Iran to Square Off with Israel

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Daily Beast Article (http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheat-sheet/item/iranian-ships-set-for-gaza/escalations/)


Iranian Ships Set for Gaza



http://www.tdbimg.com/files/2010/06/07/img-hp-main---iran-into-gaza_093827730609.jpg_home_cheat.jpg (http://www.tdbimg.com/files/2010/06/07/img-hp-main---iran-into-gaza_093827730609.jpg) Lefteris Pitarakis / AP Photo

Things in Gaza are quickly getting out of hand: The Iranian Red Crescent has announced (http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iEWKLpKjRKdQtCat_2tmvahx_Uaw) plans to send two aid ships to Gaza this week after receiving the blessing of the country’s foreign ministry. "One ship will carry donations made by the people and the other will carry relief workers,” said the organization’s director for international affairs. The matter could rise to the level of an international crisis if the Iranian Revolutionary Guards make good (http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE655077.htm) on their pledge, announced on Sunday, to protect any ship delivering aid to Gaza. "Iran's Revolutionary Guards naval forces are fully prepared to escort the peace and freedom convoys to Gaza with all their powers and capabilities," said Ali Shirazi, the Ayatollah Khamenei’s representative within the Guards. Shirazi indicated that the Guards are still waiting for the go-ahead from Khamenei.
BEBKAfile (http://www.debka.com/article/8842/) Apparently a pro Israel site, but informative nonetheless.


...The Iranian and Turkish leaders meeting in Istanbul Monday and Tuesday finalized a plan to synchronize the flotilla's approach to Gaza's shores with the UN Security Council vote on sanctions against Iran, whereupon Turkey, Brazil and Lebanon, who are SC members, will halt the procedure and turn the session around to the unfolding sea battle between Iran and Israel. The sanctions vote will be buried by the sounds of war....Both the article are fairly short. I saw them posted on marxmail and figured people here might be interested in these developments.

It would seem that the proverbial shit is about to hit the proverbial fan.

What do people think of Iran's actions. Productive or unproductive? In a way, I am in favor of challenging Israel further, I'm only worried that this could ignite a larger conflict which the U.S. will have no choice but get involved.

There are other concerns as well. Israel has nuclear weapons, and there is no telling what they will do when backed into a corner. Particularly, if the Iranian mission goes well, Israel might use that as a pretext to bomb bomb bomb Iran, so to speak.

Call your moms, these might be the last days...

[Bud Struggle]

Sweet. Is this the Revolution anyone wants?

[Dean]

No doubt the Iranians will be training the crew to stand down in any conflict. The nuclear armed Israeli ships stationed right outside their door will make sure of that.

[Ele'ill]

This is turning into a situation where the goal is to provoke action and I like it. This could be a very successful move in gaining support for the palestinian people however I think it's likely more of a political move.

Aside from those searching- the world has grown deaf to the various attrocities of late in that region. This will show that not only are the palestinian people still being brutalized but they are not allowed to recieve aid.

[Bud Struggle]

This is turning into a situation where the goal is to provoke action and I like it. This could be a very successful move in gaining support for the palestinian people however I think it's likely more of a political move.

Aside from those searching- the world has grown deaf to the various attrocities of late in that region. This will show that not only are the palestinian people still being brutalized but they are not allowed to recieve aid.

Bud H. Struggle!

The point of Revolution isn't to back one brutal dictatorship to wack another brutal dictatorship (with lots of poor innocent people being killed along the way.) Iran doesn't a care bit for any Palestinians. They have some Islamo/psycho Jews-shouldn't-be-on-Middle-Eastern-soil reason for wanting to get rid of the Israelis. That's why they are so gung-ho about building a nuclear bomb and nuking the Israelis. All the Palestinians would die in the blast.

The Palestinians are only pawns.

[Ele'ill]

I'm not in favor of one side against another I just think it may bring to people's attention that the palestinian people are hurting badly and in need of support.

[Che a chara]

I'm on the side of the oppressed.

