No, it's really about Israel and its BIG LIE! While madman Benjamin Netanyahu (in competition with Donald Trump) trots out with ridiculous bombosity information long known prior to Iran's agreement and internationally verified cessation of its nuke program, Israel maintains its nuclear arsenal of upwards of 300 warheads amassed over the past 30 years. The whole world has long known this, but Israel continues its refusal to sign on to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran, however, is a signatory. Yet again, Israel displays the quintessential in hypocrisy
10
It’s like Groundhog Day; Indeed, Netanyahu was an aggressive Iraq hawk back in the early 2002. "There is no question whatsoever that Saddam is seeking, is working, is advancing towards the development of nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said in 2002 testimony to Congress. "Once Saddam has nuclear weapons, the terror network will have nuclear weapons." Netanyahu have repeatedly lied on nuclear issues vis-a-vis Iraq and Iran, therefore, we should take his extreme rhetoric on such issues with a grain of salt.
9
Ah yes... of course! And coming from the biggest liars and terrorists on the planet, so you know it must be true.
Let's see look at their record of honesty .
July 22, 1946 - King David Hotel: Israeli terrorists disguised as Arabs bomb the hotel, killing 91 British soldiers. When caught, they claimed the British were turning over a list of their Arab spies to Palestinians. Mm hmm
July 2 & 14, 1954- Lavon Affair: Israel stages bombings in Cairo, attacking US installations & public libraries in order to frame Egyptian Muslims, and start war. 11 were caught, 2 of which were executed.
June 6th, 1967 - USS Liberty: Israeli military circles the ship for hours before coming back in unmarked jets & boats to attack the unarmed Americans for over 90 minutes.
The plan was to frame Egypt. If not for survivors, Egypt would of beeen nuked. Israel claimed mistaking the brand new ship w/ an American flag as an old Egyptian horse cart. Uh huh.
10
Natanyahu is a manipulative liar, he wants to use American blood and money to do his bidding. Shameless!
11
Israel has always fought its own battles.
How many American soldiers did we send to help Israel in the 1948 war? ZERO!
How many American soldiers did we send to help Israel in the 1956 war? ZERO!
How many American soldiers did we send to help Israel in the 1967 war? ZERO!
How many American soldiers did we send to help Israel in the 1973 war? ZERO!
7
Israel's usual MO. "Let's you and them fight." Amazingly, we do.
8
Does anyone believe a word from Mr. Netanyahu? Or Mr. Trump? Or any of their warmonger friends? We've been down this road before.
9
A commenter asks, rhetorically:
"Does anyone out there seriously miss Saddam Hussein?"
I don't miss a lot of former foreign leaders, but I -- unlike you, it appears -- don't believe our dislike for a leader entitles us to invade his country and kill him.
9
I am trying to think of someone with less credibility than Netanyahu.
13
Does Neta or the current Israeli gov have any credibility
left? Unless you believe his alternative reality.
10
Trump and Netanyahu share a penchant for diversion. In Netanyahu's case, he is intent on distracting the world from the shameful policy of increasing Israel's illegal West Bank settlements and opposing the wish of the Palestinians for a homeland of their own.
14
Netanyahu, in office for nine years plus three more back in the 90s, is just a more refined version of Trump, so if Israel is indeed a democracy, what does that say about the people of Israel?
5
Netanyahu got only 25% of the vote.
2
Back in the 90s, Netanyahu was run out of office because the Israeli voters found him to be a liar.
3
It is a sad day in America when Netanyahu or any foreign leader is able to play “President” Trump like a cheap violin. Never before have I wondered if we could survive a particular president.
10
"I'd like to remind all of the bloggers out there that no one wanted war with Iraq more than the NY Times."
Well, there was the Washington Post.
4
That was also on the basis of lies, and apparently threats on the part of unnamed parties.
3
In the hot and armed antagonism between Iran and Israel, Iran's unacknowledged problem is a history of calling for the destruction of Israel.
