Yossi Melman is a senior commentator for the Israeli daily Haaretz. He specializes in intelligence, security, terrorism and strategic issues. An author of seven books on these topics, his most recent book, The Nuclear Sphinx of Tehran: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the State of Iran was published recently by Carroll & Graf.
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Yossi Melman
Tel Aviv, Israel
Yossi Melman is a senior commentator for the Israeli daily Haaretz. He specializes in intelligence, security, terrorism and strategic issues. An author of seven books on these topics, his most recent book, The Nuclear Sphinx of Tehran: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the State of Iran was published recently by Carroll & Graf.
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Persians and Jews were allies for centuries, and it was a Persian king, Cyrus, who allowed Jews to build their Second Temple in Jerusalem.
The Shah understood one thing very well: that both Israel and Iran were surrounded by a big, gigantic Sunni Arab world that did not want a non-Arab Jewish state in its midst, any more than it wanted a non-Arab, Persian, Shiite state in its midst. Iran has its own territorial dispute with Arabs (just as Israel does), revolving around the three islands of Tunb Sughra, Tunb Kubra and Abu Musa, and the renaming of the Gulf (Arabs defying ancient cartographers name, Persian Gulf, and renaming it "Arabian Gulf"). He understood that Iran being non-Arab and Shia, made it not only an anomaly in the Middle East, but a pariah, and he knew that Iran's interests were in an alliance with Israel. Turkey has been smart enough to realise an alliance with Israel serves her interests.
The "Islamic Republic" on the other hand, has taken up the cause of the Palestinians, who march with pictures of the late Saddam Hussein in Gaza, the same Persian-hating, Shia-hating Saddam who was responsible for killing thousands of Iranians, and leaving Iran prostrate and in tatters. There is less hatred towards Iranians and Shia among Christian Palestinians than there is among Muslim Palestinians. So much for "Islamic" unity.
The average Iranian could care less about the Palestinian cause, and as long as Israel does not convert the Qubbat as-Sakhra (Dome of the Rock) and Al-Aqsa Mosques into Jewish Temples, no Iranian would have any reason to want a war with Israel. Israel is geographically speaking, far away, has no territorial disputes with Iran, and shares no borders with Iran, and under the Shah, never had any outstanding issues with Iran or Iranians, and until idiots like the late Khomeini and the incumbent Khamenei took up a hostile position versus Israel (with Ahmadinejad intensifying it with his idiocy), the two countries had little reason to be at odds.
I also think Israelis are being stupid by taking Ahmadinejad's dumb remarks too seriously. NO Iranian will ever go to war for the Palestinians, and as far as their correligionists' fate in Lebanon is concerned, Iranians have decided that Lebanon's issues are Lebanon's issues, and Lebanese Shiites should now take their destiny into their own hands. This is the opinion of the general populace, not the government.
To think that Israel is the true enemy of Iran and Shiite Muslims, instead of Saudi Arabia and its Wahhabi and Salafi friends, is utterly stupid and ignorant! It is not Israel oppressing Bahrain's Shiite majority, it is not Israel banning Saudi Shiites in Al-Qatif and Al-Hasa from celebrating Ashura in public, it is not Israel murdering hundreds of Shiite pilgrims in front of Shiite shrines in Karbala and Najaf, it is not Israel calling Shiites "sons of mut'aa" and "rawafidh" and heretics, it is not Israel teaching hatred of Shiites as "apostates" in Sunni madrasas, it is not Israel calling for a "Second Qadisiya" against Persians, it is not Israel claiming Iranian territory in the Gulf, it is not Israel oppressing ethnic Iranians in Bahrain (an island which rightfully belongs to Iran), it is not Israel renaming the Persian Gulf, "the Arabian Gulf", etc. etc. etc.
I hope both Iranians and Israelis open up their eyes and realise the interests of both countries lies in an alliance. Hezbollah is fighting the wrong enemy. So is Iran. For its part, Israel is playing into the hands of those who would like to see both Israel and Iran lose, and its constant anti-Iran rhetoric is alienating those Iranians who are looking into better relations with Israel.
If both you Israelis and the Iranian government had any brains, which neither one you does, you would have seen each other as natural allies, since both Iran and Israel represent two religious minorities that have been persecuted and been hated and reviled throughout the Middle East (Jewish and Shia respectively). Iran's stupidity lies in supporting the Palestinians who are deep down inside Shia-hating, Persian-hating Sunni Arabs, and who mourned Saddam's death for a full week, the same Saddam who murdered thousands of Iraqi Shia, Iranians, and Kurds (who are Sunnis like the Palestinians themselves, but of Iranian stock). The "Islamic Republic" government's stupidity also lies in seeing Israel, rather than Saudi Arabia, as the real enemy of Shiites and Persians, not far away Israel which does not even share borders with Iran.
Hence, we now have an Israeli-Sunni Arab alliance against Iran and its nuclear program, instead of an Israeli-Iranian alliance which existed for years under the Shah.
Israel's stupidity lies in seeing Iran as a bigger threat than hostile Sunni Arab states which are geographically closer to it (Hezbollah may be next-door in Lebanon, but it is not a state). There were no Shiites involved in 9/11, or Al-Qa'eda which has made destroying Israel and American interests its number one goal, and which is an all-Sunni apparatus.