Palestine with all it's faults (probably hardened by Israel's war crimes on them), is an oppressed nation and the support it may receive from Iran will only further highlight the plight instilled on the Palestinian people. I hope it's just a chest puffing exercise from Iran and that they do plan to send aid over, but not aggressively and without military intervention. The threat of any such occurrence hopefully should be enough for the US/UN to make a prompt decision on the blockade before any aggressions.

[Scary Monster]

Bud H. Struggle!

The point of Revolution isn't to back one brutal dictatorship to wack another brutal dictatorship (with lots of poor innocent people being killed along the way.) Iran doesn't a care bit for any Palestinians. They have some Islamo/psycho Jews-shouldn't-be-on-Middle-Eastern-soil reason for wanting to get rid of the Israelis. That's why they are so gung-ho about building a nuclear bomb and nuking the Israelis. All the Palestinians would die in the blast.

The Palestinians are only pawns.

Youve come to using right wing talking points eh? The Iranian and Israeli governments both argue and threaten each other all the time in the public spotlight, but the fact is, they share weapons and such with each other. And with you thinking the Iranians want to use nukes at any chance, youre probably referring to the (likely intentionally) misinterpreted quote about Iran wanting to "Wipe Israel off the face of the earth".

[Nolan]

Sweet. Is this the Revolution anyone wants?

Don't troll.

[graffic]

It would be a dumb move for anyone to take on Israel militarily. The entire Arab world, with the support of the USSR, tried 4 times.

If, for some reason, the US stopped funding them, and Israel was on its own there is a risk they could unleash the "Samson scenario".

[Nolan]

If, for some reason, the US stopped funding them, and Israel was on its own there is a risk they could unleash the "Samson scenario".

This. Israel is the "rogue state" that everyone forgets.

[Dean]

It would be a dumb move for anyone to take on Israel militarily. The entire Arab world, with the support of the USSR, tried 4 times.

If, for some reason, the US stopped funding them, and Israel was on its own there is a risk they could unleash the "Samson scenario".

Israel is probably the most at-risk state for this kind of behavior, but I doubt that this will happen.

For starters, Israel has developed important economic ties with Egypt and Iran. Stakeholders in these regimes don't want to see any compromise on these assets.

Furthermore, the entire political and economic status quo is very valuable for these regimes. I just don't see any indication that they would be willingly compromised by some of the largest shareholders in the economic paradigm in the Middle East.

$3Bn a year won't compromise economic systems which are much more valuable to the players. In additions, there simply isn't some hoard of Arabs knocking at Israel's door. Nobody who rationally assesses the conditions there should take this hysteria seriously.

[Barry Lyndon]

Israel is nothing but a bully, which brutalizes defenseless people and screams and makes threats when it doesn't get what it wants. And usually does get what it wants, because its given immunity from the consequences of its actions by the world's only superpower.

This fact is, for all its bragging, Israel hasn't fought a real war with an opposing army since 1973. Since then, all its done is massacre helpless populations of Palestinians and Lebanese for firing a few rockets at them. When the IDF tried to dislodge Hezbollah, a rag-tag militia, from their bases in south Lebanon four years ago, they got their ass kicked. Basically, this is just not the same army that defeated the combined Arab armies arrayed against it in 1948, 1956, and 1967.

If Iran and Turkey do go beyond the rhetoric and go ahead with their armed convoys, Israel's blockade may actually crumble. Because underneath it all, they are cowards who only attack those weaker then them. As Mao would say, their a 'paper tiger'.

The real worry is that they will then run crying to the US imperialists for help. But even Washington looks like it is wavering about supporting the Gaza blockade, so we'll have to wait and see.

In my view, though, the only way to true liberation of the Palestinians will be the overthrow of the surrounding Arab kleptocracies who oppress their own people and collaborate with US imperialism, but that's a ways off.

[RGacky3]

That's why they are so gung-ho about building a nuclear bomb and nuking the Israelis. All the Palestinians would die in the blast.


