Opinion  Nahum Barnea
On the edge of the abyss
Nahum Barnea
Published: 16.08.15, 00:11
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
28 Talkbacks for this article
1. Shalom, Mr. Borstein-Barnea
ASTRONAUT ,   USA   (08.16.15)
Sir, I looked you up on Wikipedia, to understand your point of view – Sir, you were blessed to be born post-Holocaust Eretz Yisrael. You served in the IDF with other brave halutzim to defend the New Nation. Your beloved son was killed in a terrorist attack. Yet, you, and so many other Israeli AND American Jews, seem to take G-d's Miracle of His "new" Israel for granted – He has given us [yes, all Jews, for we are One in His Eyes] a new day, a second chance - to stand tall, to defend His Holy Realm; yet again, you are too eager to repeat our gross history of appeasement which will lead to another bout of slaughter. We seek an elusive "peace" – which will come ONLY when Kol Yisrael, Kol Hanashim STAND TOGETHER. It is our downfall that for 6,000 years, we can never agree, never concur on any matters - even with our throats in the jaws of the wolves. I pray that this Rosh Hashana unites us all, as One People. Am Yisrael Chai.
2. America's liberal Jewish community.....
DSM ,   USA   (08.16.15)
would vote for Obama again if given the opportunity. They are Democrats first and Jews second, maybe third.
3. a powerful article
Rafi ,   US   (08.16.15)
4. The deal is 80 pages long. 13 SENTENCES on inspection access
David ,   Hartford USA   (08.16.15)
If you read the Plan of Action, you will find almost everything in Iran's favor. Sanctions lifted, equipment stored and not destroyed, immediate and unfettered access to any place at any time NOT REQUIRED. The USA and the EU get nothing. Iran keeps their latest centrifuges and even gets to keep doing research with them! The deal includes so many ways that Iran can delay and defer IAEA requested inspections that the inspections become useless. This is a disgustingly one-sided deal, Iran gets everything it wants and the USA/EU truly get NOTHING of consequence. Any American senator or representative voting for this piece of trash will be voted out on his ass come election time. We won't forget. If this is Obama's great accomplishment, history will view it as the single worst agreement that any American president ever put his name to. Obama should have the guts to say "We've been had and are ripping it up." Kerry will go down in history as "America's Chamberlain."
5. What happens the "day after" congress says no?
spyguy ,   seattle usa   (08.16.15)
The brutal reality is Israel is just digging itself deeper into the pile of garbage. What congress does, DOES NOT MATTER! The agreement is between the UN and Iran, NOT Iran and the USA and the UN has already decided that it is a "good"agreement. So the day after the USA congress "rejects" the deal the rest of the world will simply ignore congress and start trading with Iran and there is NOTHING THE USA CONGRESS CAN DO about that, NOTHING. In fact, anything congress tries to do will simply boomerang on the USA and cause economic harm to the USA. Israel has LOST and anything Israel does from this point on will receive UN condemnation and even if the USA is willing to veto UN resolutions (and after the contempt Israel has shown toward the USA, they may not), Israel will still get hurt. Israel has screwed this up entirely.
6. YNET = toady & bootlicker for the Obama administration
Cameron ,   USA   (08.16.15)
Balanced, neutral observer you are not. YNET, you have reduced down to little more than an utterly partisan lackey outlet.
7. Barnea you're hysterical. This is journalism?
Jake   (08.16.15)
8. Oh, Israel, at it again. Why don't you just behave?
JVC ,   LA, USA   (08.16.15)
Israel is being so difficult. Obama knows best. After all, the majority of America's well-intentioned, good liberal Jews voted for him. What could go wrong?
9. And of course Israel is absolutely
DT ,   TA Israel   (08.16.15)
right and to ensure that the Left, friends of our enemies , fail as well.
10. Incompetent analysis
Mordechai   (08.16.15)
Obama sent his campaign team to Israel to try and defeat Likud in the last elections. That's a bit more interference in Israeli politics than an ambassador talking to members of congress. Also under the US constitution Congress is a separate equal branch of government. Members of congress are not supposed to rubberstamp decisions of the president. Their is no such thing as coalition discipline where members of a party must follow the decisions of party leadership.
