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A Bribe For Iran
D
wring the presidential debates, Republican
incumbent George W. Bush and his
Democratic challenger John F. Kerry agreed
on one issue: The greatest threat the world faces is
having terrorists acquire weapons of mass destruc-
tion (WMDs).
Which is why it is so important that we get the
tactics right in trying to stop Iran from developing
nuclear weapons. It would not take much to per-
suade the theocracy in Teheran to transfer a nuclear
device to a terrorist proxy like Islamic Jihad or
Hamas whose first target would be Tel Aviv or Haifa.
Two approaches to stopping Iran are under dis-
cussion. Washington, with apparent Israeli concur-
rence, is talking tough about taking the
issue to the United Nations and organizing
the sort of economic sanctions that suc-
ceeded in blocking Saddam Hussein's
hopes for building WMDs. On the other hand,
European countries, including Britain, France and
Germany, want to offer Iran political and economic
concessions in return for an enforceable halt to its
nuclear program and insist that the U.S. has to be a
partner in the deal.
Underlying the American approach is a guess that,
if necessary, Iran can be stopped by military action
to destroy its nuclear facilities, as Israel did in its
1981 strike on the Osirak reactor in Iraq. But the
Iranians have apparently learned a thing or two in
the last couple of decades; the International Atomic
Energy Agency (I.A.E.A.), the U.N.'s nuclear moni-
tors, say the Iranian facilities are scattered around
the country, with many in densely populated cities
that the United States and Israel could not attack
without causing unacceptable civilian deaths. And,
despite Iran's having signed the Nuclear Non-
Proliferation Treaty, it has apparently built other
labs and production centers that the I.A.E.A. sleuths
haven't found.
And with 130,000 U.S. troops tied up in Iraq for
the foreseeable future, invading Iran isn't remotely
possible.
Given the current climate of world antipathy to
many U.S. policies, assembling a U.N. majority for
economic action against Iran is hardly a slam-dunk.
Russia and China, for example, have built healthy
trade relations with the Islamic republic that they
wouldn't want to short-circuit.
Clearly, the Arab states aren't about to
lean on Teheran for anything that causes
fewer headaches for America and Israel.
Meeting recently with outgoing Secretary
of State Colin Powell, the foreign ministers dis-
dained any talk about reforming their own societies
and insisted that all efforts have to be directed to
resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
So, by default, Washington will have to treat the
European approach with respect. If we are serious
about encouraging human rights in the Middle
East, we could justify economic pacts that help
build the social infrastructure from which democra-
cy could arise, even in a theocratic state. Learning
from the experience with North Korea, any deal
would have to include absolute surprise inspection
rights of every potential nuclear facility to be sure
EDIT ORIAL
Scaring Ourselves Silly
N
othing seems to make some Jewish people
happier than sitting around and frightening
each other.
They have now convinced themselves that
America is on the verge of a theocracy, a nation gov-
erned by the principles of Christian fundamental-
ists.
Not only that, it's the holiday season, the dreaded
December Dilemma; when the sound of carols over
a city sound system and a Christmas tree in a park
can send them into paroxysms of Constitutional
outrage.
What a bonanza. Two scares for the price of one.
In columns and op-eds and private conversations
they thrill to the horror of it. Roe v. Wade will be
reversed. Gays will be banished to gulags. Free
speech will be quelled. Santa Claus will be coming
to town ... for keeps.
George
0 W. . Bush will blow his horn and the wall
between church and state will come tumbling down.
It is understandable and proper for Jews to be vig-
ilant about these issues. But this does not rid them
of the obligation to temper vigilance with reason.
Or, perhaps, to respect the historical context of the
George Cantor's e-mail address is
gcantor@thejewishnews.com
Dry Bones our Inf i °;
THE HUNGRY WOLF WAS
ABLE TO WALK AMONG
THE INNOCENT SHEEP
THE WAY THAT ANTI
SEMITISM ENTERS OUR
SCHOOLS, MEDIA, AND
POLITE SOCIETY...
www.drybonesproject.com
that the work is limited to nuclear power and has
no weapons applicability.
In the end, reality says that Europe is right on this
one. It stinks to have to bribe Iran so that it won't
do what it has already agreed not to do. But some-
times you just have to hold your nose.
Constitution's Establishment Clause.
of giving thanks to God will be set aside and
One of the principal intellectual strands of
that, too, will be made a government holi-
the American Revolution was the Great
day. Clergy will open legislative sessions
Awakening, the religious revival that swept
with a prayer. A motto invoking the Deity
England and its colonies in the mid-18th
will be imprinted on our currency. People
Century. The Protestant sects it touched
will sing at public gatherings "God shed his
strongly opposed the established Anglican
grace on" America. Presidents will take an
Church, which was run as an arm of the
oath of office with their hand on a Bible.
state. But they embraced religion as
Oh, we already do that? Those sneaky
GEORGE
absolutely essential to good government.
fundamentalists.
CANTOR
Anything else would have shocked the
And those who say they're ready to bolt to
Reality
Framers.
Canada may be interested to know that reli-
Check
"If men are so wicked as we see them with
gious schools there get direct government
religion," said Benjamin Franklin, "what would
funding and the public school day opens
they be without it?"
with a prayer. Those sneaky Canucks.
America has always defined itself as a place with a
One commentator wrote recently that Abraham
special relationship with the Almighty; all the way
Lincoln probably could not run successfully for
back to the Pilgrims and John Winthrop's vision of
public office today because he did not belong to any
"a city on a hill," a clear allusion to the holy city of
church.
Jerusalem.
Well, the beard alone would stop him, I'd guess.
This religious impulse is not a threat to democra-
But this would be the same Lincoln who, in his
cy. It is, instead, moderated by democracy.
most famous speech, said, "This nation, under God,
Republicans may bark and growl to make their
shall have a new birth of freedom." That's the same
Evangelical wing happy, for example, but they
two-word phrase that tireless watchdogs of the
haven't gone insane. Roe v. Wade will stand because
church-state wall want removed from the Pledge of
they cannot afford to repulse the majority of women
Allegiance.
and moderate voters by telling them we must return
Take courage. There is no Inquisition rustling its
to back-alley abortions.
robes in the wings, waiting to rush in and stamp
I'm sure, however, that there will be other church-
out all heresy and dissent in America.
state outrages.
Then again, maybe it's already here. Only we call
Christmas will be declared a legal holiday. A day
it political correctness. I
12/17
2004
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