Israel's unaddressed problem is the erosion of justification from its moral failure in dealing with Palestinians.
These may not appear to be directly connected, but they are taproots of passions and fears now abloom in both countries, and share the irrational soil where today's dangers grow.
5
Israel's purported "moral failure in dealing with the Palestinians," is based on the reality that the Palestinians refuse to engage in direct negotiations with Israel to create a two state solution to the conflict, despite Yasser Arafat's signing of the Oslo Accords 25 years ago. But then, the Palestinians unacknowledged problem is that they share Iran's objective in seeking the destruction of the State of Israel, rather than negotiating a modus vivendi.
9
I feel somewhat differently about the Palestinian issue, even as I acknowledge that many innocent Palestinians have suffered on the West Bank, and there is much room for criticism of Israel on that score.
Nonetheless, your remark strikes me as high-minded and intelligent. It saddens me that most NYT readers bring so much bias to any discussion (domestic issues are even more contentious) that a comment like yours stands out so much. Thank you.
2
Mike, you forgot the real history. Israel took Palestinian land to found its own paradise while throwing Palestinians into hell. It is a shame that people suffered so greatly are now the oppressor that tramples others rights and dignity. It just shows the Jewish people are as selfish and cowardly as all other people,nothing unique, nothing better.
4
IRAN did not adhere to the agreeement.
They did not come clean for the AIEA regarding their past nuclear weapon program. That was the first requirement of the deal, which should not have gone through for this reason.
The Iranians lied that they never had an interest in a nuclear weapons program and denied access to some sites.
Fordow has 1000 centrifuges. There is no other reason for 1000 centrifuges. Missiles being developed to fly 1200 and more miles are not for delivering care packages.
The Obama admin lied when it said that it had complete intelligence about the Iranian plans and actions.
A deal based on both parties lying from the get-go is not a deal. It is a sham.
Lack of enforcement of the terms made the situation worse.
The sanctions to squeeze Iran were working. Maintaining those sanctions and the destruction of their nuclear weapons and missile programs are required.
6
The main source of instability in the Middle East is Iran. It's Iran whose hands are behind every conflagration - in Lebanon, Yemen and Syria. Since the Islamic Revolution overthrew the Shah in 1979 Iran has been grimly focused on exporting its Shiite revolution everywhere and today we're living with the consequences. Thank G-d we have the Israelis to speak the truth about Iran's intentions, they refuse to kowtow to the political correctness that led to the Iran nuclear deal in the first place.
4
..., speaking like a true friend of the United States of America; Netanyahu, the man, who brings you more dead American sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, uncles and aunts - and, of course, has the American tax payer foot the bill.
Then again, Netanyahu will find a receptive audience in both the Congress and Senate clamoring for war, which will deliver tragedies to the footsteps of ordinary American families yet again.
“It’s easy to be brave from a safe distance.” (Aesop)
10
What a vicious, false, demonizing accusation. That crosses over form legitimate freedom of speech.
1
Israel has never been dependent on. U.S. military force for its national defense, having a very capable defense establishment. But then, it is Iran, not Israel, which calls for its adversary's destruction, even painting such threats of the sides of the missiles being currently tested and which are exempt from the JCPOA. It appears that the Ayatollah and his coterie of Mullahs have found you as a receptive audience for Iran's
hegemonic ambitions.
4
I didn't know Pat Buchanan is in business again, with his outrageous claims that Jews look for others to give their lives for their protection.
Israel defends itself quite well with her own sons and daughters, and it knows that it must. No American soldiers have defended Israel in any of the wars since its founding. Quite clearly, the Jews learned well from FDR that no foreign nation could be counted on to prevent genocide.