11. It is Netenyahu's obligation to stop the Iran deal
c   (08.16.15)
if congress loses to obama, the following day will be the same as the previous day except all sanctions on iran will be lifted and iran will continue its path to a nuclear power state. even if the congress fails to muster a veto proof majority, a sixty proof majority will indicate that the majority of americans think that the iran deal is a disaster. this means that at least 60% of americans from all walks of life do not approve of the deal secretly negotiated by john kerry so charged by obama. neither do 60% of the us congress. obama tries to claim that his opponents have not read the contents of the deal. in this, he is wrong. it is because his opponents have read the deal that they oppose it for many reasons. suffice it to say, iran will keep most of its nuclear infrastructure, its ballistic missile capabilities and its r&d capabilities to develop more advanced centrifuges. iran will continue experimentin with weaponisation and nuclear triggers and implosion devices. in at most eight years, iran will have te right to manufacture ballistic missiles and buy conventional weapons with monies received from sanctions relief. the inspection regimes are basically non-existent. the us will not even have the right to be part of the inspection team. in case a power discloses violations, iran and its allies will have the right to vote down inspections, and they will. the inspection regime is so weak, that one wonders who kerry and obama represented in these negotiations. the side deals between the iaea and iran are kept totally secret even from the intelligence community. yet the deals between the iaea and iran constitute the backbone of the inspection regime. the capitulation deal signed by obama will give the shia terror regime over a billion dollars to buy conventional weapons and thus increase its invasion and proxy wars against neighbouring state and threaten american bases. this deal will lift sanctions on all aspects of iran's nuclear infrastructure and personnel, its economic actors, the irgc, the al quds force, its scientists. in return iran promises not to build nuclear bombs. how much is iran's promise worth?! not much more than the paper it is written on.
12. Why cant people understand -
Arn. ,   Sweden.   (08.16.15)
- Iran has Promised to come for Israel. and according to the Word of HASHEM She will. Hitler in Mein Kampf also spoke of Lebensraum in the East, but nobody seemed to believe Him. Now - Would we have a Nucklear Iran coming For Israel, or an Unnucklear coming for Israel under the rule of Gog and Magog ? Deal or No Deal will not prevent a Iran coming for Israel. An Unnucklear Iran coming For Israel as above, requires a Preemtive Military Strike against Iran before the Gog and Magog War. Arn.Sweden.
13. #7, Hysterical ones are those who call names swearing at..
snappir ,   israel   (08.16.15)
people who attack OBAMA are the ones who are Hysterical. Just look how they talk, calling names, swearing at everyone who shows support of Obama. They are the ones who support burning churches, killing christians...etc. They are jewish supremacists. It will end like it ended 2000 yrs ago, when another Radical freak, by name Barkochba caused the first Holocaust.
14. #3, YES, that RIGHT. Jewish supremacists are fuming...
snappir ,   israel   (08.16.15)
15. Wrong insight
Moshe ,   Israel   (08.16.15)
The abyss is not possible repercussions of Israel government's conduct against the deal with Iran, as the author hints, but Tehran's regime acquiring nuclear weapon. To thwart this catastrophe, almost every mean is just.
16. Dangerous place for Jews
Michael ,   Haifa   (08.16.15)
Netanyahu is far more dangerous for Israel than Iran. Day by day, his mindless decisions are systematically runing the State of Israel.
17. Not all Democrats who say they oppose it are Jewish
Giora Me'ir ,   USA   (08.16.15)
And more Jewish members of congress who have announced are for it than against it. Netanyahu can rot.
18. #15 - It would NOT be catastrophic if Iran
spyguy ,   seattle usa   (08.16.15)
did acquire nuclear weapons, BUT the agreement limits that chance because Iran has agreed to restrictions. Without such an agreement, it is IMPOSSIBLE to prevent any country from getting nuclear weapons if they really want them. Note also that your paranoia about Iran is irrational because you IGNORE the fact that the Pakistani Shaheen-III ballistic missile with a MIRV type nuclear warhead can EASILY reach Israel from Pakistan - Why doesn't that bother you? Then there are the Saudi DF21C ballistic missiles that are pointed at Israel which supposedly have "conventional" warheads but the Saudis can easily purchase nuclear warheads for them (and may have already done that). Why are you paranoid about single somewhat peaceful Shia nation that has reached an agreement with the UN, when it is Sunni nations that already have the means to destroy Israel and have funded the worst radical Islamic organizations (Al Qaida and ISIS). Try to understand REALITY before you go totally crazy over Iran.
19. Analyses bias to the complacent
Zechariah   (08.16.15)
This is a negative bias article .Israels threats are to make it known that it will react if it sees danger despite the nuclear deal. It is the duty of the Jewish state to act from worst case scenario particularly in the region and it applies to the war in IRAQ twenty years after the nuclear facility in IRAQ bombed by the Begin government danger still could resurge . Was the bombing of the Syrian Reactor that could fall into ISIS hands stupid also ?
20. snappir, #13, at least be consistent.
Jake   (08.17.15)
Now you condemn those who who call Obama names. But last year you wrote the following post about Obama: "US is truly unfortunate to have obama as a head of state. If only Obama had at least 1% of Putin's Intelligence, America would look differently today." Split personality?
