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Iran, the Scorpion and the Frog
Dan Miller's Blog ^ | November 10, 2013 | Dan Miller

Posted on 11/10/2013 8:02:23 AM PST by DanMiller

Iran is the scorpion and Secretary Kerry is the frog.

Here is the fable of the scorpion and the frog:

The Scorpion and the Frog

A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The frog asks, "How do I know you won't sting me?" The scorpion says, "Because if I do, I will die too."

The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream, the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they both will drown, but has just enough time to gasp "Why?"

Replies the scorpion: "Its my nature..."

Scorpion and frog

Secretary Kerry apparently went to Geneva to bring peace in our time by signing a deal with Iran on its nuclear conduct and ambitions. The deal was not signed, largely due to Israeli and French opposition. The apparent terms of the (apparently) rejected deal are provided here.

Senior political sources said that the deal that has been sitting on the negotiations table since the weekend is “very bad.” It calls on Iran to stop enriching uranium to the 20 percent level, but allows them to continue enriching uranium to 3.5% at all of its enrichment sites. In addition it fails to place a limitation on the number of centrifuges in Tehran’s possession, estimated to number 19,000.

Under the proposed deal, “Iran won’t really be paying a significant price,” a source added.

“To our understanding, they’re receiving a significant easing of sanctions,” he added.

Rewards to Iran include the unfreezing of $3 billion of fuel funds, an easing of sanctions on the petrochemical and gold sectors, an easing of sanctions on replacement parts for planes and a loosening of restrictions on the Iranian car industry.

If such a deal goes ahead, “We might head down a lane that will lead to a collapse of the sanctions regime. This is very grave,” the source continued. “This won’t really stop the [nuclear] project. It will give the Iranians breathing space.”

Israel’s position is that as long as Iran continues, sanctions must not be lifted, and should even be tightened.

. . . .

Israel received updates on the talks from the US on Wednesday, as well as from others, and believed that the deal taking shape would be limited to unfreezing $3b. of Iranian assets in Western bank accounts. Even at that stage, Israel objected to the plan, due to its assessment that the moment a crack in the door appears, and sanctions are eased, the door can then be torn down by international companies from countries such as China, Italy and Germany who are thirsty for business with Iran.

Once major international transactions begin, a dynamic will kick in that will lead to a collapse of sanctions, according to this evaluation.

But over the weekend, Israel learned that the deal on the table is far worse than the one presented to it on Wednesday, and included four clauses for the easing of sanctions rather than just one. Israeli officials said they became furious when the details of the actual deal reached them, describing it as an “enormous mistake.”

“[US Secretary of State John] Kerry left with food for thought after a tough conversation with [Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu,” the political source said.

At the same time, he stressed, the US did not deceive Israel. Instead, the Americans “folded” between Wednesday and the weekend, “maybe because they very much want to reach an agreement and be done with this,” he added. [Emphasis added.]

Whatever may have been Secretary Kerry's motivations, and whether he told Iran "If you like your nuke plan you can keep it," are unclear. Did he tell Prime Minister Netanyahu "that's a nice country you have there. I sure hope nothing bad happens to it?" Probably not, because there was no need to say it. That is the Obama Administration's position vis a vis the "peace plan" for Israel and "Palestine," coupled with "if we don't succeed, it's all the fault of Israel.

Blame Israel

It does, however, appear that the Scorpion Iran stung Frog Kerry. Will the sting be fatal? For whom? Who knows?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68CsCjIJaeE&w=640&h=390]

video link

After the deal apparently fell apart, Iranian President Rouhani asserted that Iran's right to enrich Uranium is its "red line."

“For us there are red lines that cannot be crossed. National interests are our red lines that include our rights under the framework of international regulations and [uranium] enrichment in Iran,” he said during a speech at the National Assembly, Iran’s student news agency(ISNA) said.

“We have said to the negotiating sides that we will not answer to any threat, sanction, humiliation or discrimination. The Islamic Republic has not and will not bow its head to threats from any authority,” he added, calling sanctions “an illegal and ineffective solution.”

Iran's President Rouhani seemed to have succeeded in his "charm offensive," much as the scorpion succeeded in causing the frog to think it would not harm him. His charm offensive was disingenuous. Here is a video, with subtitles, in which Rouhani explained how he had deceived the West in the past.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjbrqPK-BBg&w=640&h=390]

Video link

Some leopard; some stripes.

Had it not been for Israel and France, and apparently other increasingly suspicious Western negotiators, the scorpion might well have got what it wanted and then waited until the frog had carried it across the river to complete its preparations to attack Israel and Saudi Arabia. Perhaps the sting from President Rouhani's affirmation that Iran likes its nuke plan and will keep it may be enough to make the United States and other nations back off by increasing, rather than diminishing, the sanctions. I noted here that

Our negotiators need to listen very attentively to what is not said. They need to make no commitments until Iran’s actual, as distinguished from obfuscated, capabilities and intentions are known. If full and accurate information is obtained red lines, capable of enforcement, should be drawn; should they be breached, they should be enforced vigorously and promptly. If such information is obtained and understood, it seems quite likely that no agreement will reached. However, not having an agreement under which Iran can continue to mushroom the civilized world while pursuing its nuclear ambitions will be far better than having an agreement permitting Iran to continue doing so. [Emphasis added.]

Through no apparent "fault" of Secretary Kerry, President Rouhani has now made Iran's intentions vis a vis Uranium enrichment clear. Its intentions vis a vis Israel have been clear for years, even though President Rouhani's charm offensive managed to obscure them.

IRS self inflicted wound

This time it’s Iran rather than the IRS.


TOPICS: Government; Politics
KEYWORDS: iran; israel; kerry; nukes; surrendermonkeys; warforterror; waronterror
Perhaps my view is excessively optimistic. We shall see.
1 posted on 11/10/2013 8:02:23 AM PST by DanMiller
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To: DanMiller
I think the Obama administration wants to see Israel destroyed. Simple as that.

In their view, the Middle East is unstable because the Jews have a homeland. They mean to rectify that problem.

2 posted on 11/10/2013 8:05:49 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (21st century. I'm not a fan.)
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To: ClearCase_guy

That Obama was handpicked and installed by enemies of Israel to do just that was clear even before the 2008 election. They had and have”useful idiot” Jews and “useful idiot” Christians to give him cover.


3 posted on 11/10/2013 8:15:25 AM PST by Seeing More Clearly Now
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To: ClearCase_guy

It’s not about instability. It’s about anti-Semitism. The leaders of Islam were Hitler’s backers.


4 posted on 11/10/2013 8:17:14 AM PST by Seeing More Clearly Now
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To: DanMiller
“This won’t really stop the [nuclear] project. It will give the Iranians breathing space.”

Islam is notorious for wanting a truce when they run out of ammunition, while the reload.

In this case they just want a timeout on the sanctions while they reload their finances.

They are not giving an inch on their goal of nuclear weapons, just a temporary truce.

5 posted on 11/10/2013 8:17:39 AM PST by oldbrowser (The debt limit is the emergency brake on government spending)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...

Thanks DanMiller.
Replies the scorpion: "Its my nature..."

6 posted on 11/10/2013 10:53:20 AM PST by SunkenCiv (http://www.freerepublic.com/~mestamachine/)
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To: SunkenCiv

You are welcome.


7 posted on 11/10/2013 11:13:19 AM PST by DanMiller (Dan Miller)
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To: DanMiller

Lurch would have to improve to be as intelligent as a frog.


8 posted on 11/10/2013 11:36:07 AM PST by Nuc 1.1 (Nuc 1 Liberals aren't Patriots. Remember 1789!)
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