A credible threat?

Submitted by a z (Israel), Mar 23, 2010 at 21:37

to John, I disagree that it would create a build-up of nuclear weapons by other middle east countries. Far from it. But it wouldn't be a credible threat and the aftermath would be terrible for Israel. Or at least it seems so. It's actually impossible to predict what would happen. The law of unintended consequences indeed. Perhaps if Netanyahu would add "don't bet that this is a bluff" there's a chance Obama would consider there's a genuine risk that Israel will resort to that if Iran's nuclear weapons program isn't stopped.

I don't know if you heard the Ahmadinejad told his people that "the nuclear program will change the course of human history". That's not just bluster or wishful thinking. He has real plans and for more than just the middle east and once he has those weapons, nothing will turn back the clock.

In a way, going on and on about how Israel must be eliminated diverts attention from how he intends to harness the nuclear threat (which I'm sure he'll make credible, palpable) to change "human history" not in Israel (only) but in Europe and the West, although from time to time he does hint to it, recently saying the Islam is the next step for the West and that the clock for the West is ticking (he has several clocks ticking; he mentioned a clock ticking for Israel too).

If he'd be stupid, even in distracting the West by pointing only at Israel, he'd promise daily that they're about to get the Bomb and that when they do, Israel and all its population will be a thing of the past. In such a case, even a nuclear preventive attack would be a real possibility (or would the rest of the world dismiss this as sheer bravado and make clear that Israel "really has nothing to worry about and shouldn't pretend it does"?). Ahmadinejad is smart enough to not try doing that.

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