Iran: Moving toward ‘a Final Solution’?
While Iran builds nukes, said The New York Times in an editorial, the world is asleep at the switch. Last week, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that his country would add 6,000 new centrifuges to its main uranium enrichment complex. This would tri
While Iran builds nukes, said The New York Times in an editorial, the world is asleep at the switch. Last week, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that his country would add 6,000 new centrifuges to its main uranium enrichment complex. This would triple the size of Iran’s nuclear fuel program, and greatly accelerate its progress toward building a bomb. Yet this appalling news caused “barely a diplomatic ripple,” signaling that the major powers have become “dangerously comfortable” with the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran. If President Bush is serious about keeping nuclear weapons out of this rogue regime’s hands, he’d better respond with something other than mere “bluster.” It’s time for the major Western powers, along with China and Russia, to impose new economic sanctions “with a lot more bite,” along with “a serious set of incentives to bring Iran in from the cold.”
It’s too late for sanctions and warnings, said Charles Krauthammer in The Washington Post. Iran has already scoffed at scores of them, while demonstrating its contempt for the rules of the civilized world. When it does build a bomb, it will still lack intercontinental missiles, so its only possible target will be Israel. That leaves the president with one option. Call it “the Holocaust Declaration.” The U.S. should formally announce that we’d regard any nuclear attack upon our ally, Israel, as an attack upon us, “requiring a full retaliatory response upon Iran.” The “apocalyptic” Ahmadinejad, who has repeatedly threatened Israel with annihilation, may not be deterred by such a statement of mutually assured destruction—but the country’s more rational leaders and citizens would be. America has little to lose with such a commitment, and everything to gain: Preventing another Holocaust among “an ancient people openly threatened with the Final Solution.”
“Who says Iran has any intention of nuking Israel?” said Joe Klein in Time. The mullahs who actually call the shots in Tehran aren’t crazy; they want a bomb primarily to deter a nuclear attack by their main enemies, Israel and the U.S. Besides, said Zev Chafets in The New York Times, Israel has its own nuclear arsenal. Even without the promise of a U.S. response, Tehran must know that any attack that killed, say, 100,000 Israelis would yield a counterattack that would turn Iran into a radioactive cinder. It’s simply unnecessary, and unwise, for Israel to rely so heavily on America to protect it from Iran. As Israelis learned a long time ago, if they want to continue to exist, they can count only on one group of people: themselves.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
'Good riddance to the televised presidential debate'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Caitlin Clark the No. 1 pick in bullish WNBA Draft
Speed Read As expected, she went to the Indiana Fever
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 16, 2024
Cartoons Tuesday's cartoons - sleepyhead, little people, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published