Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and US President Barack
Obama shake hands
during a joint press conference at the Prime Minister's Residence in
Jerusalem, March 20, 2013,
on the first day of Obama's three day trip to Israel. AFP PHOTO / Saul
LOEB
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http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/03/21/18734025.php
"Existential
threat to Israel": Obama's relentless war effort against Iran and Syria
Propaganda alert
compiled by Cem Ertür
21 March 2013
Syria and Iran are showing remarkable resilience and restraint in the
face of extreme aggression by the U.S., Israel and NATO.
_________________________________
“As
we all know, the Syrian situation continues to become worse and worse
and worse. The [NATO] alliance has taken a position that it will follow
the same sequence that was used in Libya. [...] We are
looking at a wide range of [military] operations, and we are prepared
if called upon to be engaged [militarily] as we were in
Libya.”
[
NATO’s
top commander Adm. James Stavridis, testimony before the U.S. Senate
Armed Services Committee, 19 March 2013]
[1]
_________________________________
America’s
commitment to the security of the State of Israel is a solemn
obligation, and the security of Israel is non-negotiable. Today, our
military and intelligence personnel cooperate more closely than ever
before. [...]
With respect to Syria, the United States continues to work with allies
and friends and the Syrian opposition to hasten the end of
Assad’s rule [...] Assad has lost his legitimacy to
lead by attacking the Syrian people with almost every conventional
weapon in his arsenal, including Scud missiles. And we have been clear
that the use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people would be a
serious and tragic mistake.
We also share Israel’s grave concern about the transfer of
chemical or other weapon systems to terrorists -- such as Hezbollah --
that might be used against Israel. The Assad regime must understand
that they will be held accountable for the use of chemical weapons or
their transfer to terrorists. [...]
We agree that a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to the region, a
threat to the world, and potentially an existential threat to Israel.
And we agree on our goal. We do not have a policy of containment when
it comes to a nuclear Iran. Our policy is to prevent Iran from
acquiring a nuclear weapon. [...] All options are on
the table. We will do what is necessary to prevent Iran from getting
the world’s worst weapons. [...]
[W]e consider Israel's security of extraordinary importance to us [...]
[
U.S.
President Barack Obama, joint press conference with the Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Jerusalem, 20 March 2013]
[2]
A
nuclear-armed Iran is completely counter to Israel’s security
interests. But it is also counter to the national security interests of
the United States. Indeed, the entire world has an interest in
preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. [...]
[A nuclear-armed Iran] would embolden a regime that has brutalized its
own people, and it would embolden Iran’s proxies, who have
carried out terrorist attacks from the Levant to southwest Asia.
[
U.S.
President Barack Obama, speech at the American Israel Public Affairs
Committee’s (AIPAC) annual policy conference, Washington DC,
4 March 2012] [3]
[W]hen
I walked among the Hall of Names at Yad Vashem [Holocaust Museum], I
was reminded of the existential fear of Israelis when a modern dictator
seeks nuclear weapons and threatens to wipe Israel off the face of the
map -- face of the Earth.
Because we understand the challenges Israel faces, I and my
administration have made the security of Israel a priority.
It’s why we’ve increased cooperation between our
militaries to unprecedented levels. It’s why
we’re making our most advanced technologies available to our
Israeli allies. It’s why, despite tough fiscal times,
we’ve increased foreign military financing to record
levels. [...]
You also see our commitment to our shared security in our determination
to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear
weapons. [...] Iran continues to support terrorism
across the region, including providing weapons and funds to terrorist
organizations.
[
U.S.
President Barack Obama, speech at the American Israel Public Affairs
Committee’s (AIPAC) annual policy conference, Washington DC,
22 May 2011] [4]
Iranian
regime [...] sponsors terrorism, pursues nuclear weapons and
threatens Israel's existence. A nuclear Iran would pose a grave threat
and the world must prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear
weapon. [...]
I bring to Sderot, an unshakeable commitment to Israel's security. The
state of Israel faces determined enemies who seek its destruction. But
it also has a friend and ally in the United States that will always
stand by the people of Israel. [...] I will take no options
off the table in dealing with this potential Iranian threat. [...]
