Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

'If Khamenei could, he would inflict great harm on Israel,' Obama says
Jerusalem Post ^ | 08/07/2015

Posted on 08/13/2015 5:08:06 AM PDT by SJackson

Nonetheless, the president told 'The New Yorker' that the Iranian government's behavior was not as extreme as its rhetoric suggests. In his latest attempt to sell the public on the merits of the Iran nuclear agreement, US President Barack Obama told an American news magazine earlier this week that he was not naive about the threats against Israel made by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Islamic Republic's supreme leader.

“His ideology is steeped with anti-Semitism, and if he could, without catastrophic costs, inflict great harm on Israel, I’m confident that he would,” Obama told journalist Robin Wright of The New Yorker.

Nonetheless, the president said that the Iranian government's behavior was not as extreme as its rhetoric suggests.

“It is possible for leaders or regimes to be cruel, bigoted, twisted in their world views and still make rational calculations with respect to their limits and their self-preservation," Obama told The New Yorker. "And what we’ve seen, at least since 1979, is Iran making constant, calculated decisions that allow it to preserve the regime, to expand their influence where they can, to be opportunistic, to create what they view as hedges against potential Israeli attack, in the form of Hezbollah and other proxies in the region.”

In the interview, Obama denied that the nuclear agreement negotiated by his administration with Iran is a radical shift in US policy toward the Islamic Republic.

“This does not represent a strategic rapprochement between the United States and Iran," the president said. "This is a hardheaded, clear-eyed, calculated decision to take—to seize our best opportunity to lock down the possibility of Iran getting a nuclear weapon.”

“There is nothing in this deal that is dependent on a transformation of the character of the Iranian regime.”

When asked how Obama could stomach negotiating with a country that regularly adheres to the mantra of "Death to America," he said: “It’s not appealing to deal with countries that express hatred towards us. It wasn’t easy to negotiate arms agreements with a near military peer [like the Soviet Union] that could blow up every American city.”

“But, when it comes to arms-control agreements, or nonproliferation agreements of any magnitude, by definition you’re generally dealing with those folks. I don’t have to negotiate an arms agreement with Great Britain or with France.”

Obama said that the idea of using military force against Iran is akin to "smacking around the little guy who mouths off to you in the schoolyard."

“Part of the underlying premise of why people don’t feel we should have to put up with that stuff is we’re bigger; if we launch a military strike, we can wipe them out," the president said. "There is a little bit of that schoolyard attitude of, it’s one thing for a guy your own size to mouth off to you. But if there’s a little guy, you should just smack him around. And it’s probably bad advice in the schoolyard. It’s certainly not a good way to run a foreign policy.”


TOPICS: Israel; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: antisemitism; ayatollah; khamenei; obamagivesirannukes; supremeleader
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last

1 posted on 08/13/2015 5:08:06 AM PDT by SJackson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

What better reason to fund them and defend their nuclear program. They'd be no point in giving Mexico $250 billion, but Iran, they'd make good use of it.

2 posted on 08/13/2015 5:09:31 AM PDT by SJackson (C Matthews: should NY State recognize gay marriage? Sen Clinton: "No!" The crowd booed, 2002)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: sf4dubya

““His ideology is steeped with anti-Semitism, and if he could, without catastrophic costs, inflict great harm on Israel, I’m confident that he would,” Obama told journalist Robin Wright of The New Yorker.”

Hey, here’s a great idea. Let’s give this radical a nuclear device because having a bomb like that can in no way harm Israel.

Why hasn’t Obama been impeached yet? Oh wait, nevermind.


4 posted on 08/13/2015 5:16:46 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Democrats are parasites. It really is that simple.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SJackson
“His ideology is steeped with anti-Semitism, and if he could, without catastrophic costs, inflict great harm on Israel, I’m confident that he would.”

"And that is why I must ensure that Iran has the bomb and hundreds of billions of dollars."

5 posted on 08/13/2015 5:18:47 AM PDT by Paine in the Neck (Socialism consumes EVERYTHING)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Paine in the Neck
Obama = Alfred E. Newman = What me worry?

The logic of his explanation defies all logic.

