The Issue That Could Decide The Election

[Duck_dodgers007]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-14/israel-plans-for-iran-strike-as-citizens-say-government-serious.html

 

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Aug. 1 that time “is running out” for a peaceful solution to Iran’s atomic program. The Tel Aviv-based Haaretz newspaper reported Aug. 10 that Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are considering bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities before U.S. elections on Nov. 6. Mark Regev, Netanyahu’s spokesman, said government policy is not to comment on media speculation.

 

 

They want Romney so they roll the dice? Why before or election?

[WorldTraveller]

There are three possible October surprises that I would EXPECT to see from the White House before the elections if they feel that the elections is beginning to slip away from them.

 

1) Support the Bowles Simpson Plan

 

2) Dump Ol stumblin bumblin crazy uncle joe for Hillary

 

3) Support an air strike very publicly on Iran

[BiggieScooby]

The election will come down to voter turnout in Florida, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado, & Ohio. As I've indicated in my post on the electoral map; what happens in Florida is the biggest factor in 2012.

[Nanker]

Clouds. Clouds and grass.

[/dev/null]

There are three possible October surprises that I would EXPECT to see from the White House before the elections if they feel that the elections is beginning to slip away from them.

 

1) Support the Bowles Simpson Plan

 

2) Dump Ol stumblin bumblin crazy uncle joe for Hillary

 

3) Support an air strike very publicly on Iran

 

1 & 3 are doubtful as it would alienate his liberal base who would still go out and vote for Obama. But they would be less likely to rally their friends to vote for Obama or show up at a polling station guaranteeing the voting rights of the dead, domestically enslaved mammals, and Winffield D Pooh

 

2 is unlikely as there are laws about changing the ballot within so many days of the election. New Jersey has already proven altering a troubled Democratic ticket is a public service, but other states may hold dissenting opinions

[DC Tom]

http://www.bloomberg...nt-serious.html

 

 

 

 

 

They want Romney so they roll the dice? Why before or election?

 

I hope they don't act too precipitously. This has only been an issue for some twelve years or so...

[Koko78]

It would make an interesting political dilemma for Obama if the Jews attacked Iran a week or two before the election. If he does not support Israel or halfasses his support, he loses the Jewish vote to Romney. If he fully supports Israel, he risks losing his liberal base and left-leaning independents. If he denounces the attack, he's supporting a known state-sponsor of terrorism and Romney will trounce him.

[DC Tom]

It would make an interesting political dilemma for Obama if the Jews attacked Iran a week or two before the election. If he does not support Israel or halfasses his support, he loses the Jewish vote to Romney. If he fully supports Israel, he risks losing his liberal base and left-leaning independents. If he denounces the attack, he's supporting a known state-sponsor of terrorism and Romney will trounce him.

 

Or he can just order an attack on Iran himself. It never hurt a sitting President to look tough on the international stage, and most of his liberal support would still back him (too many would congratulate him on his backbone, with hypocritical observations equivalent to "If Obama said we needed to do it, then there must have been a real threat.")

 

In fact, the more I think about it, the smarter it seems to attack Iran three weeks before the polls. Might even win him another Nobel.

[TakeYouToTasker]

It's not our job or place to tell Israel what they can or can't do. They're a nuclear power with the best trained defense oriented militray in the world. If they want to go to war with Iran, let them, but leave us out of it.

[DC Tom]

It's not our job or place to tell Israel what they can or can't do. They're a nuclear power with the best trained defense oriented militray in the world. If they want to go to war with Iran, let them, but leave us out of it.

 

1) Many, many people think it is our place. Most think we tell them what to do while they simultaneously tell us what to do. Most people are stupid.

 

2) "Defense oriented" is at best a stretch - I'd argue wrong. As a matter of strategic policy the country is defense oriented...the military itself is, by necessity, offensively oriented along classic German lines (ironically...like the Nazis.)

 

3) See #1. It's almost impossible that we're left out of it.

[TakeYouToTasker]

To your second point, I feel like we're not talking about the same thing. To your third, it's inevitable that we'll involve ourselves, but that doesn't make it in our best interests or our best play.

[dayman]

It's not our job or place to tell Israel what they can or can't do. They're a nuclear power with the best trained defense oriented militray in the world. If they want to go to war with Iran, let them, but leave us out of it.

 

Agreed. I'm sick of Netanyahu at this point. Do what you have to do. If you want to work with us and don't like what we have to say, then by all means go it alone.

 

Also no way he dumps Biden. Won't happen. Simpson-Bowles....maybe the day after the election but not the day before.

[DC Tom]

To your second point, I feel like we're not talking about the same thing.

 

Well why don't you tell me what you mean, then I'll tell you why you're wrong.

[Duck_dodgers007]

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/08/15/the_drums_of_august

 

The Drums of August

[meazza]

http://www.foreignpo...drums_of_august

 

The Drums of August

 

So let me get this straight. You're giddy that Israel might attack Iran so it ups the chances of Obama winning re-election?

[DC Tom]

http://www.foreignpo...drums_of_august

 

The Drums of August

 

He lost me when he said the Congress of Vienna "worked". Any conclusion drawn from that assumption can only be accurate accidentally.

[Nanker]

Take a look at the map and ask yourself this: How is Israel going to fly their jets into Iran without going either a) over Turkish, Syrian or Iraqi airspace, or b) all the way around the Arabian peninsula without in-air refueling which they don't have tanker planes for?

[meazza]

Take a look at the map and ask yourself this: How is Israel going to fly their jets into Iran without going either a) over Turkish, Syrian or Iraqi airspace, or b) all the way around the Arabian peninsula without in-air refueling which they don't have tanker planes for?

 

My secret sources tell me Israel is going to use HAARP.

[Barry in KC]

Or he can just order an attack on Iran himself. It never hurt a sitting President to look tough on the international stage, and most of his liberal support would still back him (too many would congratulate him on his backbone, with hypocritical observations equivalent to "If Obama said we needed to do it, then there must have been a real threat.")

 

In fact, the more I think about it, the smarter it seems to attack Iran three weeks before the polls. Might even win him another Nobel.

If there is an attack close to the election, you'll see gas prices skyrocket, which will hurt Obama even more that it's going to.(By the way, gas prices will be a huge factor in the election and nobody is talking about it.....yet)

[DC Tom]

Take a look at the map and ask yourself this: How is Israel going to fly their jets into Iran without going either a) over Turkish, Syrian or Iraqi airspace, or b) all the way around the Arabian peninsula without in-air refueling which they don't have tanker planes for?

 

They actually do have tankers, though I don't know if they have enough.

 

And the Saudis have already said multiple times that they'd open their airspace to an Israeli strike on Iran. Personally, I think that's suicidal (imagine the popular uprising if Israel overflew Saudi Arabia with permission...the House of Saud would probably go the way of the Tsar). But one thing that's significantly under-reported in the US media is the absolute terror the Arabs have concerning a nuclear-armed Iran - the House of Saud probably wouldn't survive that, either.