3
This is a tendentious article designed to sway readers' opinion rather than inform. I am surprised to see David Sanger's name on it. Why is Mr. Netanyahu's presentation described as " highly theatrical" while almost every Presidential address to Congress or the UN rarely, if ever, resorts so unflattering a descriptive? Why also quote and highlight Robert Malley, when his answers are predictably against Israel? And why pay attention to Iranian ad hominem attacks on Netanyahu, when the obvious intent is to avoid owning up to the authenticity of the documentation? The reporting tries to “oh hum” the Mossad’s spiriting away of over 100,000 files that actually prove Iranian culpability. Really, does the New York Times really want to downplay that find? The report also ignores the big picture related to the 1) extensiveness of Iranian plans for nuclear weapons 2) the auxiliary preparations for missile development 3) the arrangements for further nuclear enrichment and 4) the inadequacy of the current inspection process. Of course, the Mullahs are in compliance; the JCPOA is so replete with loopholes, they need not do otherwise. Honest reporting might have allowed readers to decide for themselves, rather than stuff the article with distractions.
8
I saw Netanyahu’s presentation. It was meant to appeal to one person only, Trump.
5
'Why is Mr. Netanyahu's presentation described as " highly theatrical" ...'
If you had been there, you would have seen the intro that featured belly dancers ... :-)
But seriously, Bibi was on a *stage* with a microphone, projected graphics, and videos. That's how Steve Jobs made Apple product announcements.
5
How can you prove the content of the files ? Did you see them ? Or are you just repeating rhe Israeli prime minister who is fighting for his political and legal survival and know that nothin helps him better than some more war ?
2
Bibi, Trump, and Iranian Leadership.
Equal Credibility.
4
I'd like to remind all of the bloggers out there that no one wanted war with Iraq more than the NY Times. Wars ensure a healthy circulation not to mention an equally healthy bottom line. No one benefitted more from the Iraq war than The Paper of Record. War is good for business.
Does anyone out there seriously miss Saddam Hussein?
2
How many killed among US service men and Iraqi civilians would prefer Hussein alive, and them, too ?
2
The reality is, Israel stopped being a friend of the US when they threw in their support behind Donald Trump. Now they want the US to start a war with Iran. This is the time for demanding that Congress be involved in any decision regarding the JCPOA, and any new wars Trump might be inclined to start at the urging of Netanyahu.
8
And whatever Israel says is the truth? Come on! Israel's Netanyahu, aided by a hyper-partisan Congress without a White House invitation addressed Congress. He raved and ranted about the Iranian Nuclear Deal which was the result of deliberations for years and a consensus endorsed by five nations including us with Iran. Israel's sudden discovery of new documents in January, 2018 is very suspect, to say the least. A new president who stole the election was inaugurated.Trump wants to renegotiate with Iran unilaterally. He declared Jerusalem the capital of Israel. And there is Jared Kushner, the broker of back channels. Too many coincidences to be coincidences. So should we be also investigating a Israeli collusion? But that won't happen since our support for Israel is so blind. Israel has enough military arsenal to blow up the entire Middle East yet decry their safety for i.e besides their known sophisticated nuclear arsenal. Iran his keeping up with the conditions which are monitored. Iran has refused to renegotiate. Rightly so. And the other countries who made this deal happen will not support us either. Iran will rush to making bombs. And we can say good-bye to a meeting with Kim Jong-un and expect any denuclearization. Kim is no Rouhani. Israel can more than easily take care of itself. We have given way more than enough aid in every possible way.But our continuing support will only be at the expense of ourselves and the rest of whole world.
5
From this article I can glean two things: 1. Israel stole Iranian documents; and 2. The documents don't show that the Iranians have violated the treaty. I would like to see what kind of outrage would ensue, if Iran went to Israel and stole documents and materials related to their existing nuclear weapons; an estimated range from 75 to as many as 400. Why can't American newspapers and other media point this out? Everyone knows why. All you have to ask is who owns and controls our newspapers, and other means of communication? All countries should aspire to eliminate these lurking nuclear monsters threatening the very existence of civilization.
2
What the documents do show is that Iran, pursuant to "Project Amad" was planning to construct 5 ten kiloton bombs to be installed atop I.C.B.M.s, not for Iran's defense against a foreign invader, but to create a hegemonic empire stretching from Tehran, across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon to the Mediterranean, an ideal position from which to attack Israel. Thought Israel has taken an ambiguous position on the existence of its purported nuclear arsenal, one does not hear Israeli leaders making threats to "wipe Iran off the map," or "erase it from from the pages of history."