As an old Persian saying goes, "May the good Lord give me some money, and you some brains."
There was a time when arabs turned against the ottoman empire in a suprise attack when the ottamans thought there enemy was england and france, after the turks loosing the middle east and shortly the arabs thought they had there independant free states, but now they all see the truth and ı believe that any country who is able to control the m.east will have to juggle very hard with all the problems it brought along with its petrol policies, now irans sayıng ım here to play what are you going to do? they have not reconized israil and even worse they want to turn israel in to a ashtray so we can see israel and america trying to fınd away to get turkey in to this mess,my oppinion to the arabs and americans you can all get your petrol and stick it up your ass, ı don't want blood money on my hands and ı don't want my family feeding on this kınd of wealth,so many people have died for the black gold keep us out, let america have it and feed that bad and smelly wealth to its population but never forget that god is watching with patience and when he judges it will be swift.
See post above. "NONSense doesn't get it.
There's another description for the crap Kissinger and succeeding Jewish leaders in Americang government have tried to foment.
And dual loyalty doesn't quite get it.See if you can figure it out.
Actually Melman is spouting the same nonsense as Kissinger: he thought that he would create an alliance whereby Saudi Arabia & Iran would provide the money, Turkey & Pakistan the man-power, Israel the leadership and intelligence, all under the guidance of the US. This alliance would then guide afars from the Eastern Mediterranean to South East Asia.
It was nonsense in the 70's and it is still nonsense 30 years later.
BULLETIN for Melman. The Saudi King Abdullah, at the conference of Arab nations, says that although the "United States constantly talks of the danger of military action by Iran in the region, the Arabs" (just having a multi nation conference) "do not feel threatened by Iran." WHAT? But Yossi says they're all about to join with Israel to work against
Iran. A long detailed description of such.
And of course Israel is to lead the movement, a valuable and beloved part of the region, I guess.
iran is like a little kid with a new toy
let us not forget ww2 haroshima, did no-one learn, what messing with the atom could do, open your eyes,leave isreal alone,all this sounds like this (my dick is bigger than yours) oh ye remember what the japaneese genaral said when they attacted perl harbor
(we have awaken the sleeping giant) does no-one listen is everyone blind to the facts, who cares about religeion, Rome was there and left,why, the crusades came and went, my great friend to the south is there but they will leave,why, again leave isreal alone the the f--k does iran have to do with isreal, there is a great song out there. bomb bomb bomb iran
It is true that the US is facing a clear victory on all fronts, from Afghanistan to Irak.
Israel has demonstrated its overwhelming power and has won the war against Lebanese civilians. The courage and grandeur of Israeli soldiers who bravely engaged the vicious Lebanese civilians in their home, in their farms and in their beds has no limits.
Last but not least, the Middle East and the entire world is today, safer and more peaceful than ever!
Iran is arguing all this from a position of strength, right now they are the face of US opposition, like Hugo Chavez could only dream of, with that comes a considerable amount of publicity and love from fringe elements of the Left Wing. Honestly Iran wants nuclear weapons in order to ensure that no nation will ever invade them. Smart move, though it dramatically changes the balance of power in their favor it also is putting a domino effect in order which is going to come to ahead within the next 20 years I'd imagine.
It's inevitable that the Western World, headed by the USA, and the Muslim world, headed by Iran and a loose Muslim coalition, are going to have to resolve this tension. However as things are looking now the USA will likely try to run from this fight looking to buy off Iran in order to escape a war. It's this mentality that has allowed Iran, a nation that openly professes an agenda of hate for the West and death to all no-Muslim believers to come to power. The tenants of the Iranian Revolution were to spread the revolution across the globe and that's just what Ahmadinejad wants. He wants to go down in history as the savior of Islam and the destroyer of the West.
Maria and David are the true face of AIPAC and Zionist Israel. How sad. When non-jewish commentators make note of things like this, they are immediately accused of being anti-semitic.
They and all the Project for a New American Century ideologues are what lured the simplistic Bush administration into the Iraqi fiasco, but what they wanted they achieved, being a perpetual war with over a billion of the world's inhabitants. This means our bankruptcy and decline as it is a conflict of civilizations that cannot be won. Israel is not in fact a shining example of democracy but a state based entirely on conquest, brutality, mass killing, and the expulsion of millions of Palestinians who had nothing at all to do with the Holocaust. America must wake up soon or all may be lost for us.
I see that anything mentioning Jimmy Carter's new book citing Israeli apartheid and slaughter of Palestininans is taken off this post! Funny it was there last night. Ya know, the world is getting sick of such censoring; it is backfiring.
Meantime, lots more room for the idiots above that want anything Arab bombed.
Congratulations to Post Global.