He supports the Muslim Brotherhood and wants the Iranians to wipe Israel off the map, after that, wipe America off the map.
Obama & Kerry are more naive and stupid than Neville Chamberlain...

6 posted on 08/13/2015 5:23:39 AM PDT by Netz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

Since Obama insists that without the Iran “arrangement”, Iran would have nukes within 6 months, he MUST identify which aspect of the “arrangement” will stop them!!!


7 posted on 08/13/2015 5:27:07 AM PDT by G Larry (Obama is replicating the instruments of the fall of Rome)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

“Obama said that the idea of using military force against Iran is akin to “smacking around the little guy who mouths off to you in the schoolyard.”

Yea little punks like Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold who,
not unlike the American indians did, sneaking in while the
armed men are not around and killing the unarmed innocent and defenseless. A coward is the worst enemy. Obama is the
worst idiot to deal with because he thinks everyone else
is as stupid as he is.


8 posted on 08/13/2015 5:28:01 AM PDT by Slambat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

The schoolyard analogy makes some sense, but is not a complete analogy. If the little twerp could get his hands on an equalizer, he could shoot up the bully and the rest of the class. Atomic weapons are something of an equalizer—if the little guy is willing to suicide in the process.


9 posted on 08/13/2015 5:28:20 AM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EQAndyBuzz
"Why hasn’t Obama been impeached yet?"

Impeached....?? We should send the white coats to but him in a bag and cart him off to the funny farm...!

Better yet...call the federal marshals and have him "frogmarched" out of the white hut, tried for treason and hanged...!

10 posted on 08/13/2015 5:29:05 AM PDT by unread
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

FUBO, the shouldn’t the $150 billion in frozen assets go to the victims of terrorism and anti missile missiles for Israel? Screw Iran!


11 posted on 08/13/2015 5:31:51 AM PDT by King Moonracer (Bad lighting and cheap fabric, that's how you sell clothing.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SJackson; All
 photo q4qNsd6.jpg

Help FR Continue the Conservative Fight!
Your Monthly and Quarterly Donations
Help Keep FR In the Battle!

Sponsoring FReepers are contributing
$10 Each time a New Monthly Donor signs up!
Get more bang for your FR buck!
Click Here To Sign Up Now!


12 posted on 08/13/2015 5:33:05 AM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

And the Sultan that Khamenei will get his chance.


13 posted on 08/13/2015 5:35:36 AM PDT by arthurus (It's true.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

If Khamenei could, he would inflict great harm on Israel, and that is why Barack Hussein Obama is giving the Iranians money and support to finish their nuclear weapons program.


14 posted on 08/13/2015 5:44:58 AM PDT by Pollster1 ("Shall not be infringed" is unambiguous.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sf4dubya

They are a product of the Nazis. Just as the Nazis trained the farhud.


15 posted on 08/13/2015 6:00:54 AM PDT by longfellow (Bill Maher, the 21st hijacker.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

It is disturbing that the so-called prez thinks in such convoluted, drug-induced illogic.


16 posted on 08/13/2015 6:12:32 AM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: hal ogen

who told him to say and think that...if he really believed that then why in the hell would you engage and assist them in any way? school yard stupidity


17 posted on 08/13/2015 6:21:05 AM PDT by ldish (Have had enough...you??????)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: SJackson
“His ideology is steeped with anti-Semitism, and if he could, without catastrophic costs, inflict great harm on Israel, I’m confident that he would,” Obama told journalist Robin Wright of The New Yorker.

And that makes him different from Obama, HOW?

18 posted on 08/13/2015 6:33:00 AM PDT by WayneS (Yeah, it's probably sarcasm...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Netz
He supports the Muslim Brotherhood and wants the Iranians to wipe Israel off the map, after that, wipe America off the map. Obama & Kerry are more naive and stupid than Neville Chamberlain...

I thought the first statement was describing Obama...

19 posted on 08/13/2015 6:35:19 AM PDT by WayneS (Yeah, it's probably sarcasm...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SJackson
'If Khamenei could, he would inflict great harm on Israel,' Obama says

So, of course they can have nukes!

20 posted on 08/13/2015 6:47:47 AM PDT by JRios1968 (I'm guttery and trashy, with a hint of lemon. - Laz)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson