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shaayecanaan

(6,068 posts)
11. maybe...
Mon Sep 3, 2012, 01:38 AM
Sep 2012
I would hope my government would behave in the way described, making it clear nobody is going to try to play puppet-master with us without consequences.


Hope away, but I don't think the right honourable members of the whorehouse on the hill are going to act any differently. I think part of the problem in the US system of government is that the buck stops with the president, but not with Congress, who being relieved of any real responsibility are free to act as expediently as they please.

I don't expect Obama to apply any real pressure on Israel, until perhaps after the next midterms, and even then, its a lose-lose for him. Traditionally, most presidents have tried their hand at Arab-Israeli peace once they have served out two terms and are more focused on their legacy than being elected, but even then they generally haven't bothered twisting Israel's arm much.

Another thing to add in the mix is the Iranian presidential elections in 2013. Ahmadinejad is unable to seek another term (just as in the US, two consecutive terms is the limit).

Its an interesting mix of candidates at the moment:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_presidential_election,_2013

The four main contenders would be:-

Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei
Mohsen Rezaee
Manouchehr Mottaki
Mohammad-Ali Najafi

Essentially all of the candidates would be preferable to Ahmadinejad, and most if not all have been critical of his war of words with Israel.

You'd have to think that if Israel were going to strike, they would do so before the June 2013 elections and the departure of their favourite bogeyman.
Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Israel/Palestine»US 'scales down' military...»Reply #11