I would follow the money, Oil, and sell of idustrial millitary hardware mostly in middle east
the rest are joke.
for your information, Iranian are unhappy with the bunch of unwell educated whom are rununig Iran in name of religion,
nuke is another joke to keep media busy and scare people to politicion's "if's and on",
after all iran goverment is run by super power of the world they "iran so been called religius leaders" don't drink water with out permission, no company ever hire them for a cent, this is how good they are.
middle east will wideness the war for sure
millitary hardware will be sold for sure
religion play a roll of course
media will report it and make us busy and dizzy oh yes.
who will make money?
who get pain of it?
will the oil price goes up definatly think of $500.00 and up a barrel.
oh yes too hot, so hot one better get of of it, it going to burn, boy get out of reigin while one can.
Even that make the west rich and happy. all those prince that are runnig out with cash. well educated are going out too, money will run out as well first hand.
it is a boiling supoed that will get ready, for every one test, diffrently definitely.
Irak
you have the guns and the bombs. We have the people. Who do think the winner is? By the way thanks for removing Saddam.
Afghanistan: You have Kabul and Kandahar: There is no water no proper schools or hospitals in this towns.But you spend 15 billion $ boming thier country. We have Harat. In Harat thay have 24/7 electricity, telephon, water, schools and more hospitals than anywere in Afghanistan. Who do you think is more powerful in Afghanistan you or we? By the way thanks for removing the Talabans. And could you attack Saudi Arabia? If you did so we will be very very grateful.
You people don't know who your dealing with.
people like mariya and dan are bloodthirsty people who willing to have people because they believe nonsense about iran by the bloodthirsty leadership of united states and israel.oh and by the way what happened to saddam hussein's nukes,they were supposed to hit new york,london,and tel aviv in 45 minutes.OH THEY WERE ALL LIES.NO PROOF IRAN AFTER NUKES.DOWN WITH WARMONGERERS AND INSENSITIVE PEOPLE LIKE MARIYA AND DAN!
It is time the West differentiates between the government Iran has and countries like Saudi Arabia, North Korea, and Syria have and what Iraq had. Iran's government is far from perfect, it is intolerant of dissent, it is oppressive and it is religiously conservative to the point of being fundamentalist. There is however one positive aspect of the Iranian government that gets lost in the rhetoric and hysteria; it has a system. It is a flawed system to be sure, but a system nonetheless. It holds regular elections with high turnouts, has developed an extensive primary health care network with the goal of providing health care to all its citizens, and boasts a literacy rate of almost eighty percent, equal among both men and women. These are all excellent starting points from which engagement with Iran can lead to a possible moderation in the government's policies.
A victory of our "ideals" and "values" over theirs is not what is important here. What is important is that women can give birth to babies safely; families have access to food, shelter and educational infrastructure for their children; that Iranians contribute positively towards their country. This can only be brought about by engagement. We have seen the fruits of change through military intervention and isolationism. Let's not devastate another nation and culture by committing the same mistakes again.
My goodness, how on earth can Melman print such misstatements and get away with it:
"Pro-western states that favor the status quo, like Israel and the Sunni world of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates, all need America's security umbrella."
Pro-western states? In what respect? In Egypt's case, we essentially bribe Mubarak to maintain a peace with Israel while he quashes all opposition, demolishes the socio economic fabric of his own country, despite the billions in U.S aid he gets, and fine tunes his oppressive and authoritarian government while also laying the foundations of turning it into the "Mubarak Dynasty". And who in their right mind considers Saudi Arabia "pro-Western". Getting billions from the West in oil proceeds to construct floating palaces, buying yachts as big as cruise ships and vacationing in Monte Carlo by a few hundred "princes" is hardly a objective assessment of their "pro-Western credentials". Oh and lets not forget the official patronage of the Saudi royal family for the Wahabi school of thought that gave us such "pro-Western" personalities and groups like Mullah Omar, Osama, Zarqawi, the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Lets not forget the hundreds of millions of dollars that continue to be sent to madrassa's (especially in developing countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and countries in North Africa) that preach hatred and violence not only towards "infidels" but also other Muslim sects like the Shia and the poor Ahmedi's.
These countries need America's security umbrella for what? Has Iran threatened any of them? Does it have any territorial disputes with them (other than the three measly islands it controls)? Other than Bahrain and Yemen (which is struggling to deal with negative influences of the al Qaeda kind i.e Saudi wahabism) there are no countries with significant Shia populations. Bahrain has a Shia majority, ruled by a Sunni monarchy, and if Iran can inspire the majority to overthrow a autocratic regime then why on earth are we complaining? Is that not what the "West" stands for? Or do we prefer to only do it by means of unilateral invasions that destroy entire countries and push them into civil war?
Utter nonsense and propaganda. Israel is hoping that the greedy "Sheikhs" will throw in their lot with them to corner Iran. Hope the "Sheikhs" realize that they are right across the water from Iran, unlike Israel, and such backstabbing will likely not go unchallenged by the Iranians.
Shiite and Islamic leaders have used their people as pawns for centuries. That is why Israel has flourished while the Palestinean's sit and rot. Islamic leaders will always blame the people's plight on western influences so as to cover up their embezzlement of humanitarian funds. Until the Arab world gets leaders that truly care about their people (instead of using them as pawns to further their ambitions of power) the humanitarian crisis will only get worse
Sure Iran will be a power as its people are more educated than most of the Arabs but there are plenty of other players in the region. Everyone forgets the turks who ruled the region for 500+ years and have the same size population as Iran and a bigger economy which is more closely linked to the world economy. Iran needs to let go of it historical ego or get it self into some further deep trouble, just look at Russia.
All these groups tend to overplay their hands and create their own enemies, just watch as Iran does the same thing, they are no smarter than anyone else.
Secondly, Iran has plenty of ethnic groups and if were to REALY piss off the US, they might not like finding these groups funded and armed with latest and greatest. Once you let the realists have access to foriegn policy you might not like what you get. Sunni suicide bombers might not stop at the Iraqi\Iranian border and where will that take Iran.
Iran is clearly interested in obtaining nuclear weapons. I believe Israel should provide Iran with at least a few nuclear weapons, each of which set to detonate in Tehran.
Nobody can stop Iran. Iran is a powerful country with very intelengent people. Iranians are going to get their right to be a superpower as their ancestors were.It's time to accept this wonderful nation in order to have peace and stability in the middle east.
I kind of dream of the days when Israel and Iran were good friends in the region. As an Iranian I like to see Israel as a friendly nation once again. Unfortunately the government of Iran dose not represent its people. This is a terrorist government and should be confronted very harshly by the world powers or else we will have the ground work for world war III. This scenario is very real and should not be brushed under the carpet. I must say as a female from a Muslim country I can not picture a bigger threat than the Islamist Fascist taken over the world. After all it was the west that empowered them against Russia and look where it got us Iran and Russia seem to be best friends. Now we have theses Islamic lunatics running around with a lots of oil money in their pockets. I hope we all put our two and two together and do something constructive. I think who ever that suggests US should talk to Iran should also suggest a talk with Osama. After all there is not much difference between them.
1) Where is the evidence of an Iranian nuke WEAPONS program? Not allegations - Proof.
2) If Iran were developing nukes, even making one is at least 3-5 years away, if not 10 years, according to US studies.
3) If Iran did have one nuke and used it against Israel, Israel would obliterate Iran and it's allies with the 500-600 nukes that it has.
I think that Iran have already lost the support of most of sunni islamic world and that their capablity of leading the islamic world has vanished in Iraq
but in the same time Israel should not get happy that the muslims will accept it there will be a shift in leadership but the aim will still the same
Israel should grip on the only chance to be accepted in the arab world which is existing now and try to make peace now otherwise it will lose this chance forever
Yossi you are no expert on the Middle East. . .what you do have a knack for is spelling out Israeli policy.
First, the spread if Iranianism (Shiites) is a result of bad decsion making by the US and Israel. Let me clarify a point, I think that a nuclear Iran is bad for the world, as much as I think a nuclear Israel is . . .simple question would Israel give up its nuclear programand weapons if Iran promised to (assuming both sides could be trusted). No!
Second if you think that Saudi Arabia will ever confront Iran directly you have got to be out of your minds. That's what they got the US to do their dirty work for them! Money speaks volumes to the Saudi princes and without the Shiite crescent" (some refer to it as the "Shiite Banana") OPEC loses out. Believe me in this case the greedy Saudi princes will have no trouble choosing sides. Don't think for a minute that they would choose Israel, or any thing else for that matter over money! And saying it over and over again is not going to change that!
Your piece is propaganda at its best. Very little thought or time was put into it and its disappointing that you are allowing yourself to be used as a pawn. I can't believe you believe the stuff you write!
Of course the USA will remain in the middle east but its primacy in the region is ended. Nothing, repeat nothing, despite all the bluster from Tel Aviv and Washington can stop Iran obtaining nuclear weapons for the simple reason that the cure would be worse than the disease. The US has already made Iran the de facto pre-eminent power in the region, obtaining nuclear weapons will merely confirm it.
The analysis is based on the assumption that the Sunni states oh the Middle East perceive Iran"s growing Shia influence a bigger threat than than American-Israeli ambitions in the region. This assumption is misplaced because the masses of people inhabating the region consider the gains of Iran and Hizbullah as Islamic victory and the pro_US Sunni leaders simply cannot ignore this historical change in public thinking.
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All Comments (49)
Persians and Jews were allies for centuries, and it was a Persian king, Cyrus, who allowed Jews to build their Second Temple in Jerusalem.
The Shah understood one thing very well: that both Israel and Iran were surrounded by a big, gigantic Sunni Arab world that did not want a non-Arab Jewish state in its midst, any more than it wanted a non-Arab, Persian, Shiite state in its midst. Iran has its own territorial dispute with Arabs (just as Israel does), revolving around the three islands of Tunb Sughra, Tunb Kubra and Abu Musa, and the renaming of the Gulf (Arabs defying ancient cartographers name, Persian Gulf, and renaming it "Arabian Gulf"). He understood that Iran being non-Arab and Shia, made it not only an anomaly in the Middle East, but a pariah, and he knew that Iran's interests were in an alliance with Israel. Turkey has been smart enough to realise an alliance with Israel serves her interests.
The "Islamic Republic" on the other hand, has taken up the cause of the Palestinians, who march with pictures of the late Saddam Hussein in Gaza, the same Persian-hating, Shia-hating Saddam who was responsible for killing thousands of Iranians, and leaving Iran prostrate and in tatters. There is less hatred towards Iranians and Shia among Christian Palestinians than there is among Muslim Palestinians. So much for "Islamic" unity.
