According to the latest media reports, the threat of a possible Israeli attack on Iran seems to be impending. Moreover, Israeli leaders have publicly stated that a military action against Iran is being considered as a preventive form of defense in case Iran fails to halt its nuclear program.

Columnist David Ignatius in his opinion column on Washington Post, wrote that Leon Panetta, the U.S. Defense Secretary, thinks there is the possibility of an imminent attack by the Jewish State against the Islamic Republic, nevertheless not specifying what has led him to this conclusion.

To quote Ignatius, “Panetta believes there is a strong likelihood that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June — before Iran enters what Israelis described as a “zone of immunity” to commence building a nuclear bomb.”

At this point, the burning questions are many; Will Israel really attack Iran? What would be Iran’s reaction? What will the Western countries do in case of a real attack – especially the United States? Will the attack cause a chain reaction? Are Iran’s allies and “friends” ready to intervene and take part in a possible conflict? Will this be the triggering event for a third World War? Might it be an atomic war – meaning an actual catastrophe for humanity?

It may sound like a far-fetched theoretical scenario, one that we might experience in the comfort of a cinema armchair or sofa, as the heroes and heroines fight off catastrophe on screen, but in the current state of the world, it could become a reality.

If we look back on history, it almost seems that the creation of the state of Israel did nothing more than cause constant instability and insecurity in the Middle East, involving even far-away countries in the West in its never-ending dispute. The majority of world nations have diplomatic relations with the Jewish State, and for some countries like the United States, this relation is exceptionally strong.

On the other hand, since the Islamic revolution in 1979, relations between Iran and Israel have turned hostile and Iran has instead developed good relations with Israel’s opponents and with so-called “rogue states” and their allies. Therefore, it is not surprising that the possibility of a conflict between Israel and Iran might lead to a world disaster.

The question of Iran’s nuclear program, linked to the possibility of a working Iranian nuclear bomb factory, has arisen again recently and it is considered the “safety factor” that would legitimize an Israeli attack and, potentially, the intervention of the United States and other Western countries on behalf of Israel’s cause. It would be presented as a question of world security, as a threat against the entire humanity which must be be stopped, a danger for the world’s populations – especially those of Israel and Western countries – to be dealt with.

After all, it would not be the first time we hear a rhetoric like this. Other wars of this century were waged with the same or similar purposes, other conflicts were created to follow the logic of the “war on terror” which the U.S. and UK were particularly adamant about. Iraq is the perfect example of this, having been invaded in the ‘belief’ that Saddam had WMD’s which he did not have. Now, with Iran, all I can think is “here we go again.”

There is no certainty of a factory for nuclear bomb, as there is no proof of an Iranian plan to attack Israel or the U.S. at an unspecified time in the future. As far as I remember, the only country that used the atomic bomb against another country’s population in the history of man were the United States – also known as “the democracy exporters” –, and Israel, even if it is widely believed that they have nuclear weapons as well, has never been attacked or invaded for disarmament, and is not considered as a potential threat (by Western countries).

What is difficult to understand is why the world should continue to tolerate the never-ending aggressive attitude of Israel and furthermore, why the state of Israel should believe they have the right to attack Iran on the assumption that “[t]he Iranians are, after all, a nation whose leaders have set themselves a strategic goal of wiping Israel off the map” – as the Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told to Ronen Bergman.

Iran is not a democratic and liberal country, that is absolutely true, and surely there is a possibility that it has or plans to gain nuclear weapons but is this not the case of other countries in the world too? Should Israel attack all those countries too, at will? Should other countries attack Israel for the same reasons?

The U.S. and Israel, together with the UK and other Western countries, have so far been the only powers who saw fit for themselves to decide other countries’ future and dominate the Middle East. Nevertheless, the world’s power balance is changing, the financial crisis is getting stronger, and in a potential global war scenario the world society could split up into two new opposing deployments with new big powers rising to prominence with a potential U.S. at one end and a likely China at the other. Has the time come for a new world war?

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About the author

Francesca Biggio
I'm an Italian "Islander" from Sardinia.I love languages and I'm very interested in all concerning communication strategies,journalism,politics,history and social issues. I love travelling and coming into contact with different cultures and universes.

2 Comments for Israel vs Iran, the Possible Scenario

Jim

I agree with much of what you say, however, I understand the mindset of Jews who have heard the likes of Iranian rhetoric before and it’s horrific aftermath. So, forgive me for being sympathetic to the Israelii’s “never again” mindset. Unfortunately, should this situation (a preemptive strike on Iran) go poorly for Israel I don’t view them vaporizing Tehran as entirely out of the relm of possibilities. Consider the mindset of people who experienced six million of their brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, etc. systematically exterminated. Now also consider the mindset of Iranian military leaders who see the USA and Israel as one ‘satan’. A premptive action by Israel will likely draw a military response against USA interests drawing us into this terrible conflict. With the possibility of an Obama reelection I see an Israelii preemptive attack likely and soon. It may not make any sense on many different levels unless you are a Jew with a sense of history and that irrational/irresponsible leaders sometimes do henious things. I am not a Jew but have read extensively about the prelude to WWII and the period during and after the war. Sadly, I don’t see a positive outcome for anyone….even on Sardinia.

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Joe Ringuette

Israel should take out Iran, and this time, not listen to the U.S. and stop short of totally annihalating their enemies. They had Egypt surrounded and quit at the U.S. request, they should of totally destroyed those armies and kept the land, and they would not be in the situation they are in today. Next time, I guarantee, Israel will not stop, they will go to Cairo, they will Destroy Damascus, occupy Lebanon, and push the Palenstinians, which are actually Jordanian, back to Jordan. Fact, there has never been a Palestine, show me one map, that has Palestine. Israel has God on their side. This will come to pass. And when Israel does get invaded by this huge number of Muslims, they should totally destroy them, and keep the territory. The winner always gets the spoils of wars. And if the rest of the world, says anything against Israel. Israel, needs to say to hell with them, Israel should not be expected to concede everytime, they are invaded, by cowards, I might add. Whooped by a military that the Arabs outnumbered by 200 to 1, that alone should tell the arabs, that God, is with Israel.

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