Rosner's Domain: Lawrence Korb on why Iran is not Hitler's Germany

I met Lawrence Korb in Tel Aviv last week, as we were both on the same panel in the BESA-ADL conference on US-Israel relations. Korb is a Senior Fellow at American Progress and a Senior Advisor to the Center for Defense Information. Mr. Korb was also a senior fellow in the Foreign Policy Studies Program at the Brookings Institution; dean of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. He served as assistant secretary of defense (manpower, reserve affairs, installations, and logistics) from 1981 through 1985. In that position, he administered about 70 percent of the defense budget. For his service in that position, he was awarded the Department of Defense's medal for Distinguished Public Service. More about his very impressive bio here.

I don't think the Israeli crowed was happy with what Korb has to say, but asked him to be my Guest for an email interview because I found it interesting and thought provoking. Here's the first half of our Q&A. I've posted three questions last week, and additional three questions this week:

4. What do you think the US should do in the case that Iran refuses to halt its nuclear program - what do you think Israel should do?

The U.S. missed several opportunities over the last eight years to reach out to the Iranians (capitalize on their help in Afghanistan in 2001, explore the Iranian offer of a grand bargain in 2003) and instead adopted a policy of regime change, placing Iran on the axis of evil. Therefore, it is probably too late to prevent Iran from achieving virtual nuclear power status, that is, the mastery of how to make a nuclear weapon. Therefore, the issue is how to prevent Iran from actually going nuclear.

If Iran refuses to respond to the calls by the Obama administration for direct talks and its pledge not to continue the Bush policy of regime change, then the U.S. should work with the Europeans to prevent Iran from joining the World Trade Organization, seize Iranian assets, prevent direct investment, and make it clear that the U.S. reserves the right to respond to any use of the weapon by Iran against its allies or interests with all of the weapons at its disposal. Israel should support these policies and make it clear that it too will retaliate against any Iranian attack.

5. In an article you recently wrote for National Journal you seem to argue that Iran's hostility toward the US is mainly US' fault (you mention three reasons: Installing the Shah, The "Axis of Evil" speech, rejecting the 2003 offer for negotiation). Do you not think Iran had also contributed to the contentious state of relations?

There is no doubt that Iran has also contributed to this contentious state of relations in several ways. These include seizing the American embassy and taking hostages in 1979, playing a part in killing the American military personnel in Beirut in 1983, taking American diplomats and media personnel hostage in the 1980s, undermining American efforts to stabilize Iraq and Afghanistan, and destabilizing the Middle East with its support of Hezbollah and Hamas.

6. If Iran is such a responsible player, why is it that the Arab world is so concerned about it having the bomb, and how will you prevent nuclear proliferation in the Middle East if Iran does acquire nuclear weapons? 

Iran is a rational actor seeking to protect its security and promote its influence throughout the greater Middle East. Since Iran's interests and those of its Arab neighbors do not always coincide, these nations are concerned that by acquiring the bomb, Iran will be able to promote its interests even more aggressively.

The best way to prevent nuclear proliferation in the Middle East is for the U.S. to make it clear that it will bring these nations under the U.S. nuclear umbrella. This policy has kept nations like Germany and Japan from developing nuclear weapons to counteract the weapons developed by the Soviet Union and China during the Cold War and by North Korea today.

Posted last week:

1. Do you think Israelis - and Israel - is being too hysterical in comparing the Iranian threat to Hitler's Germany?

Just as it was inappropriate for the first President Bush to compare Saddam Hussein to Hitler in 1990, when the Iraqis invaded Kuwait, so too is it inappropriate to compare the current Iranian threat to that of Hitler’s Germany. By the late 1930s, when Hitler embarked on World War II and the Holocaust, Germany had the third largest GDP in the world and arguably the most capable military force on the planet. In addition, Hitler’s Germany had powerful allies in the Soviet Union and Japan.

Iran, on the other hand, is a comparatively small nation, with severe economic problems, a mediocre military and no allies among the other nation states. Moreover, the Iranians are surrounded by over 200,000 American troops on their eastern and western borders.

2. Why do you not believe the threats coming from Iranian leaders that they strive to eliminate Israel?

For two reasons I do not put much stake in the verbal threats coming from Iranian leaders. First, the most serious and repeated threats come from Iran's president, who does not wield the ultimate power in the country. Second, there is no way that Iran can "eliminate Israel" without risking the probability that it too will be destroyed in the process, even if it did acquire a nuclear weapon. Not only does Israel have several hundred nuclear weapons, but its chief ally, the United States, has several thousand on ready alert. There is no way that an Iranian first strike with nuclear weapons can eliminate all the Israeli or U.S. nuclear weapons.

