Opinion
Iran strike a death wish
Yakir Elkariv
Published: 20.03.12, 00:47
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
51 Talkbacks for this article
1. Amazing!
Ron ,   LA   (03.20.12)
I would think that Yediot Aharonot publish more intelligent articles. How come a person who writes books about children allowed to bring such an important arguments without any reference and reason? Israel has many capable amd gifted writers and commentators. This is a new low and a discrase to kournalism.
2. what kind of doopis is this? where did you find him? village
ralph   (03.20.12)
idiot. let others speak soft words to say the same. our history is full of such useless trash talk. get rid of him now.
3. Iranian danger.
Luiz F Haddad ,   Niteroi, Brazil   (03.20.12)
Iranian danger must be erased, but through wise acts. Unhappily, as the text says, if Israel strikes, a great part of her territory will be bombed by missiles, including from Gaza (Hamas) and Lebanon (Hezbollah). Hence, we, Israelian friends, think that any attack against Iran, if necessary, is up to the United States or to a Western coalizion, allied to the Jewish State. Before it happens, only defensive acts must be done. Force and patience. No good solution out of it.
4. thankfully is your opinion, like chamberlain.
borisb ,   brazil   (03.20.12)
better belive that Hitler would be satisfied with sudetos...
5. psychosis
E. G. Marsch ,   Nahariya, Israel   (03.20.12)
The left is somehow given the status of a legitimate position, but it's actually a form of looniness. Presumably the Earth Is Flat society would not be given space for op-eds arguing that the earth is flat. The left takes comparable positions, yet it's treated as if it's valid and respectable.
6. Missing the point
Super-aussie   (03.20.12)
The reason the USA and USSR didn't wipe each other out was because of the phrase "mutually assured destruction". They both new that if there ever was a nuclear war then they would both be destroyed and while they both wanted to destroy the other, they wanted to live even more. The leaders in the Iranian regime have already said they don't care if millions of Iranians die in a war with Israel, as long as they destroy Israel. That's why they can't have bomb, because they are willing to use it no matter the cost to themselves. Not attacking Iran and not stoping them getting the bomb would be the demise of israel.
7. WAR WITH IRAN ?
Mark ,   T.a. Israel   (03.20.12)
REMEMBER THE ROMAN PROVERBE : IF YOU WANT PEACE PREPARE FOR WAR !
8. Make peace with Palestine to have the real peace.
Paula ,   Spain   (03.20.12)
9. It is Futile to attack the German Police and SS.
Steven Wilson ,   Anchorage, Alaska   (03.20.12)
We will all be killed...or at least a lot of us might be killed. We should listen to Neville Chamberlain.....because if a war is started...Thousands of Jews will leave Germany...Many will be without homes...and thousands will die. Lets just stick our head in the sand and pretend Iran didn't make the same threats as Adolf Hitler did to all of the Jews. Mass extermination. Everyone can wait...until there aren't enough people left... to fight back for anymore.
10. Oil dependent countries more at risk
Dan ,   US   (03.20.12)
Allowing a despotic country like Iran to have nuclear weapons is the same as giving them ownership over the entire Persian Gulf, along with turning the Gulf States, and Saudi Arabia, into fear-driven vassal states soon after. The Gulf will become an Iranian private lake, de facto owned and protected by them. The countries then be at their mercy, in direct relation to that countries Gulf oil dependency. China relies on it for 80% of its imports, with India and Japan not far behind. This is not just related to Israel, but to the global balance of economic power between growing Islamism and Western civilization.
11. Scenario accurate only if weapons of mass destruction are us
Stephen in New York   (03.20.12)
Unless weapons of mass destruction were used, this level of casualties would only occur over a lengthy period of bombardment. Israel will transition to extreme measures long before “hundreds of thousands are dead.” Bet on it.
12. I wholeheartedly agree!
Neville Chamberlain ,   London, England   (03.20.12)
If we allow the wide-eyed and fanatical Ayatollahs to develop nuclear bombs, there will be peace in our time. It's much better to do nothing. When they threaten to wipe "cancerous" Israel off the map, we need not be concerned. When they speak about Israel being a "one bomb" state, just close your ears. When they spew on about the glorious and triumphant return of the mahdi, which can only occur after a cataclysmic war with the jews, they're just joking. Just look at history - it's perfectly safe to ignore mad zealots with the awesome power of a state behind them.
13. Sanctions: wrong assumptions, blindness to precedents
Joe ,   Canada   (03.20.12)
This article is an other baseless argument on the fanatic regime of Iran going to fall down under the pressure of the people fed up with the sanctions (made less than foolproof thanks to Russia, China....) or because it will suddenly become rational & see the light. What are the precedents for such an assumption? North Korea? Syria? Will the Iran Spring occur before Iran becomes nuclear? Will the West take action to help the opposition in Iran after it failed to do so following the previous fraudulent election of Ahmadinejad? Does the West provide effective help to Assad's opponents in Syria? If Iran gets the bomb will it make Israeli more or less willing to stay in the country or enhance allya ? Let us hope that the US coming elections date will not become an other failed deadline to take timely decisive steps by the West to stop the madmen of Iran
14. these are the pundits that netanyahu should ignore
david ,   new york   (03.20.12)
a total lack of insight: the sanctions will not disuade iran from obtaining an atom bomb (using the fact that they don't have one "yet" as reason to no attack them is one of the dumbest, illogical things i ever heard: are we supposed to attack them AFTER they get an atom bomb???) now, an iranian counterattack will not kill "hundreds of thousands of israelis" and will be less than you imagine unless they used anthrax or nerve gas. if they did so, starting the next daywe would no longer have an iranian problem. and if he is concerned with chemical and biological weapons, why is he not concerned about atomic weapons. again, a total lack of insight (par for the course for a self declared leftist).
