The Arab News is usually very up beat and benign in any form of violence or hatred, so this change in approach to news reporting is a bit alarming.
Some of the articles are critical of Iran and any focus of nuclear weapons, but, mostly they are mired in fear of any escalation of nuclear content to the region. The 'talk' about the war of the alliance taking on a different character after Daesh is defeated by the Iran militias, Kurdish militias and Iraqi military is not helpful. That level of skepticism is not reasonable. There are men fighting and dying to end the assault by Daesh. They are fighting together with coordination that includes USA advisers.
The skepticism of Iran's reasons for being a part of the battlefield is unhelpful. Iran has a right to defend it's borders and if sending generals and any fighting force to assist Baghdad is in question it should not be. These fighting men do better in a cohesive force when their leadership has a sincere understanding of their religion and use traditional ceremony to bless the troops as they enter still yet another offensive to end the barbarism of Daesh.
Iran has an extreme right wing and we saw the worst of it while the USA occupied Iraq. We don't need to fan the fire of hate by these extremists in Iran. If the Prime Minister of Israel is going to insist Iran is completely untrustworthy regardless of the fact they have no nuclear weapon program today and hasn't since 2003, Iran will return the anger with threats of 'Death to Israel.'
The Middle East has many countries, they cannot afford a nuclear exchange. The idea Iran is waiting for the very moment no other country expects it to launch an attack on Israel is childish. It is completely outside the experience of the Kerry diplomatic effort. Iran's talks with The West have been productive. The more Iran has an economy and quality of life respected by their citizens the less and less there is a reason for war and conflict.
There can be no predictions about the future being more unstable and full of war and hatred between Sunnis and Shia than exists as they are an alliance to defeat Daesh. I cannot imagine an outcome to this alliance and war that will lead to nothing but a greater understanding of their importance to the region and each other. No one is asking Sunnis to become Shia or Shia to become Sunnis. That won't happen.
Perhaps part of what the Israeli Prime Minister's goal to the speech under the US Capital Dome was to create wedge issues that would create turmoil and agitation to members of the alliance as well as Iran with Baghdad. That would be unfortunate. At a time when countries have turned to each other to defeat a common enemy in Arabia it was grossly wrong for the Prime Minister to make a speech that was aimed at defining and celebrating instability, hatred and war. In other words, the Prime Minister is creating enemies rather than peace partners. It is ridiculous to think Israel has nothing but enemies in the Middle East no different than one can believe Sunnis could ever be defeated in a war with Shia. The entire hate dialogue is nonsense, but, it sure does stir everyone up.
Secretary Kerry needs to have some of his staff keep up with the media in the Middle East to dispel the terrible ideas and words that have surfaced since the Prime Minister's speech. The USA does not endorse any war against any sovereign country in the Middle East and the regional media needs to read and hear those words to eliminate the hate the Prime Minister so adeptly stirred up.
Americans are so removed from the Middle East tensions and what can spark violence. The USA Republicans are way out of line and not just in relation to the USA President.
March 2, 2015
TEL AVIV: Hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (click here) set off on Sunday for Washington, a group of 180 retired Israeli generals and former top security officials warned that his upcoming address to a joint meeting of Congress on Iran’s nuclear program will cause more harm than good.
It will not only damage Israel’s special relationship with the United States, but also undermine military and intelligence ties, they said.
Rather than slowing down Iran’s nuclear project, the former security officials said, Netanyahu’s speech on Tuesday will bring the Islamic republic closer to developing a nuclear bomb.
“When the Israeli prime minister argues that his speech will stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, he is not only misleading Israel — he is strengthening Iran,” Amnon Reshef, former head of the army’s armored corps, said at a news conference on Sunday.
Reshef is a founder of Commanders for Israel’s Security, an organization of 200 retired and reserve senior officers from the Israel Defense Forces, the Mossad secret service, the Shin Bet domestic security agency and the national police force....