3. Quite a long time ago, it was agreed by some (notably Senator McCain) that "There's only one thing worse than the United States exercising the military option; that is a nuclear-armed Iran". Why do you not agree?

BOOKMARK or SHARE: What's this?

Print  |  E-mail

Comments:

Post your own comment

1  |  David - Cleveland, Thursday May 14, 2009

Mr. Korb's position has a certain logic to it. However, if the Iranian logic is that it doesn't matter whether Iran is destroyed by an Israeli response to an Iranian first strike because a destroyed Iran would go to "paradise"; Mr. Korb's logic fails, and Iran must be prevented from obtaining nuclear weapons at all costs. In a different way ironically, the same problem exists for the Sunni Arab states.

2  |  Gary Goldman, Friday May 15, 2009

Will the US or Israel unleash massive nuclear retaliation against Iran after terrorists deliver an Iranian nuke - but proof of the source is not incontrovertible? No. We won't kill millions without such proof, and we are unlikely to get such proof. So deterrence will not work.

3  |  Terry - Eilat, Israel, Friday May 15, 2009

Only an ''expert'' could have his head so far stuck up his ass to believe this crap. Yes, Iran is a backward relatively primitive country but the ideology is no different than Nazism. With nuclear weapons, even a Third-World shithole like Iran becomes a major threat. Acquiring a nuclear arsenal changes the rules of the game which is exactly the aim of the Islamic crazies running Iran. This ''expert'' assumes the Iranian regime is rational. That's quite an assumption. There is NO acceptable level of risk when talking about a nuclear Iran.

4  |  Terry - Eilat, Israel, Friday May 15, 2009

I have an experiment to make with Mr Korb. I will take a revolver & only load one bullet. I will then aim the gun at Mr Korb's head. Will Mr Korb then minimize the risk, rationalize the risk to his life? Or will he refuse to play the game & try to disarm me?

5  |  jonah Viet-Nam, Friday May 15, 2009

Mr.Korb reasoning is from a rationalist,not rational viewpoint.The murderous clerics are no rational beings.They don't care a whit for their own people.The Far-NorthEastern maniac with his presumed nukes & the Japanese militarists of WW2End are models of reasonableness in comparison: they posture for survival.But the mullahs are of Hitler's mentality: in his last days he ordered total destruction so that not one German would survive defeat.The present fanatics see the promoting of chaos in the w0rld & the destruction of Israel no matter the cost,as religious duty with rich heavenly reward.

6  |  jonah Viet-Nam, Friday May 15, 2009

Mr.Korb reasoning is from a rationalist,not rational viewpoint.The murderous clerics are no rational beings.They don't care a whit for their own people.The Far-NorthEastern maniac with his presumed nukes & the Japanese militarists of WW2End are models of reasonableness in comparison:they posture to avoid defeat.But the mullahs are of Hitler's mentality:in his last days he ordered total destruction so that not one German would survive him.The present fanatics see the promoting of chaos in the w0rld & the destruction of Israel no matter the cost,as religious duty with rich heavenly reward.

7  |  Mya, Los Angeles, Friday May 15, 2009

In response to the second question with the nuclear capabilities: what he is completely neglecting to take into account is the fundamental aspect of ideology. Who says that Iran, a supporter of suicide bombings and martyrs, sees survival (on earth) as a priority in the final battle against the terrible blasphemous Western conquerers? As Korb so clearly notes, Iran's president does not wield ultimate power - the religious authorities do. And, unfortunately the current trend in "Orthodox" Islam is fundamentalism and extremism - a la blow yourself - and the world - up.

8  |  Observer, Finland, Friday May 15, 2009

A nuclear Iran would pose an existential threat to Israel. The MAD does not apply to Iran - the mullahs are too incalculable. Millions of Israeli Jews (and Arabs) could be killed in an instant by those weapons. The Iranian bomb is also threat to the Arab countries, which would be pressured by Iran. The United States would be driven out from the oil fields, and Iran would become a local big power; geopolitics in that area would be changed. US influence in the Middle would diminish; the US's relations with Saudi-Arabia would be in jeopardy. Iran would be the local master.

9  |  Jerry Falwell, Friday May 15, 2009

terry, the Iranian ideology is not worse than Talmudic Nazism, which considers all non-Jews as animals. Read Shulhan Aruch, and be honest. Unlike Israel, Iran has not attacked any country. In Fact, Iran was attacked by saddam Hussein...It has the right to defend itself. The true Nazi-like entity in the Middle East is Israel. It attacks its neighborsh, it exterminates the children of its subjects, the Palestinians. And when the world protest Israeli crimes, Israel shouts...Holocaust! Auschwitz! Hamas! Suicid bombings. And the shipyard dogs of Zionist and Christo Nazism keep barking!