15. Netanyahu has already stated he's ready to take casualties.
Noodles ,   Coney Island   (03.20.12)
16. Israel and Iran
Sy Dill ,   Providence, RI   (03.20.12)
Elkariv leads a galut life by thinking that if we don't attack Iran, the 50 thousand missiles pointed at us will never be used.against Israel. The American military is now clamoring for Israel not to attack because it would result i8n American losses. Israel, but those standards, will never be able to defend themselves because of the aggravations that would ensue if they do. Jews continue to be slaughted around the world and Elkariv suggests that we do absolutely nothing about it. Any questins?
17. Greater Israel needs perpetual war to exist
Steven Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN USA   (03.20.12)
18. Rubbish! Elkariv would have written the same about Iraq.
Chaim ,   Israel   (03.20.12)
This is a rubbish article. Elkariv would have written the same about Iraq. Had Israel not destroyed Iraqi nukes, Saddam Hussein may well have tipped the scuds, he fired at Israel, with nuclear bombs. If Iran poses a risk today, it will pose an infinitely greater risk if we let the Mad Mullahs build nuclear bombs. Destroy Iran's nukes NOW!
19. N. Korea and Pakistan got it so...
Anonymous Oleh ,   USA/IL   (03.20.12)
Strike 1: They let N. Korea and Pakistan get the bomb. It is hard now to say, "No Iran, you can't have a bomb," When quasi-nut jobs get them, everyone gets them. Strike 2: Bush blew the WMD excuse on Iraq. No one want to hear it anymore. Unfortunately as Jews, when people say, "Kill the Jews!" we tend to believe them, for good reason. The world doesn't. Regardless, Israel would be overstretched, under-armed and ill prepared to deal with this war. Tza'hal rocks but I think we're taking on more than we can chew. I agree with the author.
20. Elkariv- Are you out of Your Mind?
Edward ,   New York USA   (03.20.12)
Two years ago when the US could have backed the green movement effectively fostering a regime change. What happened? Nothing. Do you think the apocalyptic messianic government of Iran bent on triggering the circumstances that will bring back the 12th Mahdi will reapond to reason? Khomeini and Ahmadinejad like Kim in N. Korea would rather see their people starve than give up their drive for nuclear weapons. For once Iran has nuclear weapons the entire game changes, and no containment will work now and certainly not then. Think of the casualties then! Do you actually believe that Obama will help Israel. He certainly will help more now before the election rather than after. Unfortunately there are two bad choices. Act soon now with conventional weapons and survive act later and your only option will be to use nuclear weapons for mutually assured destruction.
21. Strange Analysis
Sidney ,   USA   (03.20.12)
1. Israel strikes Iran's nuclear production sites. 2. Iran responds with thousands of missiles killing hundreds of thousands of Israelis. 3. Israel does nothing further to hurt Iran. Step 3 is unrealistic. The real third step would be an Israel missile strike using nuclear weapons if necessary to stop Iran. One could argue that there would be MAD with Iran taking advantage of Israel's small size while Israel would have superior weapons. The ultimate unknown is whether the ayatollahs are so crazy as to see Iran destroyed to sate their hatred of Israel.
22. How stupid can this ridiculous writer
RobertHaymond ,   Israel/Canada   (03.20.12)
be. If necessary, we will apply nuclear fusion to decimate Iran if that's what it takes. Stop trying to weaken us (psychologically) with fear when we need to be warriors. Get out of town if that's what you need. It's war. May we be victorious!
23. yea, right...
iDub ,   US   (03.20.12)
its working great in north korea
24. Strike in Iran
Avi W ,   Natanya, Israel   (03.20.12)
Unless you are willing to wipe Iran off the face of the map, the best thing to do at the moment is NOTHING. The onslaught that would follow would be devastating. Whoever wouldnt wouldnt be killed, and can afford to leave, will leave never to return. Israel would become a barren wasteland. The cost would be as high as if we would have got hit by a Iranian Nuke, and they dont have one. Let sanctions play out & see what happens. The writer is right on this one.
25. Yaker Al karib
Israeli 2   (03.20.12)
Do you really think when they shoot even one missle at us, Israel will be sitting ducks? Remember? THEY are the ducks. Natanyahu said it so eloquently. Israel and their subs will be right under their noses flattening their behinds. The Iraquis being much closer missed all their targets. Iranians are no better or smarter then the Iraquis. They will soon be a has been country.
26. The answer to 1000 missiles from gaza or Lebanon is a nuke
Bunnie Meyer ,   Los Angeles, CA USA   (03.20.12)
strike. NEVER AGAIN means NEVER AGAIN. Israel does not need to be politically correct and suffer thousands and thousands and thousands of dead Jews, it needs to KILL the enemy and show the world that NEVER AGAIN means what it is, NEVER AGAIN.
27. Yakir Elkariv = another armchair general
Marco ,   Spain   (03.20.12)
28. Wrong
James ,   Texas   (03.20.12)
The G-d of Abraham brought His people back to His land. You should try trusting in Him. He wont let Israel be destroyed.
29. Seriously? And we would just sit there
8th Generation Sabra   (03.20.12)
and let the mad mullahs rain missiles on us?!? Puleeeze! The minute the Iranians arm their missiles, our subs will hit them a second time. Spare me your hysterics. Thousands this, hundreds that. Grow a pair and protect The Land.
30. It's March 2012 and this guy still writes such "wisdom"?!!
tom ,   tel aviv   (03.20.12)
After all that's been said and (not) done, the most prudent thing anyone can do at this moment is to respectfully shut up on this subject. Nobody knows shit, that's for certain and all the "what & if & when" has been beaten to death in the last year's press and media! Booooooorrrrrring AND defeatist junk, Mr.Elkariv.
Next talkbacks
Back to article