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'Iran does not pose an existential threat '
Shiri Hadar
Published: 06.01.12, 14:50
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1. General Halutz.....
Gideon Reader   (01.06.12)
....after close confabulation and concert (Absolutely no singing females present) and with the brilliant military strategist Amir "Putz" Peretz, has made this declaration. Peas are at hand. And foot if you do not watch where you are stepping. The worthy General has stepped in "it" before, what with losing a war and all. OY! Cannot they just silently slip away? Do they have to keep showing their tuchises, over and over?
2. Of course not. They are an existing militant Islamist threat
Henry from New York ,   USA   (01.06.12)
not an Existential one that appears to pose an immediate risk to both the State of Israel and freedom of the seas (not to mention resource security, which can lead to other problems).
3. Mr. Halutz should be put under psycho-
Ash ,   Army of darkness   (01.06.12)
logical supervision...oh well...
4. Halutz, incompetent then, incompetent now
mea   (01.06.12)
5. Is Halutz sure Iran has no North Korean nuclear bombs?
Joe ,   Canada   (01.06.12)
Dan Halutz is right in stating that the Iranian threat should be made clear to all the countries who are still indifferent to the risks. But he is not right in saying Iran is not in a position to start a new Holocaust. It would now be easier to commit it as Israelis are concentrated in a relatively small area as compared to European Jews scattered in several countries during WWII. The events of 9/11 in the USA demonstrate that you do not even need to use nuclear weapons to cause large scale massacres in densely populated areas. We know the likes of Sadam Hussein did not hesitate to use poison gases in Irak. Can we have more trust in the fanatic Ayatollahs? Are they rational enough to think twice before risking a war against Israel for fear of disatrous retaliation on Iran? There is no concensus in the West that the regime's leaders minds are ready or not to sacrifice any number of their own people to reach their religion motivated objectives. In the Irak-Iranian war they sent touthands of their own soldiers to a certain death by endoctrination &/or threat. Betting on the best possible scenario when dealing with so extreme tyrants as those holding unrestrained power over their people is a very risky one when one of the outcomes is genocide if the bet turns out to be wrong. Isolation of Iran has so far been a big failure as has been for a longer time that of North Korea a country in principle in a much less favourable economic situation than Iran. So there is only one safe choice in these situations when internal regime changes for the better are not foreseable in the short term. And when time is of the essence.
6. Sir, former IDF chief of staff Mr. Halutz....
moi ,   ici   (01.06.12)
respectfully I say to you: Sir, please don't be such a putz, your exceedingly stupid is showing! I am already feeling sorry and embarrassed for you.
7. "tomorrow it's the female fighter pilot" ... yawn...
Miron ,   USA   (01.06.12)
last time Mr. Halutz blocked female pilots from qualification with own hand. So, who is the pinnochio in yarmulka here?
8. WHAT DOES 'EXISTENTIAL' MEAN?
stude ham   (01.06.12)
for those of us who remain confused by the term 'existantialism' ... what does 'existential' really mean. from this article it implies 'real'.
9. General Halutz is fluent in Persian
Marco ,   Spain   (01.06.12)
He shouldn't tell this to Israelis. If he wants to be useful he should go to Tehran and convince the Mullahs in their own language that they are not an existential threat to Israel. Then he can come back and tell us what their reply is.
10. You Err !!!.
Arn.   (01.06.12)
I Quote - "I don't think we should sit idly by, but I don't think Israel should be leading the issue – Israel should make sure it remains a high priority on the international agenda, but Iran is a global problem – not just Israel's problem. " Comment - When iran has the Nuces, then it is only a Israeli problem because, the world would then dont dare to interviene in the Mideast. It is not a matter of Israel leading anybody else, but of Israel acting for Herself. When Iran has the Nuces, Iran will come for Israel. If this you talk is not for show only, then I consider you to be an Idiot. Arn.Sweden.
11. I see Soros money getting to Israeli bigwigs
Rod ,   Fargo N.Dakota   (01.06.12)
I bet all these former Gen and Intelligence Chiefs must be receiving a nice bit of pocket money from Soros. Not to mention passports from multiple E.U. Countries to use if things get hot with Iran.
12. who wants to hear from halutz
alexi   (01.06.12)
Too bad, because of your misreading of 2006 war on strategy and your failure to grab olmert and educate him on a huge invasion of hezbollah from 3 fronts, your views on any military matters are null and void. I would not listen to zeira, nor you even if you were right, you are wrong. No one wants to hear from you, olmert and livni anymore are used. Sharon must have been sick to appoint you to chief of staff.