10  |  Pat Robertson, Friday May 15, 2009

In the final analysis, the destruction of Israel will take the Jewish burden off America's shoulders. Today the Jews of America control our government and congress and banks and show biz, almost everything. Maybe the destruction of Israel will be the saving of America.

11  |  THE GURU Ausralia, Friday May 15, 2009

TERRY...you have "STOLEN MY THUNDER". but...well said... However I would like to advance the "PARADISE" factor...which is the ultimate reward for mindless "Islamic Martyrdom"...quite a potent recruiting tool...I mean all those virgins (arguable) tested and certified by mullas...and all that sumptous banquet of falafel ,hommus,kebabs,not to mention baklava all washed down with araq alcolohic but "hallal" in paradise..I can see it all ..the Iranian Army falling all over themselves to reach ...THEIR PARADISE *

12  |  Expert on Shulhan Aruch, Friday May 15, 2009

I think the Iranians and Muslims in general need a nuclear dterrent. The reason is simple, Israel's nuclear weapons are soon going to be controlled by Nazi-like Talmudic religious parties such as National Uniton, Ha'abayt Ha'yahudi, Mifdal, Shas, Agudat Yisrael, etc. These people have the exact replica of the Iranian ideology...They say "ha'shem" will come to Israel's resuce. Israel is not the Israel of the 1960s or 1970s. Israel today is a country ruled by Nazi-like religious parties that are utterly irrational, and adopt a Nazi-like ideology based on hatred for anything un-Jewish.

13  |  Henry , New York, Friday May 15, 2009

I believe Israel has more similarities with Nazi Germany than Iran does. Israel has settlements...Germans had lebensraum. Isrel has "chosen people"...Germany had the master race. Israel views Palestinians as "children of lesser God." Germany had the concept of untermenschen and ubermenschen. Germany tormented Jews and starved them...Israel doing the same thing in Gaza to the Palestinians. Hence, Israel has more similirities with Nazi Germany than does Iran. I challenge posters here to be honest and objetive..instead of going wild like mad dogs.

14  |  Don,USA, Friday May 15, 2009

Korb's view reminds me of Neville Chamberlain's agreement with Hitler, which has been considered one of the biggest blunders of all time.

15  |  Amnon, the Great AMERICAN Southwest, Friday May 15, 2009

I never understood why a great man like Ronald Reagan appointed this Carterite to a high Defense Department position, but unfortunately Reagan also picked some other boneheads whom America would have been much better off without, starting with Cap Weinberger, James Baker, and culminating with that mean-spirited, moveon.org paid off clown Senator James Webb. His best choices - Haig and Kirkpatrick, unfortunately left far too early in his administration. He was a great man, but too much saddled with Bush's RINOs and clowns like Korb and Webb.

16  |  Amnon, the Great AMERICAN Southwest, Friday May 15, 2009

P.S. Look at the organization that this other self-hater who also shilled for Obama works for... Center for American Progress - another Soros funded entity, and no different than Steve Clemmon's (another RINO who goosesteps for Obama and virulently hates Israel) New America Foundation, also founded by who else? Jonathan Soros, on behalf of his Nazi loving daddy. Korb - a joke like almost all of the AIPAC appointees of the 1980s.

17  |  David, Az, Friday May 15, 2009

Mr. Korb's answer to: 1. Do you think Israelis - and Israel - is being too hysterical in comparing...."? is problematic. Early Hitler found Germany weak and not militarily developed and perhaps that is the comparative that should be used. Also in the world of surrogates, Iran needs only "Plausible Deniability" to paralyze action. also remember the world's corruption of the Oil for Food sanctions during the Saddam era serves to mirror the world's response to early Hilter. Just before the storm the mantra then as now, "Peace for our time". Israel will be the modern Czechoslovakia.

18  |  Vladimir, USA, Friday May 15, 2009

Terry from Eilat is absolutely correct. Thank you, Terry. Mr. Kold with all his titles "senior fellow", etc. is a brainless idiot (sorry my french). Murderous moslem fanatics do not follow the logic of survival or any compassion to their own people, leave alone compassion to others. German nazi fanatics, having severe problems on eastern front, threw military trains to bring jews to their extermination points, instead of bringing military supplies to their troops. I am loosing last bits of respect for American political science educators.