Building a Nuclear bomb??? Nuking Isrealies? Are you insane, knowing the history its more likely for Isreal to do something stupid like that. Also what nuclear bomb? THey made a deal to where thats impossible, and they've been using uranium thats impossible to make a nuclear bomb with. I wonder where your getting your talking points Bud, because they need to be thought out first.

If they DID try to get a nuclear bomb, I would'nt blame them, they are actually at much higher risk of being attacked than isreal is.

[Dean]

Bud H. Struggle!

The point of Revolution isn't to back one brutal dictatorship to wack another brutal dictatorship (with lots of poor innocent people being killed along the way.) Iran doesn't a care bit for any Palestinians. They have some Islamo/psycho Jews-shouldn't-be-on-Middle-Eastern-soil reason for wanting to get rid of the Israelis. That's why they are so gung-ho about building a nuclear bomb and nuking the Israelis. All the Palestinians would die in the blast.

The Palestinians are only pawns.

Don't be a fool. Iran has the largest Jewish population out of any Muslim nation. Get your facts straight:

"Jewish community in Iran has ‘no major problems’, says Jewish MP" http://www.ejpress.org/article/31716 (http://www.ejpress.org/article/31716)

"IRAN: Life of Jews Living in Iran: Iran remains home to Jewish enclave."http://www.sephardicstudies.org/iran.html

''Sometimes I think they are kinder to the Jews than they are to themselves. ... If we are gathered in a house, and the family is having a ceremony with wine or the music is playing too loud, if they find out we are Jews, they don't bother us so much,'' Eliyason said.


''Everywhere in the world there are people who don't like Jews. In England, they draw swastikas on Jewish graves. I don't think that Iran is more dangerous for Jews than other places.''


Turns out Israel isn't even that serious about opposition to Iran:

Israel yet to divest from Iran: http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=178332

A law requiring Israeli financial institutions to divest from companies that do business with Iran, which passed with with great fanfare on April 2, 2008, has never been implemented, The Jerusalem Post learned Sunday.

The law’s sponsor was then opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu.

[Devrim]

Don't be a fool. Iran has the largest Jewish population out of any Muslim nation. Get your facts straight:

Actually it doesn't. Turkey has more.

Devrim

[Dean]

Actually it doesn't. Turkey has more.

Devrim

Really?

Iran hosts the largest Jewish population of any Muslim-majority country.[15] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Jews#cite_note-sephardicstudies-14) After Israel, it is home to the second-largest Jewish population in the Middle East.[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Jews#cite_note-news.bbc.co.uk-8)



Sources ok? http://www.sephardicstudies.org/iran.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5367892.stm

However, I do see that Turkey boasts 25,000. They are either neck-and-neck or some other source will prove either way - I've seen a 40,000 estimate for Iran on another wiki entry, but nothing higher for Turkey.

[Devrim]

Really?

However, I do see that Turkey boasts 25,000. They are either neck-and-neck or some other source will prove either way - I've seen a 40,000 estimate for Iran on another wiki entry, but nothing higher for Turkey.

The number of Jews for Iran is generally given as 25,000 although there are both lower and higher estimates, even down to 11,000. If we take this accepted figure Turkey has more with just over 26,000, which is a reliable number as Jews are an 'official minority', and thus are registered with the ministry of the interior.

I would ay the number of Jews in Turkey is almost certainly higher.

Devrim

[Die Rote Fahne]

It would be a dumb move for anyone to take on Israel militarily. The entire Arab world, with the support of the USSR, tried 4 times.

If, for some reason, the US stopped funding them, and Israel was on its own there is a risk they could unleash the "Samson scenario".

Vietnam beat the USA. Small militant groups and terrorists have beaten the US in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Israel has never had an actual modern war. Who knows if Iran could invade and beat the Israeli military? Nobody.

Should Israel be invaded? No.

[Che a chara]

BBC Alan Hart - Israel Mossad did 911 and Iran does not want Nukes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFG-Ohex_DU&feature=player_embedded

[freepalestine]

for iran to send a boat is not in the interests of the palestinians.
it's basically nothing but a poor propaganda attempt for the iranian regime.and in palestinian eyes,it only helps the zionists/isreali govt.