The average Iranian could care less about the Palestinian cause, and as long as Israel does not convert the Qubbat as-Sakhra (Dome of the Rock) and Al-Aqsa Mosques into Jewish Temples, no Iranian would have any reason to want a war with Israel. Israel is geographically speaking, far away, has no territorial disputes with Iran, and shares no borders with Iran, and under the Shah, never had any outstanding issues with Iran or Iranians, and until idiots like the late Khomeini and the incumbent Khamenei took up a hostile position versus Israel (with Ahmadinejad intensifying it with his idiocy), the two countries had little reason to be at odds.
I also think Israelis are being stupid by taking Ahmadinejad's dumb remarks too seriously. NO Iranian will ever go to war for the Palestinians, and as far as their correligionists' fate in Lebanon is concerned, Iranians have decided that Lebanon's issues are Lebanon's issues, and Lebanese Shiites should now take their destiny into their own hands. This is the opinion of the general populace, not the government.
To think that Israel is the true enemy of Iran and Shiite Muslims, instead of Saudi Arabia and its Wahhabi and Salafi friends, is utterly stupid and ignorant! It is not Israel oppressing Bahrain's Shiite majority, it is not Israel banning Saudi Shiites in Al-Qatif and Al-Hasa from celebrating Ashura in public, it is not Israel murdering hundreds of Shiite pilgrims in front of Shiite shrines in Karbala and Najaf, it is not Israel calling Shiites "sons of mut'aa" and "rawafidh" and heretics, it is not Israel teaching hatred of Shiites as "apostates" in Sunni madrasas, it is not Israel calling for a "Second Qadisiya" against Persians, it is not Israel claiming Iranian territory in the Gulf, it is not Israel oppressing ethnic Iranians in Bahrain (an island which rightfully belongs to Iran), it is not Israel renaming the Persian Gulf, "the Arabian Gulf", etc. etc. etc.
I hope both Iranians and Israelis open up their eyes and realise the interests of both countries lies in an alliance. Hezbollah is fighting the wrong enemy. So is Iran. For its part, Israel is playing into the hands of those who would like to see both Israel and Iran lose, and its constant anti-Iran rhetoric is alienating those Iranians who are looking into better relations with Israel.
May 18, 2008 3:50 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on May 18, 2008 15:50
Dear Mr. Melman,
If both you Israelis and the Iranian government had any brains, which neither one you does, you would have seen each other as natural allies, since both Iran and Israel represent two religious minorities that have been persecuted and been hated and reviled throughout the Middle East (Jewish and Shia respectively). Iran's stupidity lies in supporting the Palestinians who are deep down inside Shia-hating, Persian-hating Sunni Arabs, and who mourned Saddam's death for a full week, the same Saddam who murdered thousands of Iraqi Shia, Iranians, and Kurds (who are Sunnis like the Palestinians themselves, but of Iranian stock). The "Islamic Republic" government's stupidity also lies in seeing Israel, rather than Saudi Arabia, as the real enemy of Shiites and Persians, not far away Israel which does not even share borders with Iran.
Hence, we now have an Israeli-Sunni Arab alliance against Iran and its nuclear program, instead of an Israeli-Iranian alliance which existed for years under the Shah.
Israel's stupidity lies in seeing Iran as a bigger threat than hostile Sunni Arab states which are geographically closer to it (Hezbollah may be next-door in Lebanon, but it is not a state). There were no Shiites involved in 9/11, or Al-Qa'eda which has made destroying Israel and American interests its number one goal, and which is an all-Sunni apparatus.
As an old Persian saying goes, "May the good Lord give me some money, and you some brains."
May 17, 2008 2:52 PM | Report Offensive Comments
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February 3, 2007 11:26 AM | Report Offensive Comments
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There was a time when arabs turned against the ottoman empire in a suprise attack when the ottamans thought there enemy was england and france, after the turks loosing the middle east and shortly the arabs thought they had there independant free states, but now they all see the truth and ı believe that any country who is able to control the m.east will have to juggle very hard with all the problems it brought along with its petrol policies, now irans sayıng ım here to play what are you going to do? they have not reconized israil and even worse they want to turn israel in to a ashtray so we can see israel and america trying to fınd away to get turkey in to this mess,my oppinion to the arabs and americans you can all get your petrol and stick it up your ass, ı don't want blood money on my hands and ı don't want my family feeding on this kınd of wealth,so many people have died for the black gold keep us out, let america have it and feed that bad and smelly wealth to its population but never forget that god is watching with patience and when he judges it will be swift.
January 27, 2007 11:29 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on January 27, 2007 11:29
See post above. "NONSense doesn't get it.
There's another description for the crap Kissinger and succeeding Jewish leaders in Americang government have tried to foment.
And dual loyalty doesn't quite get it.See if you can figure it out.
December 11, 2006 9:37 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 11, 2006 09:37
Bulletin | December 10, 2006 10:18 PM
Actually Melman is spouting the same nonsense as Kissinger: he thought that he would create an alliance whereby Saudi Arabia & Iran would provide the money, Turkey & Pakistan the man-power, Israel the leadership and intelligence, all under the guidance of the US. This alliance would then guide afars from the Eastern Mediterranean to South East Asia.
