| The Iranian Nuclear Threat Goes Global Itamar Rabinovich 2012-02-16 TEL AVIV – The current drive to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear arsenal reflects two important , and interrelated , changes . From Israel’s perspective , these changes are to be welcomed , though its government must remain cautious about the country’s own role . The first change is the escalation of efforts by the United States and its Western allies to abort the Iranian regime’s nuclear quest . This was instigated in part by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s finding in November 2011 that Iran is indeed developing a nuclear weapon , and that it is getting perilously close to crossing the “ red line ” – the point beyond which its progress could no longer be stopped . Moreover , the US and its allies understand that failure to take serious action might prompt Israel to launch its own unilateral military offensive . The second change is the perception that Iran’s nuclear capacity would threaten not only Israel . In a speech to the Union for Reform Judaism in December , US President Barack Obama stated that “ another threat to the security of Israel , the US , and the world is Iran’s nuclear program . ” But , by this February , Obama was saying of Iran that “ my number-one priority continues to be the security of the US , but also the security of Israel , and we continue to work in lockstep as we proceed to try to solve this … ” That choice of words was no accident ; rather , it was a sign that the US is changing tack when it comes to Iran . For more than a decade , the question “ Whose issue is it ? ” has been part of the policy debate about Iran’s nuclear ambitions . Israel’s former prime minister , Ariel Sharon , used to caution his colleagues against “ rushing to the head of the line ” on Iran . He argued that if Israel were to take the lead in sounding the alarm on Iran’s nuclear ambitions , the issue would be perceived as yet another “ Israeli problem . ” Indeed , Israel’s critics were already arguing that this was another case of the tail wagging the dog – that Israel and its American lobby were trying to push the US into serving Israel’s interests rather than its own . The most egregious examples of this view were statements made by the political scientists John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt . In a paper published prior to the release of their much-debated book The Israel Lobby , they argued : “ … Iran’s nuclear ambitions do not pose an existential threat to the US . If Washington could live with a nuclear Soviet Union , a nuclear China , and even a nuclear North Korea , then it can live with a nuclear Iran . And that is why the [ Israel ] Lobby must keep constant pressure on US politicians to confront Tehran . ” Israel’s current prime minister , Benjamin Netanyahu , has been less worried than Sharon was about Israel’s perceived role . He is too busy being directly engaged in the attempt to eliminate the deadly threat that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose to the Jewish state . Prior to the 2009 election that brought him to power , Netanyahu campaigned on the Iranian danger , and his government made the issue its cardinal concern . Together with his defense minister , Ehud Barak , Netanyahu succeeded in persuading Obama and the rest of the world that Israel was preparing a military attack as a last resort , should the US and its allies fail to stop the Iranian program in time . That policy has been effective , but it has also drawn attention to Israel’s influence on the Iran question . Curiously , this has not been held against Israel , at least not so far , partly because Obama and other leaders now regard Iran as a more serious threat , and therefore feel the need to take appropriate action . The international community must underscore that its members are acting in the service of their national interests , and not simply for Israel’s sake . But their willingness to engage could wane , particularly if sanctions exact a high financial price or military action causes a large number of casualties . Israel would therefore be wise to remember Sharon’s cautionary words , and reinforce its pressure on the US administration with a broader diplomatic campaign . Like it or not , Israel must urge the world to remember that Iran is everyone’s problem . |