Jordan Cozies Up to the Bully

Israeli Middle East analyst Barry Rubin has a good piece out today on Iran and its regional influence.

Rubin observes that, as Iran continues to advance along its road to nuclear weapons capability, its neighbors are sensing they had better make nice to Iran because no one will protect them once Iran goes nuclear. It is an ominous sign of the progress Iran is making and the fear taking hold among America's closest allies in the region.

Obama/Biden: Right Turn on Israel

After blowing way out of proportion U.S. opposition to Israeli settlements policy and redirecting world attention from Palestinian reform efforts, where it ought to be, the White House is now starting to head in the right direction on Israel.

Over the weekend, Vice President Biden said Israel has a "sovereign right" to decide for itself whether a military strike on facilities associated with Iran's nuclear weapons program is in its national security interests.

Israel “can determine for itself as a sovereign nation what is in its best interest,” Biden said. "If the Netanyahu government decides to take a course of action different than the one being pursued now, that is their sovereign right to do that. That is not our choice."

Later, asked to respond to Biden's comments, President Obama, while traveling abroad, insisted the U.S. had "absolutely not" given Israel the proverbial "green light" to attack Israel but that "We can't dictate to other countries what their security interests are."

It is important that the U.S. continue to publicly recognize Israel's prerogative to determine for itself what, if any, actions are necessary to ensure its security and to assist Israel in any way possible to help provide security.

Press Asking Wrong Questions on Syria

At a press conference on the White House lawn on Tuesday, the President was asked repeatedly why his Administration had waited so long to deliver a full intelligence briefing to Capitol Hill about last September's Israeli air strike on a suspected Syrian nuclear facility. According to US and Israeli intelligence, the facility was constructed with the help of North Korea and most likely would have begun shortly to process nuclear fuel, possibly weapons-grade.

The press were allowing Syria, and North Korea, off the hook by diverting the crux of the issue. The real news is not why the White House rightfully judged it in our, and Israel's, national security interest to delay a full briefing. The real story -- the story with the dire consequences -- is why Syria, despite its nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations, "concealed the very existence as well as the purpose of the installation and repeatedly denied the facts to the world and to the [International Atomic Energy Agency]," as an Israeli analyst put it. The Washington Post agreed, adding that Syria was suspiciously quick to demolish and bury the nuclear reactor's remains, actions which the Post said "require explanation."

Members of the media, then, should be pressing the Syrians, not President Bush, for answers and explanations. Trying to create tension and conflict between the White House and Congress reflects poorly on their responsibility to cover the real news.