FresnoZionism.org — ציונות פרסנו

Michael Oren answers readers’ questions in Ha’aretz:

Many historians would probably list Harry Truman’s recognition of Israel in May 1948 as one of America’s most fateful decisions in the Middle East. A more seismic event, I think, was Dwight D. Eisenhower’s decision to support Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasser in the 1956 Suez Crisis. Though Nasser had plotted against Arab moderates and had violated international agreements by nationalizing the Suez Canal, Eisenhower sided with the Soviet Union – this while Soviet tanks were crushing freedom-fighters in Hungary – in rescuing Nasser from certain defeat at the hands of Britain, France, and Israel. A vastly strengthened Nasser once again turned his Soviet arms against Arab moderates and ultimately aimed them at Israel. But imagine if Eisenhower had just stepped back and let Nasser fall. There might not have been wars in 1967 or 1973, no occupied territories, no intifadas or Hamas. Minus Nasser, the Middle East might today look radically different.

There’s lots more fascinating stuff in this Q&A.

The Jerusalem Post reports that Russia has delivered Tor-M1 air defense missile systems to Iran. The contract calls for a total of 29 missile systems at a cost of $700 million. The United States opposed the sale, apparently to no effect.

The system is designed to protect installations against cruise missiles, such as the US Tomahawk, fixed-wing aircraft, and precision-guided munitions. It would fit perfectly as part of a system to defend nuclear installations against an attack from the US or Israel. Although the UN has voted sanctions against Iran as a result of her defiant pursuit of nuclear weapons, they don’t appear to apply to non-nuclear defensive weapons systems.

By Vic Rosenthal

I suspect that Condoleeza Rice had a hand in this:

JERUSALEM, Jan. 15 (UPI) — Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh Monday hinted that Palestinian Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti’s jail term ought to be shortened.

Barghouti is serving five life sentences on charges of involvement in assassinations during the intifada, or the Palestinian uprising.

However, from his prison cell he has been involved in Fatah affairs and in drafting a Palestinian document that implied recognition of Israel, acceptance of the pre-1967 lines and limitations on the use violence. Security prisoners belonging to other parties, including Hamas, have signed it.

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A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the folly of Israel’s cooperation with the US in arming the Palestinian Fatah faction. Now, unsurprisingly, we read about what they will do with these weapons. Here is one point of view:

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By Vic Rosenthal

First of all, forget whether the Bush administration was dishonest about its reasons for invading Iraq. Forget about disbanding the Iraqi army, failing to stop looting, sending inexperienced personnel to the Coalition Provisional Authority, backing off from Falujah, allowing contractors to rip us off. Forget if you admire George W. Bush or hate his guts.

Forget “shoulda, coulda, woulda”.

What do we do now, today?

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