It was nonsense in the 70's and it is still nonsense 30 years later.
December 11, 2006 8:30 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 11, 2006 08:30
BULLETIN for Melman. The Saudi King Abdullah, at the conference of Arab nations, says that although the "United States constantly talks of the danger of military action by Iran in the region, the Arabs" (just having a multi nation conference) "do not feel threatened by Iran." WHAT? But Yossi says they're all about to join with Israel to work against
Iran. A long detailed description of such.
And of course Israel is to lead the movement, a valuable and beloved part of the region, I guess.
December 10, 2006 10:18 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 10, 2006 22:18
iran is like a little kid with a new toy
let us not forget ww2 haroshima, did no-one learn, what messing with the atom could do, open your eyes,leave isreal alone,all this sounds like this (my dick is bigger than yours) oh ye remember what the japaneese genaral said when they attacted perl harbor
(we have awaken the sleeping giant) does no-one listen is everyone blind to the facts, who cares about religeion, Rome was there and left,why, the crusades came and went, my great friend to the south is there but they will leave,why, again leave isreal alone the the f--k does iran have to do with isreal, there is a great song out there. bomb bomb bomb iran
December 10, 2006 9:10 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 10, 2006 09:10
A Jew 'Yossi Melman'. No wonder!
December 10, 2006 5:12 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 10, 2006 05:12
methos | December 9, 2006 04:23 PM
I assume that was tongue-in-cheek.
December 9, 2006 10:48 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 9, 2006 22:48
self seeking fool, but great pic..
December 9, 2006 5:20 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 9, 2006 17:20
It is true that the US is facing a clear victory on all fronts, from Afghanistan to Irak.
Israel has demonstrated its overwhelming power and has won the war against Lebanese civilians. The courage and grandeur of Israeli soldiers who bravely engaged the vicious Lebanese civilians in their home, in their farms and in their beds has no limits.
Last but not least, the Middle East and the entire world is today, safer and more peaceful than ever!
December 9, 2006 4:23 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 9, 2006 16:23
It is only natural that Iran takes its historical place in the world, as the once center and cradle of civilization in the world
PERESION EPIRE RISING ONCE AGAIN JUST WATCH AND LEARN.
December 9, 2006 4:15 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 9, 2006 16:15
Iran is arguing all this from a position of strength, right now they are the face of US opposition, like Hugo Chavez could only dream of, with that comes a considerable amount of publicity and love from fringe elements of the Left Wing. Honestly Iran wants nuclear weapons in order to ensure that no nation will ever invade them. Smart move, though it dramatically changes the balance of power in their favor it also is putting a domino effect in order which is going to come to ahead within the next 20 years I'd imagine.
It's inevitable that the Western World, headed by the USA, and the Muslim world, headed by Iran and a loose Muslim coalition, are going to have to resolve this tension. However as things are looking now the USA will likely try to run from this fight looking to buy off Iran in order to escape a war. It's this mentality that has allowed Iran, a nation that openly professes an agenda of hate for the West and death to all no-Muslim believers to come to power. The tenants of the Iranian Revolution were to spread the revolution across the globe and that's just what Ahmadinejad wants. He wants to go down in history as the savior of Islam and the destroyer of the West.
December 9, 2006 12:41 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 9, 2006 12:41
Maria and David are the true face of AIPAC and Zionist Israel. How sad. When non-jewish commentators make note of things like this, they are immediately accused of being anti-semitic.
They and all the Project for a New American Century ideologues are what lured the simplistic Bush administration into the Iraqi fiasco, but what they wanted they achieved, being a perpetual war with over a billion of the world's inhabitants. This means our bankruptcy and decline as it is a conflict of civilizations that cannot be won. Israel is not in fact a shining example of democracy but a state based entirely on conquest, brutality, mass killing, and the expulsion of millions of Palestinians who had nothing at all to do with the Holocaust. America must wake up soon or all may be lost for us.
December 9, 2006 11:09 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 9, 2006 11:09
Melman,
No arab nation in the middle east ever has or ever will ever side with Israel on anything. How stinking dumb do you think we are?
December 9, 2006 10:53 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 9, 2006 10:53
I see that anything mentioning Jimmy Carter's new book citing Israeli apartheid and slaughter of Palestininans is taken off this post! Funny it was there last night. Ya know, the world is getting sick of such censoring; it is backfiring.
Meantime, lots more room for the idiots above that want anything Arab bombed.
Congratulations to Post Global.
December 9, 2006 10:49 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 9, 2006 10:49
Money,Oil,Gun, Religion, Military, war
I would follow the money, Oil, and sell of idustrial millitary hardware mostly in middle east
the rest are joke.
for your information, Iranian are unhappy with the bunch of unwell educated whom are rununig Iran in name of religion,
nuke is another joke to keep media busy and scare people to politicion's "if's and on",
after all iran goverment is run by super power of the world they "iran so been called religius leaders" don't drink water with out permission, no company ever hire them for a cent, this is how good they are.
middle east will wideness the war for sure
millitary hardware will be sold for sure
religion play a roll of course
media will report it and make us busy and dizzy oh yes.
who will make money?
who get pain of it?
will the oil price goes up definatly think of $500.00 and up a barrel.
oh yes too hot, so hot one better get of of it, it going to burn, boy get out of reigin while one can.