[
U.S.
Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama, press
conference in Sderot, Israel, 23 July 2008]
[5]
Syria
continues its support for terror and meddling in Lebanon. And Syria has
taken dangerous steps in pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, which
is why Israeli action was justified to end that threat. [...]
There is no greater threat to Israel – or to the peace and
stability of the region – than Iran. Now this audience is
made up of both Republicans and Democrats, and the enemies of Israel
should have no doubt that, regardless of party, Americans stand
shoulder-to-shoulder in our commitment to Israel's
security. [...]
The Iranian regime supports violent extremists and challenges us across
the region. It pursues a nuclear capability that could spark a
dangerous arms race, and raise the prospect of a transfer of nuclear
know-how to terrorists. Its President denies the Holocaust and
threatens to wipe Israel off the map. The danger from Iran is grave, it
is real, and my goal will be to eliminate this threat.
But just as we are clear-eyed about the threat, we must be clear about
the failure of today's policy. We knew, in 2002, that Iran supported
terrorism. We knew Iran had an illicit nuclear program. We knew Iran
posed a grave threat to Israel. But instead of pursuing a strategy to
address this threat, we ignored it and instead invaded and occupied
Iraq.
[
U.S.
Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama, speech at the
American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) annual
policy conference, Washington DC, 4 June 2008]
[6]
As
the U.S. redeploys from Iraq, we can recapture lost influence in the
Middle East. We can refocus our efforts to critical, yet neglected
priorities, such as combating international terrorism and winning the
war in Afghanistan. And we can, then, more effectively deal with one of
the greatest threats to the United States, Israel and world peace:
Iran. Iran's President Ahmadinejad's regime is a threat to all of
us. [...] In the 21st century, it is unacceptable
that a member state of the United Nations would openly call for the
elimination of another member state. [...]
The world must work to stop Iran's uranium enrichment program and
prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. It is far too dangerous to
have nuclear weapons in the hands of a radical theocracy. And while we
should take no option, including military action, off the table,
sustained and aggressive diplomacy combined with tough sanctions should
be our primary means to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons.
[
U.S.
Senator Barack Obama, speech at the American Israel Public Affairs
Committee’s (AIPAC) annual policy conference, Chicago, 2
March 2007] [7]
_________________________________
Notes:
[1] Stavridis
shares NATO perspective on Afghanistan, Syria
by
Tyrone C. Marshall, U.S.
Department of Defense website, 19 March 2013
[2] Remarks
by President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel in joint
press conference
The White House website, 20 March 2013
[3] Remarks
by the President at AIPAC Policy Conference
The White House website, 4 March 2012
[4] Remarks
by the President at the AIPAC Policy Conference 2011
The White House website, 22 May 2011
[5] Obama’s
speech in Sderot, Israel
New York Times website, 23 July 2008
[6] Remarks
to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference in
Washington, D.C.
The American Presidency Project website, 4 June 2008
[7] Remarks
at the AIPAC Policy Forum in Chicago
The American Presidency Project website, 2 March 2007
_________________________________
Related
articles:
US-Israeli
bellicose threats against Syria and Iran
by Bill Van Auken, Global Research, 21 March 2013
US,
NATO prepare Syria Intervention
by Bill Van Auken, Global Research, 20 March 2013
NATO
proxies using weapons of mass destruction in Syria
by Tony Cartalucci, Press TV, 19 March 2013
_________________________________
From
the archives:
Israeli President Peres calls for an Arab League-led invasion and
occupation of Syria
by Cem Ertür, Indybay, 14 March 2013
"Those
who seek to destroy Israel": Endless fear mongering by Prime Minister
Netanyahu
by Cem Ertür, Indybay, 29 January 2013
Israel's
"red line" on Iranian nuclear programme and a flashback to 1986
by Cem Ertür, Indybay, 28 September 2012
President Obama threatens Iran and Syria: "I will always stand with
Israel"
by Cem Ertür, Indybay, 25 April 2012
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