Wrong Approach

I know that this seems obvious. Tony Snow: “The president is not going to make military decisions for Israel.’’ This is entirely wrong. Israel should for all intents and purposes be a US puppet-state. No military action should happen without the specific blessing of the White House. A micro-state subsidized by the US shouldn't be making US policy in the ME.

This is particularly necessary given the ability of Iran to help drive conflict in the region.

Comments

[Yudel]

The thing is, since the U.S. foreign policy seems to consist simply of "Ira* is Evil!", rather than referencing any geostrategic goals (which, after all, would have been served by at least entertaining the 2003 Iranian overtures), the Administration can't dispute the Israeli perspective that it needs to fight Hezbollah evil.

On the other hand, as someone who isn't convinced that Iranian regime change (as managed by Rumsfeld, et al) is in the American interest, I can only hope that the Iranian plan to derail an American attack through Israeli hostilities succeeds. I assume that Iran is planning on trading a military rout of Hezbollah soldiers (and Lebanese civilians) for a diplomatic victory.

Given that letting Rumfseld take the lead in the Gulf proved to be a lose-lose situation for the Americans and the Iraqis, who knows? Maybe letting the Iranians take the lead (by not reining in Israel's response) will prove to be a win-win.

[Tex MacRae]

“The president is not going to make military decisions for Israel.’’

I just assumed this was a lie, that the US figured the Israelis could get away with more excesses and so uses them as proxies.

[Tangurena]

Between the neocons, the evangelicals and the pro-Israeli lobby, there is no possibility of the US criticizing Israel in an election year. Rice's remark "suggesting" that Israel "show some restraint" is the sharpest possible rebuke at this time. Those special interest want the US to destroy Syria and Iran, so it is likely that there will be some new counterfeit "atrocities" that will get linked back to Syria and Iran. They'll end up being this year's "yellowcake forgeries" but correctly identifying them as such will only happen *after* Iran gets attacked.

However, I think it is likely that the administration will take this opportunity to attack Iran. Especially since there is no chance of getting UNSC resolutions past the expected Chinese and Russian vetos.