Comments on: Nelson Report Says Ross Will Get Iran File

By: Abbas Khalil

Abbas Khalil — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:10:59 +0000

This is a very callous move (if comes to fruition) by Obama considering Ross’s extreme bias in favour of Israeli interests. One can only read this in the context of scuttling the diplomatic initiative towards Iran before it even starts. Iran surely will be unwise to explode any nuclear device considering its (i.e the nuclear device) limited deterrent capability and which will bring about more stricter sanctions against it when it really needs it the least. Iran is developing rapidly and will need at least 20 nuclear reactors for its growing energy needs, which the US can be very helpful in. The US ought to work with Iran to insure that any enrichment activity is geared towards the fuel production of its future nuclear reactors. This direction in stated policy will help alleviate the suspicions on the Iranian side that the US is not standing in the way of Iran’s progress. I am sure all other issues can be resolved. Iran is yet to see the result of G. Bush’s (the father) stating that “good well begets good well.”

If that is forgotten then one should wonder what else has remained for the progressive left from this new administration.

By: Arthur Stock

Arthur Stock — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:22:11 +0000

I have no idea whether the majority of Americans today have a friendly, cautious or hostile attitude toward the people of Iran but the answer will become irrelevant once Iran explods a nuclear weapon, which it will in 2009. Because of this, Dennis Ross is a suitable selection. The real question is whether he can separate himself from his pro Israel affection sufficiently to understand and accept Iran’s concerns.

By: Jon Harrison

Jon Harrison — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:44:32 +0000

I agree with Ms. Linden on all but one point. There is in fact no evidence that “the American people” have warm feelings for Iran. These warm feelings may exist among the cocktail party set in some urban centers. However, if one moves in less exalted circles, one finds that people think Iran is our enemy – it took our people hostage, after all. And these are the moderates, people whose dislike for Iran is nothing compared to that of the millions of fanatical Christians who believe Iran is the devil incarnate. The slant of the U.S. media and political leadership, which follow imperatives that have nothing to do with the real interests of the American people, long ago succeeded in turning a majority of Americans against Iran.

By: Susan Linden

Susan Linden — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:28:37 +0000

Dennis Ross’s position as chairman of the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute should be reason enough to exclude him from any position of influence on US policy. The American tradition teaches that “No man can serve two masters;” given Ross’s commitment to Israel’s long-term strategic interests, it’s extremely difficult to believe that the best interests of the United States would be central to Ross’s thinking.

Papers JPPPI has produced spell out quite clearly how Israel is positioning itself for the time when the US is no longer the world’s strongest economic & military power, which JPPPI says is fast approaching.

It is clear from tracing the chronology of Israel’s demonization campaign against Iran (begun by Ephraim Sneh in 1992), that Israel’s main concern is to replace revenue streams Iran had provided it through the reign of the shah — from Israel & Iran’s oil transshipment partnership, and from the major revenue enhancements Israel enjoyed from the sale of military equipment to Iran, both during the reign of the shah and throughout the course of the Iran-Iraq war (see Ronen Bergman, “The Secret War with Iran”). Israel and Israel’s advocates in the US, not least among them Dennis Ross, have pressed measure after measure through a cowed US Congress that disadvantages US commercial interests but works to Israel’s interests– read about it in Trita Parsi’s “Treacherous Alliance.”

The sentiment among the American people is strongly favorable toward Iran; it is far more advantageous to the people of the United States to have positive, even favorable relations with Iran rather than have that young and talented population as an enemy. Americans are entitled to a liaison to Iran who hold the best interests of America uppermost, and shares America’s values; Dennis Ross is not that person.

By: Bilejones

Bilejones — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:23:42 +0000

“given what we believe Obama really thinks about the Middle East.”

We know what he thinks:
Israel is all important.
The US should kill more Afghans.
The US should kill more Pakistanis.
The US should kill somewhat fewer Iraqis and continue to occupy their country.
Palestinians, What’s a Palestinian?

By: Jon Harrison

Jon Harrison — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:17:22 +0000

Remember that SecDef Gates told the the Democratic Caucus last year that if we attacked Iran, “our grandchildren will be fighting jihadists.” There are significant people that Obama will listen to – Gates, Brzezinski, Scowcroft, Chuck Hagel – who do not support military action against Iran. Add to these the Joint Chiefs and, though less important, the entire left of the Democratic Party, and you have a bloc that Dennis Ross isn’t going to make a dent in. Nor is Hillary likely to come out for military action, having been burned by her Iraq experience.

Don’t forget as well that the war in Afghanistan has been going badly – it’s been missing from the headlines because both sides are, in effect, in winter quarters. Action will heat up again in the spring.

Given Afghanistan, a possible unraveling in Pakistan, and the worst economic crisis at home in 70 years, should we really worry that President Obama will start a war against Iran?

The appointment of Ross does seem counterintuitive, given what we believe Obama really thinks about the Middle East. I reserve my judgement for the time being as to why Ross might be selected, but in any case I can’t see his appointment as bringing us closer to a war with Iran.