Weighing Benefits and Costs of Military Action Against Iran

September 15, 2012

Weighing Benefits and Costs of Military Action Against Iran

Gary Sick

http://garysick.tumblr.com/

Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel has been perfectly clear. He wants the United States to go to war with Iran on Israel’s behalf, or, failing that, to define exactly when and how we would start our third war in the Middle East since 2001. President Obama has received these blandishments with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

Mr Netanyahu is correct in his apparent assumption that the US can do a much better job of destroying Iran’s nuclear facilities than Israel can do alone. However, his unconcealed pressure on the president of the United States during the final stages of an election is a power play without precedent. The small ally tail does occasionally attempt to wag the American dog, but seldom so blatantly.