president, he has moved from a reliance solely on engagement to endorsing significant, although not yet crippling, sanctions. We’re slow. It’s taking too long. They won’t be comprehensive enough, but most importantly, they’re unlikely to be effective without the third part. ….
Dan Senor: Senator Bayh, is — is that credible threat of force there? The — at — at least the — the projection of it.Sen. Evan Bayh: I’m not sure it’s there in the minds of the Iranians right now, but it needs to be there. …
So I — I agree entirely with what Rob said, and if you want to just be clear-eyed and realistic about this, we need to go with aggressive sanctions that are likely to hurt the regime, particularly the revolutionary guards. But you — you want to be honest about it, that’s unlikely to work.
What could go wrong?
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:33 AM
2 Comments:
Carl - like I noted previously, the Obama Administration is more concerned with setting up a Palestinian state than it is with stopping the nuclear threat from Iran. You can guess what Clinton devoted the bulk of her AIPAC address to. So much for all that talk of undying friendship with Israel. Actions speak louder than words.
Carl - I had to do considerable editing to capture the essence of Prime Minister Netanyahu's address to AIPAC. I trust the following excerpts shows how he met the issues of the day head on.
I want to tell you about the day when I fully understood the depth of this transformation. It was the day I met Shlomit Vilmosh over forty years ago.I served with her son, Haim, in the same elite unit in the army.During a battle in 1969, Haim was killed by a burst of gunfire.At his funeral, I discovered that Haim was born shortly after his mother and father had been freed from the death camps of Europe.Had he been born two years before, this daring young officer would have been tossed into the ovens like a million other Jewish children. Haim's mother Shlomit told me that though she was in great anguish, she was proud.At least, she said, my son fell wearing the uniform of a Jewish soldier defending the Jewish state.
My friends,
The future of the Jewish State can never depend on the goodwill of even the greatest of men. Israel must always reserve the right to defend itself.
Today, an unprecedented threat to humanity looms large.A radical Iranian regime armed with nuclear weapons could bring an end to the era of nuclear peace the world has enjoyed for the last 65 years.Such a regime could provide nuclear weapons to terrorists and might even be tempted to use them itself. Our world would never be the same.Iran's brazen bid to develop nuclear weapons is first and foremost a threat to Israel, but it is also a grave threat to the region and to the world.Israel expects the international community to act swiftly and decisively to thwart this danger. But we will always reserve the right to defend ourselves.
My friends,
In my office, I have on display a signet ring that was loaned to me by Israel's Department of Antiquities.The ring was found next to the Western wall, but it dates back some 2,800 years ago, two hundred years after Kind David turned Jerusalem into our capital city. The ring is a seal of a Jewish official, and inscribed on it in Hebrew is his name: Netanyahu.His name was Netanyahu Ben-Yoash.My first name, Benjamin, dates back 1,000 years earlier to Benjamin, the son of Jacob.
The connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel cannot be denied.The connection between the Jewish people and Jerusalem cannot be denied. The Jewish people were building Jerusalem 3,000 year ago and the Jewish people are building Jerusalem today.Jerusalem is not a settlement.It is our capital.
Yet Israel is unjustly accused of not wanting peace with the Palestinians. Nothing could be further from the truth.My government has consistently shown its commitment to peace in both word and deed. From day one, we called on the Palestinian Authority to begin peace negotiations without delay. I make that same call today.President Abbas, come and negotiate peace.
Last year, I spoke of a vision of peace in which a demilitarized Palestinian state recognizes the Jewish state.Just as the Palestinians expect Israel to recognize a Palestinian state, we expect the Palestinians to recognize the Jewish state.In the past year, my government has removed hundreds of roadblocks, barriers and checkpoints in the West Bank. As a result, we have helped spur a fantastic economic boom there. Finally, we announced an unprecedented moratorium on new Israeli construction in Judea and Samaria.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Peace requires reciprocity.It cannot be a one-way street in which only Israel makes concessions. Israel stands ready to make the compromises necessary for peace.But we expect the Palestinian leaders to compromise as well.But one thing I will never compromise is our security.
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