19  |  Ronald USA, Friday May 15, 2009

Korb is wrong on every point. 1. In the 1930's, FEW people thought that Hitler was a danger to world peace - even Jews. If they HAD believed what he said when he said that he was going to eradicate Jews, far more Jews would have fled and escaped murder. 2. Achmadinejad may not hold the ultimate power in Iran, but his boss has agreed with every genocidal statement Achmadinejad has made. 3. Iran officials have repeatedly encouraged suicidal actions when they were aimed at enemies. They reaffirm their belief in martyrdom as the highest form of greatness mankind may achieve every time asked.

20  |  Ronnie Australia, Friday May 15, 2009

One bomb to many. History will repeat its self. The ovens or ground zero. Fight evil or be destroyed by it. What a sad and terrible state of affairs.

21  |  Giora Me'ir USA, Friday May 15, 2009

It shouldn't take any explanation to realize that the comparison is absurd. As for Iran's threats against Israel, I'm still waiting for an explanation regarding how Iran, if they had the bomb and decided to use it, could kill Jews without also killing thousand and thousands of Muslims in the process. But then logic and rationality is not the strong suit of those who wish to wage war on Iran.

22  |  Gregory schaub, Friday May 15, 2009

Falwell & Robertson??? Use your your true names you jellyfish frauds! Iran's leaders believe Allah wants them to start WWIII knowing full well they will suffer greatly and believing the 12th Imam--Islamic messiah will rescue them and defeat all infidels in a global victory for Allah. Korb fails to include this critical fact in his analysis. Hitlers fanatical support pales in comparison to this Islamic delusion from Satan.

23  |  James Turetsky, NY, Friday May 15, 2009

The comments in support Mr. Korb position have one flaw: there are much fewer Jews in the wolrd that there are muslims. Ahmadinejad will not mind sending his co-religeonists to Paradise if it will mean destroying the state of Israel. Do not forget that in 1938 the army of Czechoslovakia could defeat the Germans had they attacked. But inert Jew-hating people like Mr. Korb enforced a different solution.

24  |  bannister , USA, Friday May 15, 2009

Iran's first strike template. Proved in 2006 Israel will be attacked with WMD's used by Stateless entities likely based in a friendly host like Egypt. As America was Hit on 9-11 by stateless terror hosted in the US and Germany. Iran's responsibility will not be proven or provable for years after Israel is a smoking hole. any immediate response by the US and Israel will be too late to change anything and likely not aimed at the truly responsible actors.. Israel has a vengeance weapon not a deterrent.

25  |  a.d. heller, Friday May 15, 2009

how do you deem it appropriate for such rabid anti-semetic comments to be posted? where is your policy?

26  |  Ronald USA, Friday May 15, 2009

Giora Me'ir USA, 'You say, 'But then logic and rationality is not the strong suit of those who wish to wage war on Iran.' You are right Giora. Logic and rationality has little or nothing to do with the actions of world leaders and nations. It's ALL about emotions and feelings. Try reading and understanding Freud. Emotions are far more powerful motivators of human actions than reason. That is not my opinion - that is a fact. Islam and the Left have to look inside themselves and stop the hate.

27  |  Ronald USA, Friday May 15, 2009

Giora Me'ir USA, 'You say, 'But then logic and rationality is not the strong suit of those who wish to wage war on Iran.' You are right Giora. Logic and rationality has little or nothing to do with the actions of world leaders and nations. It's ALL about emotions and feelings. Try reading and understanding Freud. Emotions are far more powerful motivators of human actions than reason. That is not my opinion - that is a fact. Islam and the Left have to look inside themselves and stop the hate.

28  |  rorsch upquark quebec quebec, Friday May 15, 2009

Iran representsa failed theocracy. Remember Iran is supposed to represent Islamic ideals. What has Iran turned into: a torture state with rampant drug use, crime, corruption, prostitution, unemployment, and a government dedicated to world terrorism. Iran is not Hitler's germany only because they haven't gotten the chance to carry out their program of Jewish eradication. Iran simply imploded before it got the chance to explode. Those people who think that iran is a rational state should take a look on how it treats politcal dissents & on this score, Iran is equal with Hitler's germany.

29  |  Roger W USA, Friday May 15, 2009

Mr Korb should see by most of the posters in here think he is full of Crap! Only the real Jew Haters like Falwell and Robertson..(SAME PUTZ)! are in agreement with Korb. Figures. Not only should Israel and the USA bomb the nuke planst of Iran but their oil fields should be bombed. Put the bastards out of Business. The Iranian leaders want to go to the next world..send em to hell! Ronald ...they will never never stop the hate. As long as Jews control Jerusalem..it INVALIDATES ALL OF ISLAM! The muslims even like to kill their own kind everyday!