Even that make the west rich and happy. all those prince that are runnig out with cash. well educated are going out too, money will run out as well first hand.
it is a boiling supoed that will get ready, for every one test, diffrently definitely.
just another thought,
December 9, 2006 3:45 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 9, 2006 03:45
Irak
you have the guns and the bombs. We have the people. Who do think the winner is? By the way thanks for removing Saddam.
Afghanistan: You have Kabul and Kandahar: There is no water no proper schools or hospitals in this towns.But you spend 15 billion $ boming thier country. We have Harat. In Harat thay have 24/7 electricity, telephon, water, schools and more hospitals than anywere in Afghanistan. Who do you think is more powerful in Afghanistan you or we? By the way thanks for removing the Talabans. And could you attack Saudi Arabia? If you did so we will be very very grateful.
You people don't know who your dealing with.
December 9, 2006 2:21 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 9, 2006 02:21
people like mariya and dan are bloodthirsty people who willing to have people because they believe nonsense about iran by the bloodthirsty leadership of united states and israel.oh and by the way what happened to saddam hussein's nukes,they were supposed to hit new york,london,and tel aviv in 45 minutes.OH THEY WERE ALL LIES.NO PROOF IRAN AFTER NUKES.DOWN WITH WARMONGERERS AND INSENSITIVE PEOPLE LIKE MARIYA AND DAN!
December 9, 2006 12:20 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 9, 2006 00:20
It is time the West differentiates between the government Iran has and countries like Saudi Arabia, North Korea, and Syria have and what Iraq had. Iran's government is far from perfect, it is intolerant of dissent, it is oppressive and it is religiously conservative to the point of being fundamentalist. There is however one positive aspect of the Iranian government that gets lost in the rhetoric and hysteria; it has a system. It is a flawed system to be sure, but a system nonetheless. It holds regular elections with high turnouts, has developed an extensive primary health care network with the goal of providing health care to all its citizens, and boasts a literacy rate of almost eighty percent, equal among both men and women. These are all excellent starting points from which engagement with Iran can lead to a possible moderation in the government's policies.
A victory of our "ideals" and "values" over theirs is not what is important here. What is important is that women can give birth to babies safely; families have access to food, shelter and educational infrastructure for their children; that Iranians contribute positively towards their country. This can only be brought about by engagement. We have seen the fruits of change through military intervention and isolationism. Let's not devastate another nation and culture by committing the same mistakes again.
December 8, 2006 9:52 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 21:52
My goodness, how on earth can Melman print such misstatements and get away with it:
"Pro-western states that favor the status quo, like Israel and the Sunni world of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates, all need America's security umbrella."
Pro-western states? In what respect? In Egypt's case, we essentially bribe Mubarak to maintain a peace with Israel while he quashes all opposition, demolishes the socio economic fabric of his own country, despite the billions in U.S aid he gets, and fine tunes his oppressive and authoritarian government while also laying the foundations of turning it into the "Mubarak Dynasty". And who in their right mind considers Saudi Arabia "pro-Western". Getting billions from the West in oil proceeds to construct floating palaces, buying yachts as big as cruise ships and vacationing in Monte Carlo by a few hundred "princes" is hardly a objective assessment of their "pro-Western credentials". Oh and lets not forget the official patronage of the Saudi royal family for the Wahabi school of thought that gave us such "pro-Western" personalities and groups like Mullah Omar, Osama, Zarqawi, the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Lets not forget the hundreds of millions of dollars that continue to be sent to madrassa's (especially in developing countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and countries in North Africa) that preach hatred and violence not only towards "infidels" but also other Muslim sects like the Shia and the poor Ahmedi's.
These countries need America's security umbrella for what? Has Iran threatened any of them? Does it have any territorial disputes with them (other than the three measly islands it controls)? Other than Bahrain and Yemen (which is struggling to deal with negative influences of the al Qaeda kind i.e Saudi wahabism) there are no countries with significant Shia populations. Bahrain has a Shia majority, ruled by a Sunni monarchy, and if Iran can inspire the majority to overthrow a autocratic regime then why on earth are we complaining? Is that not what the "West" stands for? Or do we prefer to only do it by means of unilateral invasions that destroy entire countries and push them into civil war?
Utter nonsense and propaganda. Israel is hoping that the greedy "Sheikhs" will throw in their lot with them to corner Iran. Hope the "Sheikhs" realize that they are right across the water from Iran, unlike Israel, and such backstabbing will likely not go unchallenged by the Iranians.
