The “Great Satan” Lends Iran a Hand; Time Is Running Out

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, went to Washington on Monday with a clear message for United States President Barack Obama: Israel will remain the “master of its fate,” making sure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon, and that the U.S. had better support its traditional ally. “For them, you’re the Great Satan, we’re the Little Satan. … And you know something, Mr. President — at least on this last point, I think they’re right,” said Netanyahu to the White House leader.

Washington admits that the current sanctions imposed on Iran have failed to achieve their purpose. Nevertheless, it cannot overlook one important aspect: At the beginning of this year, Tehran officials expressed their willingness to negotiate with the great powers so as to find a solution on the nuclear issue.

However, according to Israeli press, Netanyahu has placed three conditions on Israel’s entrance into negotiations: Iran must immediately stop all uranium enrichment activities in its territory, transfer approximately 5,600 kilograms of low-enriched uranium out of the country and cease the build-up of centrifuges in the Fordow complex.

Nonetheless, Americans fail to see the practical reasons behind these conditions. Washington believes that Tehran must not be pressed, that it takes benevolence to create a positive atmosphere before the talks. Standing next to an extremely firm Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, Barack Obama declared that the U.S. continues to believe in the possibility of a diplomatic resolution.

What could Israel do if the White House administration did not support a possible military action? BBC journalists have provided one of the most detailed answers to that question in an analysis titled “How Iran might Respond to Israeli Attack.” It would not be the first time that Israel has preemptively attacked nuclear targets in the region. In 1981, Israeli jets destroyed the reactor in Osirak, near the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. A reactor under construction in Syria had the same fate more recently, in September 2007. However, one cannot guarantee success in case of an attack against Iranian nuclear facilities, according to the experts and military analysts quoted by the BBC. The distance between Israel and Iran, the multiple targets and their nature are issues of concern for military strategists in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. There is no doubt that Israeli aircrafts can strike various targets — the plants in Natanz, Fordow, Arak and Isfahan, the military complex in Parchin — and can wreak havoc on Tehran’s nuclear program. In spite of this, Iran might face much greater issues if the United States and all its resources became engaged in the military operations. “Even if successful, [an air attack carried out by Israel] would only delay Iran’s nuclear program,” stated Douglas Barrie, senior fellow for military aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), in London.

Under these conditions, the extent of Washington’s involvement in a possible military action against Iran is essential. Consequently, the Obama administration has some leverage in convincing Israel to give dialogue another chance before making a radical decision. The future also depends on what the radicals in Tehran choose to see: a hand reaching out or the tails of Great and Little Satan.