13. To: Stude Ham at No. 8
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (01.06.12)
An "existential threat" refers merely to a threat to one's continued existence. It is generally used in the context of nations, not individuals, and it has absolutely nothing to do with existentialism, which is a silly philosophy based on the negation of any universal worth or purpose (you know; the philosophy of "it's all about me, and there cannot possibly be a greater purpose").
14. To: Marco at No. 9
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (01.06.12)
I know that Halutz's roots go back partly to Iran, but I believe most of his family came from Iraq. Possibly you are thinking of Shaul Mofaz, who is fluent in Farsi.
15. he screwed up Lebanon now he wants to screw up Iran
zionist forever   (01.06.12)
This disgusting man who as Chief of Staff sold his investments just before the war began is one of the men most responsible for Israel losing in Lebanon. He refused to give the officers in Lebanon more infantry when requested because he believed air power would win the day right up to the very end. Now we finally get the world looking up and taking notice of Iran and its nuclear program and Mister Genius Halutz comes along and says don't worry guys there is no threat from Iran. He is right the existential threat doesn't come from Iran it comes from the idiots who get involved in Israeli politics and head senior government ministries of which he will probably be doing if Kadima are part of any future coalition after the next election.
16. #8, I know what it means, but I like to mock Israeli authors
Henry from New York ,   USA   (01.06.12)
who are trying to show off their vocabulary by using this more obscure meaning of a term that generally related to the philosophy of Jean Paul-Sartre. If this comment resulted from my post (which used two better words to describe the threat: existing and immediate). If not then thank you for clarifying for everyone else as it is an odd use of the word.
17. #6, he probably will never see your comment and #9,
Henry from New York ,   USA   (01.06.12)
to be fair, FDR spoke fluent German. It always good to know the language of your enemy. It makes things much easier.
18. you maybe right....
les ,   canada   (01.06.12)
although i doubt it very much. iran may not be the "existential" threat, BUT YOU ARE! oh..and thank you for the great "victory" against the rag-tag hizbo army. well done general.
19. How does he know Iran does not pose existential threat?
STEve   (01.06.12)
20. But is Israel the priority or second
Robert ,   NY USA   (01.06.12)
Is it more like, if Iran gets nuclear weapons, then the the west can't steal their oil? And before they do, is it just an excuse to steal their oil? Their support of terrorists should have been pre-empted a long time ago, instead of waiting for this. Also, what good is it all to Israel, if the US policy is to look the other way at the nonsense going on in Saudi Arabia?
21. Polichinele secret.
dan guina ,   jerusalem,il   (01.06.12)
Halutz is right,of course,but how convenient for our succesive rulers to manipulate our fears and keep us docile.
22. Since Halutz lost the war with his fraud
DT ,   TA Israe   (01.06.12)
"about to be convicted " on criminal charges who wants an opinion of a Master of Military disaster-Barak maybe
23. HALUTZ'S WORDS MAKE SENSE. Talkback naysayers: get over it!
Rafi ,   US   (01.06.12)
24. Halutz is wrong, as usual!
Reuven   (01.06.12)
25. Loud mouth Sarah B does not agree with idiotic Halutz...
(01.06.12)
26. Halutz is an existential threat to Israel !
(01.06.12)
Our generals are a bunch of pathetic cowards
27. ***Sarah***at 13, Your description of the
Chris Rettenmoser ,   Bayerisch Gmain Germ   (01.06.12)
philosophy of existentialism is beautiful...a hug for you !
28. #13. According to the Oxford Dictionaries, it means
Henry from New York ,   USA   (01.06.12)
"relating to existence." So basically an "existing threat" It is usually used to refer to existentialism as you say. This fellow was probably speaking in Hebrew originally and the author used that word in English either to be trendy or look smart. When will people learn it's not the fancy words that make your argument intelligent, but rather your actual content? Are you sure that you're not confusing the basic idea of existentialism with the basic idea of nihilism? I know existentialism rejects the idea of a higher being of any sort and all that, but nihilism is more about nothingness.
29. Why are two Israeli military "experts"
Israeli 2   (01.06.12)
coming out at the same time downplaying the Iran threat?
30. Iran no threat?
Syd Chaden ,   Palermo Calif USA   (01.06.12)
So, we should ignore the leader of Iran when he says that Iran willl destroy Israel, and we should ignore the Shiite Islamic leader, the Ayatollah, who says that Jews should be put to death, and we should instead listen to a former Israeli spy leader who says Iran is not an existential threat to Israel. Which of those are the best qualified to speak for Iran's intentions?
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