3
Again, I would point out that when this agreement was signed with Iran, most believed it was not an agreement that would stop nuclear missile development in Iran. Actually, it just delayed that development; that was/is the problem. The agreement allows development 'down the road.' Anyone that believes Iran has no intentions, had no intentions, or will have no intentions in the future is delusional. Iran also stated that this agreement in no way indicated tolerance of Israel or the Jewish people. Quite the opposite.
In the end, Obama wanted to show the world that he had relationships with Iran (and Russia) as no president before him had. Building a 'legacy' was his goal. All of this he thought (?) would lead to world peace, and he would be remembered that way (hoping to earn the peace prize that he was awarded for no reason at all). Readers here embraced anything he did or said; just as they 'resist' anything and everything about this administration.
Putting politics aside, as we should, do we believe Iran or Russia over Israel? Just because you don't like Trump or Netanyahu (granted, for reason), are you really willing to put blinders on and believe the historical enemies who have done nothing to prove a willingness towards peace or even human rights?
2
According to Netanyahu, Israeli spies are said to have broken into a secret warehouse in Tehran earlier this year, stolen a half-tonne of documents and somehow spirited them back to Israel the same night. The site was apparently badly-guarded, despite the significance of its content. This narrative is so dumb that only Trump could take it seriously.
9
Perhaps, it was the naivety of the Iranian government's belief that it could secretly and securely hide the nation's nuclear secrets in a shabby Tehran warehouse whose location was known to very few Iranians, that made them overconfident in the belief that no one could locate, steal a half ton of documents and spirit them out of the country overnight. This should be a warning to all nuclear powers, including the U.S., Russia, France, China and others, that a determined intelligence service could locate, break into and steal a nations most valued top secrets overnight. Even Ft. Knox is no longer secure!
1
If the leader of Iran had put on this little dog and pony show it would have rightly been ignored. There is nothing here but old information that was available when the deal was made.
Iran lied. What a shock! Outside the media theater, where we are expected to suspend disbelief, most people understand that every country lies when it fits their interests.
5
Many commenters seem to believe, sincerely but incorrectly, that Iran will be free to develop nuclear weapons if Trump backs out of this deal.
Iran might breach any agreement or treaty, of course, in which case it won't matter what Iran agreed to. No evidence so far suggests (and Netanyahu offers none) that Iran has breached the nuclear deal. Many Iran critics claim to be sure this has happened, but they lack that little thing called evidence.
If the nuclear deal is terminated, Iran will still be a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which it signed decades ago and which flatly prohibits Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Under that Treaty, Iran has long been the most-inspected country in the history of the world, and there is no reason to think that wouldn't continue. Again, Iran could breach its commitments under the NNPT, just as it could breach its commitments under the Iran nuclear deal, but no piece of paper that any country may sign can prevent the country from breaking promises made on that piece of paper.
Other than inspections, of course -- at least to some extent: under the nuclear deal, Iran agreed to many more inspections. For example, it approved the Additional Protocol, which calls for inspections of activities that aren't covered by the original NNPT (e.g. uranium mining). If the nuclear deal is canceled, Iran's AP commitment will disappear too (though it wouldn't be alone: several US allies, including Japan and Brazil, have rejected the AP).
1
If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you in NYC. However, the theft of a half ton of critical documents will make it enormously difficult, but not impossible, for Iran to reconstruct its nuclear program.
1
Why?
Netanyahu has a nothing burger and most well-informed people understand that. US Intelligence agencies knowit is a nothing burger.
Netanyahu and Trump both know that most people will recognize this as a nothing burger, yet they continue to scream about their nothing burger as if it was AAA beef.
Why?
If a friend of yours went around constantly shouting a known lie, what would you think about that friend? What would that friend think she was achieving by repeating a know lie over and over?