30  |  Hofikoman, Friday May 15, 2009

Lawrence Korb makes some good points. However, in my community there is a very sober Iranian systems analyst who says to take Iran at face value and that as soon as an Iranian nuke or two have been produced they will immediately be deployed on Israel. The bombs could be missiled in by Palestinians from Lebanon or Gaza or the Sinai or brought in a suitcase. If the source of the bomb is not uneqivocal why would there be retalitation? Israel will be dealing with the massive destruction. Radiation blows wherever, and there are Palestinians who would consider the poison and death well worth it

31  |  Korb is irrational and selling snake oil to the wrong people, Friday May 15, 2009

Korb's rational approach to arguing on behalf of irrational actors/extremists/theocracies speaks volumes to the non-Jewish, anti-Israel crowd of naive morons. Even he knows we are fighting a 12th century Holy War (Jihad) where death means everything and life means nothing. The definition of Islam is submit. When with the so-called moderate states actually show some skin in the game and stop giving sahe havens to all of these terrorist? Korb is better served to consult with his ME Arab and SE Muslim brothers about killing these terrorist pariahs!

32  |  Hofikoman, Friday May 15, 2009

Of course Iranians are not NAZIS, but many of their militants and Arab militants as well have been and continue to be admirers of Hitler and what he did to the Jews. German National Socialism was not rejected in the formation of many of their ideological positions. One wonders why Israel does not insist on a clear renunciation of this legacy by all allegedly former enemies who say they want peace with Israel. The answer, in part, is it is too awful to contemplate another genocidal onslaught, and to give it credibility in itself undermines Zionism. This kowtowing to popular sentiment is wrong.

33  |  Hofikoman, Friday May 15, 2009

Of course Iranians are not NAZIS, but many of their militants and Arab militants as well have been and continue to be admirers of Hitler and what he did to the Jews. German National Socialism was not rejected in the formation of many of their ideological positions. One wonders why Israel does not insist on a clear renunciation of this legacy by all allegedly former enemies who say they want peace with Israel. The answer, in part, is it is too awful to contemplate another genocidal onslaught, and to give it credibility in itself undermines Zionism. This kowtowing to popular sentiment is wrong.

34  |  Donald Desrosiers Texas, Friday May 15, 2009

The only solution here is for Iran to meltdown one of its reactors and cause a chernoble and this would deter the entire Islamic world from nuclear energy/weapons, for quite some time

35  |  Sharona, Saturday May 16, 2009

#24 Bannister Yes and all the Palestinians here will die too from an Iranian strike. But then that is their entire goal in life-to die. Iran will become a "smoking hole" too. But they and the Palis are too stupid to see that. Or they are simply so retarded they can't understand it. Egypt just "discovered" a cache of arms headed for Hamas in the Sinai. They are finally realizing that Hamas is as much a threat to them as to Israel. So is Hizbullah, Iran etc. Wait till Iran sets off a dirty bomb in the US. What will you say then?

36  |  Peter, Saturday May 16, 2009

TO #13: So is Jordan that has arab settlements in the West Bank and Egypt that has arab settlements in Gaza.

37  |  histocat norway, Saturday May 16, 2009

Gentlemen/women - what this Korb does not account for : the religious aspect - just like reading Israel Shamir; Israel constitutes a menace to surrounding states ? because it represents a global culture which does/does not fit in everywhere/anywhere ? Give it a thought - Israel has had enough of mindless leftist and socialist experiments which was dependent on support from globalists in the west - support that dried up as soon as these people realised that Israel cannot exist without a religious raison d'etre. This is just too much for the secularists with their shortsighted perspective.

38  |  george bush, Saturday May 16, 2009

uh weell i get it

39  |  HaLevi, US/Israel, Saturday May 16, 2009

Korb's rational approach to arguing on behalf of irrational actors/extremists/theocracies speaks volumes to the non-Jewish, anti-Israel crowd of naive morons. Even he knows we are fighting a 12th century Holy War (Jihad) where death means everything and life means nothing. The definition of Islam is submit. When will the so-called moderate states actually show some skin in the game and stop giving safe havens to all of these terrorist? Korb is better served to consult with his ME Arab and SE Muslim brothers about killing these terrorist pariahs! When will the US administration & congress see!?