December 8, 2006 9:34 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 21:34
Shiite and Islamic leaders have used their people as pawns for centuries. That is why Israel has flourished while the Palestinean's sit and rot. Islamic leaders will always blame the people's plight on western influences so as to cover up their embezzlement of humanitarian funds. Until the Arab world gets leaders that truly care about their people (instead of using them as pawns to further their ambitions of power) the humanitarian crisis will only get worse
December 8, 2006 6:59 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 18:59
Sure Iran will be a power as its people are more educated than most of the Arabs but there are plenty of other players in the region. Everyone forgets the turks who ruled the region for 500+ years and have the same size population as Iran and a bigger economy which is more closely linked to the world economy. Iran needs to let go of it historical ego or get it self into some further deep trouble, just look at Russia.
All these groups tend to overplay their hands and create their own enemies, just watch as Iran does the same thing, they are no smarter than anyone else.
Secondly, Iran has plenty of ethnic groups and if were to REALY piss off the US, they might not like finding these groups funded and armed with latest and greatest. Once you let the realists have access to foriegn policy you might not like what you get. Sunni suicide bombers might not stop at the Iraqi\Iranian border and where will that take Iran.
December 8, 2006 5:36 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 17:36
Iran is clearly interested in obtaining nuclear weapons. I believe Israel should provide Iran with at least a few nuclear weapons, each of which set to detonate in Tehran.
December 8, 2006 5:22 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 17:22
Nobody can stop Iran. Iran is a powerful country with very intelengent people. Iranians are going to get their right to be a superpower as their ancestors were.It's time to accept this wonderful nation in order to have peace and stability in the middle east.
December 8, 2006 5:14 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 17:14
I kind of dream of the days when Israel and Iran were good friends in the region. As an Iranian I like to see Israel as a friendly nation once again. Unfortunately the government of Iran dose not represent its people. This is a terrorist government and should be confronted very harshly by the world powers or else we will have the ground work for world war III. This scenario is very real and should not be brushed under the carpet. I must say as a female from a Muslim country I can not picture a bigger threat than the Islamist Fascist taken over the world. After all it was the west that empowered them against Russia and look where it got us Iran and Russia seem to be best friends. Now we have theses Islamic lunatics running around with a lots of oil money in their pockets. I hope we all put our two and two together and do something constructive. I think who ever that suggests US should talk to Iran should also suggest a talk with Osama. After all there is not much difference between them.
December 8, 2006 4:34 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 16:34
According to your encouragement and comment policies (Washington Post editors) Judafacistm Mariya, et.al. responses should be removed.
December 8, 2006 4:15 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 16:15
Israel is under no threat.
1) Where is the evidence of an Iranian nuke WEAPONS program? Not allegations - Proof.
2) If Iran were developing nukes, even making one is at least 3-5 years away, if not 10 years, according to US studies.
3) If Iran did have one nuke and used it against Israel, Israel would obliterate Iran and it's allies with the 500-600 nukes that it has.
December 8, 2006 4:13 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 16:13
I think that Iran have already lost the support of most of sunni islamic world and that their capablity of leading the islamic world has vanished in Iraq
but in the same time Israel should not get happy that the muslims will accept it there will be a shift in leadership but the aim will still the same
Israel should grip on the only chance to be accepted in the arab world which is existing now and try to make peace now otherwise it will lose this chance forever
December 8, 2006 4:11 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 16:11
Yossi you are no expert on the Middle East. . .what you do have a knack for is spelling out Israeli policy.
First, the spread if Iranianism (Shiites) is a result of bad decsion making by the US and Israel. Let me clarify a point, I think that a nuclear Iran is bad for the world, as much as I think a nuclear Israel is . . .simple question would Israel give up its nuclear programand weapons if Iran promised to (assuming both sides could be trusted). No!
Second if you think that Saudi Arabia will ever confront Iran directly you have got to be out of your minds. That's what they got the US to do their dirty work for them! Money speaks volumes to the Saudi princes and without the Shiite crescent" (some refer to it as the "Shiite Banana") OPEC loses out. Believe me in this case the greedy Saudi princes will have no trouble choosing sides. Don't think for a minute that they would choose Israel, or any thing else for that matter over money! And saying it over and over again is not going to change that!
Your piece is propaganda at its best. Very little thought or time was put into it and its disappointing that you are allowing yourself to be used as a pawn. I can't believe you believe the stuff you write!
December 8, 2006 4:06 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 16:06
Of course the USA will remain in the middle east but its primacy in the region is ended. Nothing, repeat nothing, despite all the bluster from Tel Aviv and Washington can stop Iran obtaining nuclear weapons for the simple reason that the cure would be worse than the disease. The US has already made Iran the de facto pre-eminent power in the region, obtaining nuclear weapons will merely confirm it.
December 8, 2006 4:05 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 16:05
Iran, along with every other Islamo-fascist nation, should be bombed right after Jews and Christians are taken to safety...
December 8, 2006 3:46 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 15:46
The analysis is based on the assumption that the Sunni states oh the Middle East perceive Iran"s growing Shia influence a bigger threat than than American-Israeli ambitions in the region. This assumption is misplaced because the masses of people inhabating the region consider the gains of Iran and Hizbullah as Islamic victory and the pro_US Sunni leaders simply cannot ignore this historical change in public thinking.
December 8, 2006 3:40 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 15:40
It is time for the EU to pickup the trash that they dump in Palestine and take it back to EU.
What do you think?
December 8, 2006 3:26 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on December 8, 2006 15:26