I would hate to have you as a defense minister, your naivete clearly shows through. Stop looking through rose tinted glasses and wake up. 2012 is likely to be a most pivotal and dangerous year for many in the world whether by economics or war, usually one follows the other.

With the right moves at the right time Israel's situation will improve in 2012. Napoleon said..."Strategy is the art of using time and spac well." People should take note that G-d is the ultimate strategist, so the leaders, analysts and policy advisors who best approximate the divine plan will be blessed. Quite a simple equation really. The trick is finding the people with the right level of awareness and frame of reference.

Live and let live. Get them before they get you.

an un-thoughtout adventure of bombing a few hills in far off Iran. Remember EU and other economies are on a knife edge. Israel will be blamed for any slightest deterioration of the mess these said economies are in. Deterence is best strategy AT THIS STAGE .Not jumping into an adventure is to my mind ,a wise strategy.

The article is quite rational and onpoint. Perhaps you had too much coffee this morning and have become overly fearful.

The most salient reason for Arab disinterest now stems from preoccupation with their own affairs, despite Israel's waning deterrence due to the huge Iranian menace.

Hamas is quiet so it can quietly increase its rocket arsenal as much as possible. It is biding its time. Israel, nor the author, should take this as acquiescence.

anti armor missile systems as well as all helicopters. Why is the government waiting? Increase the defense budget and decrease the size of the min of treasury! Stop wasting money on non Zionist groups and institutions. Cut the child allowances to all those that never served in the I.D.F. We need to build new divisions of armor, armored infantry and artillery. We need to purchase more combat air craft and naval ships. Now is the time and not after another war. Finally all anti missile systems are good, but we also need missiles and rockets to hit the enemy's armies and civilians.

get out of israel now... everything is set up by the same people .war is coming

The statement, "Iran has not decided to produce nuclear weapons" destroys much of the credibility of this article. Why on earth has Iran invested billions of dollars to build nuclear bomb factories, under mountains and in population centres to make them harder to hit, if they don't plan to build nuclear weapons? Why are American and Israel working so hard to sabotage Iran's nuclear program if Iran is not planning to build nuclear weapons? This statement makes absolutely no sense. It is obvious Iran has every intention of building nuclear weapons and feels it has much to gain by doing so and is close to doing so.

Adam, Where was "G-d" during the Inquisition? Where was "G-d" during the Holocaust. People like you should be on a game show - also cut off from reality.

"Rubbish!" Is that your only comment...? Don't you have any thoughts other than that? You certainly are not an adept, in any way...

IS TO FEAR YOUR DOING THE SECOND IS NOT TO FEAR THE ENEMY DOING THE THIRD IS TO FEAR THE ENEMY DOING THE FOURTH IS TO BE ASURE ABOUT THE FUTURE .. I THINK THIS ARTICLE HAVE THE FOURTH STEPS AS IT HAS THE FIRST ONE

I'm not a fan of Ron Ben-Yishai but this article is certainly one of his better ones. I'm not sure about the last two paragraphs but they are his personal opinion and not an analysis of the overall situation. What is it that you disagree with>

...for our Dutch boy, apparently. If some people can't be scared witless on a daily basis, they're just not happy, are they?

Check this out, Chaim. I don't understand what Mr. Ben-Yishai means either: "Israeli officials are again warning Washington that time is almost up, and that the Iranian nuclear threat is growing stronger -- this time based on soil samples collected near suspected sites. "Investigative reporter Eli Lake writes this week in an exclusive report published in The Daily Beast that a delegation of Israeli diplomats, IDF officers and intelligence officials raised the issue at a meeting in the U.S. capital during the annual "strategic dialogue" conference earlier this month. "Israel's presentation on the Iranian nuclear program included intelligence based on soil samples that indicated the Islamic Republic is building secret reactors to produce nuclear fuel. "Moshe "Boogie" Ya'alon confirmed in a December 24 speech in Jerusalem that although Iran probably did indeed suspend their nuclear technology activity in 2003, they resumed the drive to produce an atomic weapon by 2005. "U.S. national intelligence estimates still claim that Iran has not resumed its weaponization work -- with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta claiming an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities could "consume the Middle East in a confrontation and a conflict that we would regret." "In response, Israel cites the document recently uncovered by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) showing detailed plans for construction of a "neutron initiator" as evidence that time is rapidly running out. "As Lake explains, the neutron initiator is a pellet that sits at the middle of the nuclear core and is crushed by high explosives in a nuclear explosion. The existence of such a document is concrete proof that Iran is continuing its weaponization activity. "The November 2011 IAEA report stated plainly that intelligence shared by member states appears to show that Iran has conducted explosive tests linked to nuclear weapons research..." Sources: The Daily Beast (12/28/11 and INN (12/29/11)

to fear to challenge and there is happiness in chalenge .. and may you do not fear but feel unhappy.. ..it is like a child fear the fire as it burn but he is happy enough to laugh . and may the child want a toy he do not fear anything but unhappy without the toy . . it is not Dutch it is not boy .it is a person

The belief that the Muslim Brotherhood rise to power is positive in the region is delusional, their lust for power and blood is evident in Libya as well as Egypt! Syria and Iran being brought under control by western powers is also delusional, Russia and China will defend their strategic and economic interests against such military projections!

Facing the threat of the islamic shadow of dhimmi isreals ought unite on foreign policy and the maximum is a demilitirized Palestinian State with 1:1 land swaps and the Jews supported by its allies watching security threats which would protect also the arabs against madmen ghengis khans.