40  |  THE GURU Australia, Saturday May 16, 2009

BANNISTER.."Vengeful Weapon" or "Deterrent"...ONE and THE SAME Weapon...but an OPTION...Your scenerio in effect sactions the OPTION of the DETERRENT weapon BEING USED AS a PREMPTIVE STRIKE weapon and so it should be used to ensure NO "smoking" ISRAEL hole in the ground INSTEAD Thousands of Acres of "smoking" flattened IRAN (once known as IRAN to be reborn as PERSIA) You can then help them rebuild by breeding goats camels and above all more of your ilk....DONKEYS...and GEE THANKS for your warning tip *

41  |  THE GURU Australia, Saturday May 16, 2009

BANNISTER.."Vengeful Weapon" or "Deterrent"...ONE and THE SAME Weapon...but an OPTION...Your scenerio in effect sactions the OPTION of the DETERRENT weapon BEING USED AS a PREMPTIVE STRIKE weapon and so it should be used to ensure NO "smoking" ISRAEL hole in the ground INSTEAD Thousands of Acres of "smoking" flattened IRAN (once known as IRAN to be reborn as PERSIA) You can then help them rebuild by breeding goats camels and above all more of your ilk....DONKEYS...and GEE THANKS for your warning tip *

42  |  Zeek San Francisco, Saturday May 16, 2009

Where is the comment moderation??

43  |  John Williams, Saturday May 16, 2009

I agree with Lawrence Korb Completely. I would also point out that the statements attributed to Ahmajinidad have been made up or mistranslated to sound as odious as possible. I think the real issue is that as the only country in the ME that has nuclear weapons, Israel has a great advantage in any conventional war. If other countries aquire nuclear weapons this advantage disappears and perhaps Israel will have modify it's behaviour.

44  |  retired marine officer - Korb/Obama PR to Israel is BAD, Saturday May 16, 2009

Korb is the current administration's cartoon-like distraction. Obama is, yet again, trying to skate out of another campaign promise. What promise? He made it very clear that Iran would not achieve nuclear weapons and HRO was even more hawkish. Her NY voters are seeing slick Chicago politics in action and she is the main messenger. Obama is an evil guy in allowing Iran to even consider developing nuclear weapons. It is a global existential threat to allow Iran to have these weapons as a theocracy. Worse yet, AGAINST CONGRESS, he disallows Israel the F-22 Raptor (even borrowed) to defend with!!

45  |  Peter - Israel, Saturday May 16, 2009

#21,Giora Me'ir USA="how Iran, if they had the bomb and decided to use it, could kill Jews without also killing thousand and thousands of Muslims in the process. But then logic and rationality is not the strong suit of those who wish to wage war on Iran." Dear Israel detesting/hating (and perhaps Jew hater) Jew or Jewish-by-name- only Giora, if you have time and are not too busy being smarter than us then try to think about the 500,000 Iranian 'soldiers' of age 12-15 sacrificed by Iran in the Iran-Iraq war.

46  |  jonah Viet-Nam, Saturday May 16, 2009

Re #13 Henry,New-York Watch out ! Your foaming snout is drooling all over your tie,shirt,pants & shoes and the NY dogcatchers may make a non-mistake.

47  |  jonah Viet-Nam, Saturday May 16, 2009

Re #25 a.d. heller Let them spout their venom.Their words reveal them for what they are.Better an unmitigated Amahdinejad than a hypocrit Khatami who betrayed the Iranian people by ratting on his own supporters for the Khomeinist Savak. The JP is right to allow for even the most enraged JuliusStreichers(just read Larry Derfner) to have their say here,lest they accuse Israel of stifling free speech. "There is no freedom for us if there is no freedom for our enemies too". To repeat the immortal words of this fine Jewish woman Rosa Luxemburg,murdered by the proto-Nazis in 1919.

48  |  Roy Weston, Saturday May 16, 2009

Any air strike against Iran would only unite the Iranian people behind the regime. Moreover, if Israel should not destroy Iran's nuclear capability and, at the same time, suffer a great lose of aircraft itself, it would only give Iran a propaganda coup, which will only enhance its stature in the Middle East. It should also be remembered that this will not be a surprise attack. Iran can be expected to have every war plane and every anti-aircraft weapon at the ready, in case of such an eventuality. The odds of such a mission failing are far greater than its chances of succeeding.

49  |  Elihu D RIchter MD MPH Jerusalem Israel, Saturday May 16, 2009

Mr Korb clearly has a distinguished career, but he betrays ignorance of the historical record which shows that the dehumanizing language of Ahmadinejad's incitement to genocide predates his ascent to power. His predecessos, superiors and colleagues have been using this terminology since 1979, starting with Khomenei. The context is the support of the regime, since 1979, for terror--e.g. the Buenos Aires synagogue and embassy bombings, support for Hamas and Hizbulloh, which show they mean what they say and say what they mean. .Genocide scholars know that words kill.