21. spyguy, #18. North Korea agreed to similar restrictions.
Jake   (08.17.15)
And this "deal" is based on the same weak premises, as is your post. Iran will have plenty of wriggle room to go on enriching, get even better centrifuges, and dodge inspections. And if it can't get its way within the deal's parameters, it will simply take the NPT it signed and tear it up....LIKE NORTH KOREA DID. On the other, do you believe Obama when he says that once international sanctions are lifted, they will just "snap back into place" if Iran violates? THINK AGAIN!
22. Donald Trump warns Iran deal leads to nuclear Holocaust
Chaim ,   Israel   (08.16.15)
Leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump recently warned the Iran deal could lead to a nuclear Holocaust. Trump is clearly correct and nothing else matters. Barnea publishes worthless drivel. Destroy Iran's nukes NOW!
23. # 18 Are you not ashamed ?
Moshe ,   Israel   (08.17.15)
Of typing such distorted talkback ? You write "Why are you paranoid about single somewhat peaceful Shia nation…". But I am not alone. The UN, which represents the world, is also paranoid about this "peaceful" state and imposed strict sanctions on it. No one denies that this fanatic regime supports financially and military terror organization like Hhamas and Hezbollah. Time and again it has swore to destroy Israel, and mass demonstrations there call "death to America" and "death to Israel". "the agreement limits that chance because Iran has agreed to restrictions" (chance of acquiring nuclear weapon). But the Iranian Islamic regime will probably cheat as they have cheated for the last 20 years regarding their nuclear program and other international agreements. They could have a nuclear bomb by the end of Obama’s term. After the sanctions relief by the beginning of 2016, if Iran cheats or breaks the agreement, their breakout time will be around two to three months. The United States' concessions on inspections of nuclear sites have allowed Iran to pre-approve them and to delay inspections by IAEA for up to 78 days, which many say is clearly more than enough time for Iran to scrub down any possible violations.
24. #23 - No matter how much someone "scrubs"
spyguy ,   seattle usa   (08.17.15)
once an area is used for nuclear research, it is permanently contaminated. This is why it has been so hard for the USA and Russia to clean up their many old nuclear sites so the land can be reused. Not only that, but every gram of Iran's nuclear material is tracked throughout the entire process. Note also that ALL the current nuclear sites are fully inspected 24/7/365 by the IAEA. Therefore the paranoia is about sites that someone (usually the USA and Israel) suspect MIGHT be used for nuclear research. Since it is a random chunk of land, Iran has the right to negotiate about inspections and as I noted, if there has been nuclear research, IT WILL BE DISCOVERED because the detection technology is that good. The ONLY people that say the inspection delay is too long are people with zero knowledge of nuclear physics. Note that the UN only wanted to minimize the possibility of Iran getting a nuclear bomb and most nations do NOT consider Iran a "terrorist nation." In fact before the end of 2015, MOST of the nations on earth will be freely trading with Iran. In REALITY Iran has no intention of attacking Israel and Iran has very valid reasons for being angry at the USA and UK because they brutally oppressed Iran for over 100 years. So no, I am NOT ashamed because I have a solid understanding of REALITY. BTW - part of that reality is Pakistan can easily destroy Israel any day so where is your paranoia about Pakistan?
25. #21 - ACTUALLY the retrictions on Iran are much
spyguy ,   seattle usa   (08.17.15)
tougher (the world learned from what happened with North Korea). Note that GW Bush messed up the Korea deal. You are correct that the world will not put any more sanctions on Iran, but the reality is the current sanctions were going away by the end of 2015, so at least there is a deal in place rather than nothing. The bottom line no one seems to understand is if any country wants to get nuclear weapons, there is NOTHING the world can do to prevent that, but for right now Iran is willing to forgo nuclear weapons whether you believe them or not.
26. "edge of abyss"
(08.17.15)
An interesting heading that if Iran will acquire nuclear to threatens the world that Iran don't created may cause G-d of Heaven to react. And sitting on river Euphrates will be loosing the four apocalyptic angels. That might be perfect reasons for those four angels loose because Iran did threatens to wipe Israel from the map and the Bible didn't say that at all. Israel can't be wipe out!!!
27. Bibi attacking Obama?
Tye Rausch ,   Dallas, USA   (08.19.15)
Once again you reveal your total clueless perspective as to who is aggressively implementing instruments against whom. Bibi is acting in Israel's best interest. Why not stop picking at ourselves and start being aware of who the enemy really is? Defending deceit is a lose-lose game.
28. To Chaim
Bertram ,   London, UK.   (08.19.15)
You are seriously citing Donald Trump to support your view - right? Enough said.
Back to article