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Think about this statement by Dr. Lewis:

I am told now that in Iran most recently, support has virtually disappeared for the nuclear program. Previously it had some support, but it is now increasingly being realized that this is a method of strengthening the regime, which means that it is bad.

Ahmadinehad depends on popular support for his position. So, why does he push a program that upsets everyone outside of Iran, and is only supported by a few inside Iran? (And is beginning to upset people IN Iran?)

Think about this statement by Dr. Lewis:

I am told now that in Iran most recently, support has virtually disappeared for the nuclear program. Previously it had some support, but it is now increasingly being realized that this is a method of strengthening the regime, which means that it is bad.

Ahmadinehad depends on popular support for his position. So, why does he push a program that upsets everyone outside of Iran, and is only supported by a few inside Iran? (And is beginning to upset people IN Iran?)

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I have been listening to the media puzzle over Iranian diplomacy. They hear Iranian diplomats make conciliatory speeches, indicating that Iran is willing to compromise on their nuclear ambitions. Then the media hears translations of speeches by the Iranian president, Ahmadinejad, in which he appears to directly contradict his diplomats.

What surprises me is not that Iran is engaged in double-talk. No, what surprises me is the befuddlement of the fourth estate. Does the media honestly think that Iranian diplomacy is anything other than lies and misdirection? We all want to think that journalists are wise to the lies, but I happen to know a bit about the media that you may not realize.

I have been listening to the media puzzle over Iranian diplomacy. They hear Iranian diplomats make conciliatory speeches, indicating that Iran is willing to compromise on their nuclear ambitions. Then the media hears translations of speeches by the Iranian president, Ahmadinejad, in which he appears to directly contradict his diplomats.

What surprises me is not that Iran is engaged in double-talk. No, what surprises me is the befuddlement of the fourth estate. Does the media honestly think that Iranian diplomacy is anything other than lies and misdirection? We all want to think that journalists are wise to the lies, but I happen to know a bit about the media that you may not realize.

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I have just run across ANOTHER John Little on the net, who is in high-tech, and who writes on national security issues. Since I am also a John Little who is in high-tech, and who writes on national security…

Furthermore, we are both in our late thirties. We are both conservative (he, much more than I).

He is in Houston, and I am currently in Indianapolis. ( …but, back in Israel before the year is out)

Well, it looks like we could be having a bit of an identity crisis.

Hmmm…

I have just run across ANOTHER John Little on the net, who is in high-tech, and who writes on national security issues. Since I am also a John Little who is in high-tech, and who writes on national security…

Furthermore, we are both in our late thirties. We are both conservative (he, much more than I).

He is in Houston, and I am currently in Indianapolis. ( …but, back in Israel before the year is out)

Well, it looks like we could be having a bit of an identity crisis.

Hmmm…

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‘The Iranians do not expect to be attacked’ – Part II
One of the things that I don’t like about this blog is that it is unremittingly negative. There really are very few positive posts. Yes, I’m positive about Israel, and I’m even (irrationally) positive about Israel’s prospects. Unfortunately, I am VERY negative about the chances for peace – with some exceptions.

Here is an example of an exception - even a ray of light piercing my utter gloominess: 

‘The Iranians do not expect to be attacked’ – Part II
One of the things that I don’t like about this blog is that it is unremittingly negative. There really are very few positive posts. Yes, I’m positive about Israel, and I’m even (irrationally) positive about Israel’s prospects. Unfortunately, I am VERY negative about the chances for peace – with some exceptions.

Here is an example of an exception - even a ray of light piercing my utter gloominess: 

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In my series on Bernard Lewis’ interview with The Jerusalem Post, I want to start with two quotes from the article:

For President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Iran, he noted dryly, the notion of mutual assured destruction, of certain devastation so immense as to have kept the United States and the Soviet Union from firing their missiles at each other through the Cold War, was “not a deterrent,” but rather “an inducement.” Given the apocalyptic messianism of Ahmadinejad and his supporters, “if they kill large numbers of their own people, they are doing them a favor. They are giving them a quick free pass to heaven and all its delights, the divine brothel in the skies.”

In my series on Bernard Lewis’ interview with The Jerusalem Post, I want to start with two quotes from the article:

For President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Iran, he noted dryly, the notion of mutual assured destruction, of certain devastation so immense as to have kept the United States and the Soviet Union from firing their missiles at each other through the Cold War, was “not a deterrent,” but rather “an inducement.” Given the apocalyptic messianism of Ahmadinejad and his supporters, “if they kill large numbers of their own people, they are doing them a favor. They are giving them a quick free pass to heaven and all its delights, the divine brothel in the skies.”

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