50  |  Demsci, Saturday May 16, 2009

It is indeed a very worrying idea that the 21st century could witness so-called "nuclear accidents" without direct knowledge of who was responsible for them. In a James Bond-movie a renegade Russian general sought to cause a nuclear explosion on an American Base in West Germany. He reasoned that the world would blame it on an American fault and that the Americans would not strike against the Soviet Union and the Soviet Union would profit. Would the Iranian leadership gamble on something like this?

51  |  omri, Saturday May 16, 2009

52  |  Frank Canada, Saturday May 16, 2009

The logic is wrong. Ahmadinejad may not have Hitler military but he has the same mindset, he has imperialistic project and he wants to exterminate Jews.

53  |  Jay USA, Saturday May 16, 2009

"Iran is not Hitler's Germany." Of course not. Hitler's Germany never had the atomic bomb. (Korb & Rosner, both creatures of the left.)

54  |  Todd, USA, Saturday May 16, 2009

There is a major issue that was left out of the discussion. One nuclear weapon exploded about 200 miles over the middle of the Untied States using a cheap scud missle would unlease an EMP pulse that would knock out the entire electrical, transportation, and communication infrastructure of the United States. There would be no hope of recoverly due to the complex systems on which a modern economy is built. Perhaps 90 % of Americans would die of disease, exposure, starvation within a year. A nuclear Iran would have more destructive power than Hitler ever did.

55  |  Roger W USA, Saturday May 16, 2009

Henry no 13 .. The "Mad dogs" in here are the jihadi muslims that want to take over the world...including you! But with your puny Jew htaing mind..you side with the clones of Hitler. You dont know crap about the history of Israel..and its Israel not Palesshitland.

56  |  norman a blumberg Houston Texas, Saturday May 16, 2009

The issue is and should not be whether Iran is Hitler's Germany but that Achmadinejad is Hitler.

57  |  Padraig nyc, Saturday May 16, 2009

WHY DOES ANYONE LISTEN TO THESE "THINK TANK" goof balls? They like conferences, ad nauseam, luncheons to discuss hypotheticals, and sabbaticals....lots of sabbaticals. At best, Korb is a TV personality who likes the limelight. His ideas are inane. If every nation in Arabia had a nuke, Korb wouldn't see a problem!

58  |  Londoner, Saturday May 16, 2009

Ahmadinejad is not Hitler, Israel has more to do with Hitler than does Ahmeadinejad. Iran doesn't occupy other countries' teritories, Israel does. Iran doesn't possess nuclear bombs, Israel does. Iran doesn't rain white Phosphorus on children, Israel does. Iran doesn't discriminate against its non-Muslim citizens, Israel views non-Jews as second-class citizens. This is just to set the record straight.

59  |  Chuck, Carbondale, Ill,, Saturday May 16, 2009

The real people who are trying take over the world are the Madoffs, Rotchildes, and the Bergers. One Jewish robre baron stole 50 billion of America's wealth. They destroyed our economy, and are trying now to get us to wage war on Iran on Israel's behalf to ensure Israel's nuclear monopoly. Well, thanks God Obama is the President not some ignoramus lke GWB.

60  |  Retired Marine Officer and Banker, Sunday May 17, 2009

#48 is another wimp attempting to sway a soft agenda. Listen pal, The Raid On Entebbe was supposed to fail (Israel's PM'smbrother was the only casualty. The six day war was supposed to exterminate Israel. The 1948 war of Israeli independence gave birth to modern Israel (Israel is 2500 years old) via Balfour's outline (albeit the West caused this current Arab refugee problem where those Arabs came from Jordan) which gave away Israel's land in oil deals. A question was raised at the Naval War College about Israel's tactics. Answer: "We do not teach miracles." Weston is a weak lrresponsible punk!

61  |  Joe - USA, Sunday May 17, 2009

Historical facts for scholars as Mr. Korb, Muslims & Germany shared ideologies during WW2: The 13th Waffen Mountain Div. of the SS Handschar (non-German Muslims), German-Croatian Legion units 369th, 373rd, & 392nd Infantry (Muslim), the 21st Waffen Gebirgs Div. der SS Skanderbeg (Albanian Muslims), the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem met with Hitler on 11-28-1941 (Berlin), and on 10-15-1942 (Rome) with the Protector of Islam, Benito Mussolini. Today Iran has as allies Russia, Venezuela, Syria, Lebannon, Lybia, & non-state terrorist organizations. Read Zechariah 12:9 & Joel 3:2 in scriptures.

62  |  Joe - USA, Sunday May 17, 2009

"For two reasons I do not put much stake in the verbal threats ...", that sounds dangerously familiar to what history has already shown us not to do... as evidenced by Hitler during the 1940's. The Iranian Pres. with his modern day persona as Haman, is inciting the very same hatred. Carefully read Zechariah 14:12, And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

63  |  Avi, Haifa, Israel, Sunday May 17, 2009

Roger, you invaded and occupied their country, you killed their children, you raped their women, you destroyed their homes, you stole their future, and you wonder why the Jihadis are fighting you...? It is the oppression, stupid!

64  |  jonah Viet-Nam, Sunday May 17, 2009

Re #48 Mr.Roy Weston.Like the Falklands War united Argentinians around their murderous regime.In the Yom Kippur War,after one week of horrific fighting and 100 planes lost to the lethal SA6s,the w0rldlywisestrategists were jubilant at the prospect of Israel's demise.And then came A.Sharon's visit to Africa.Pharaoh's 3rdArmy found itself suddenly in the Sinai cutoff from commodities like water,gas&blood.Despite the help from the DC komrads with their treasonous scheme,a convenient ceasefire couldn't be secured by the UN in time for the 3rd's facesaving.They went WestofSuez courtesy of Israel

65  |  Chris USA, Sunday May 17, 2009

I find Lawrence Korb somewhat misinformed. Germany's differences do not compare to Iran because in this senario Iran has the capability to destroy global oil output which Germany did not. The question is who can stop Iran from doing this? As Mr. Korb should know the power to destroy a strategic asset represents an asymetrical control over that asset. I can only recommend Mr. Korb conduct further study into the matter before blithely espousing memes to the general public. There are several excellent resources in the archives of The Academy of Political Science (USA) which I recommend.

66  |  American citizen, Bloomington, Ill, Sunday May 17, 2009

Jonah, without uncle sam, Israel a kosher shit. You know it, we know it and the arabs know it.

67  |  John Foster, Ohio, Sunday May 17, 2009

The real abusers are the Jews, not the Palestinians. They came from Eastern Europe, stole the land of Palestine, destroyed Palestinian homes and towns, and expelled the bulk of the native inhabitants to the four corners of the world. And now, the children and grand children and great grandchildren of the holocaust are raining white Phosphorus on Palestinian children. So, who is the real Nazi? Who Is the reali Criminal? WHo is the evil one?

68  |  John Foster, Ohio, Sunday May 17, 2009

The real abusers are the Jews, not the Palestinians. They came from Eastern Europe, stole the land of Palestine, destroyed Palestinian homes and towns, and expelled the bulk of the native inhabitants to the four corners of the world. And now, the children and grand children and great grandchildren of the holocaust are raining white Phosphorus on Palestinian children. So, who is the real Nazi? Who Is the reali Criminal? WHo is the evil one?

69  |  jonah Viet-Nam, Sunday May 17, 2009

American citizen/Sir,Newsweek's Lurie in Jan'75 published a cartoon showing then Israeli PM Rabin dangling perilously over the edge from a $-shaped lifeline with then Pres.Ford looming above,ominously shears-snapping and menacingly asking"Want me to make an offer you can't refuse?" Pastor John Hagee wrote in 1998 "If we can learn anything from those who cursed Israel it is this: If America turns it's back in Israel's hour of need,Israel will survive-but Am.will not.GOD could crush this nation economically by sending a depression that will make the crash of 1929 look like a walk in the park"

70  |  Mr Zen, Monday May 18, 2009

The non-Jewish world fails to understand the Jihadist view. The non-Jewish world also fails to understand the Israeli post-holocaust view. The holocaust was the pinnacle of four thousand years of Judeophobic murder; it was not a momentary aberration. Consequently, Israelis have less choice than the Jihadists: Israel cannot afford to risk it. The most sensible military move for Israel is to use nuclear (neutron) missiles on Iran with a limited first strike, and not risk its air force. It is better to be sanctioned than to be dead. The world and Iran have left Israel no other choice.

71  |  jonah Viet-Nam, Monday May 18, 2009

Mr.Zen/Respects,sir. The w0rld well understands the djihadists' mentality.They only want to appease them by perfidiously driving Israel to self-cide under guise of the "peace"plan.

72  |  Leonardo (Argentina), Monday May 18, 2009

Why didn´t the US allowed the missiles in Cuba, given the same situation? The answer is simple, because your ass is the one to be burned in the first strike. No country would like to be the one that takes the first blow.