Forget the nothing burger and get to the real story - Why are these people shouting about this nothing burger?
9
No more excuses. Anyone who can support a nuclear agreement with Iran that allows them to keep several military bases closed to inspection is actively trying to destroy Israel. Or do you think that the government of Iran is so dense that it would not occur to them that those military bases are the best place to continue doing whatever they wish to keep secret until they're ready to let the nuclear armed missles fly? So maybe they've stuck to the letter of the agreement, which does indeed let them keep bases from being inspected, while they use American money to rampage through the Middle East from Yemen to Lebanon. What a great deal. And I'm supposed to believe in the tolerance and love of peace of anyone who thinks this deal must be preserved?
7
Mary,
You’re entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts. Iran’s assets were unfrozen by both the U.S and Europe when the nuclear agreement was signed and international inspectors were satisfied with Iran’s compliance. It was always Iran’s money, never Europe’s or the US’s.
4
Doesn't Israel have nuclear weapons?
2
The fact that he speaks English on Israeli TV instead of Hebrew has got to tell you who he wants his real audience to be.
14
It's becoming clear that Bebe lies as often as Trump.
I haven't believed a word out of Israel for the last 35 years.
Why do you?
13
Sheldon Adelson, the Israeli-American international casino boss, owns Benjamin Netanyahu, as has been investigated and detailed by Israeli war hero and former Knesset member Uri Avnery. It was at Adelson's demand that General H.R. McMaster was dismissed by Trump as National Security Advisor, and John Bolton, an Adelson protege', was installed. Adelson and Democratic billionaire donor Haim Saban have both openly called for the preemptive nuking of Iran, to be done by the former US, for Israel.
So what Netanyahu is purveying comes directly at the orders of Adelson and the rest of the Israel Lobby in the former US. Trump is attempting to grovel enough to meet all their demands. He is a foolish, blustering, cowardly, shameful, tool in their hands.
What may save us all is the US military's unwillingness to follow orders from Netanyahu, Adelson and Saban, and the grovelling puppet Trump and his bloodthirsty minions Bolton and Pompeo.
In this sense, it is a good thing that they have so blatantly and arrogantly revealed themselves, and their motives.
As far as this present manufactured propaganda story, it goes without saying that Netanyahu and Mossad are lying. "By Way of Deception" is the motto of the Mossad, and they have never hesitated to deceive the former United States, if it served their purposes. They expect to get away with it again, but they have overreached themselves.
10
Now read the op-ed in today's WSJ, radically divergent from the comedy/satire rendered in this article. Is everything Netanyahu saying verifiable? I don't know, and neither do the editors of both this paper, or the Journal. That will take time to verify, and no intelligence is watertight/guaranteed. But, at least the Journal's editors can see the obvious that this paper prefers to bury.
Freeing up the sanctions, with Iran generating billions in new money, gives them the ability to build bases in Syria and hector Israel, along with the Saudis thru the Houthi rebels in next door Yemen. And don't think they are limited merely to the Middle East. You wish to ignore their meddling in South America, where they have established themselves thru Hezbollah in some rather ugly connections to drug lords and militias.
Go ahead and bury your heads in the sand.
5
Iran's theocracy hunts gays and is waging proxy wars from Syria and Iraq to Yemen. Their aid to Assad alone has abetted a genocide. But as long as they paint Jewish stars on their ballistic missiles, they will have our unqualified support.
Shame, shame, shame.
5
We paint crosses on ours.
1
No doubt that Iran is a bad actor on many fronts. But according to outside verification, they've abided by the nuclear deal. And don't trust Natanyahu--a previous Israeli PM goaded Bush into invading Iraq. Natanyahu is trying to do the same with tRump regarding Iran.
12
Netanyahu bears great resemblance to George W Bush in the lead up to the invasion of Iraq, and is just as unbelievable. Netanyahu, like Bush before him and Trump now, is a self-serving liar.
11
Israel/Netanyahu lied!
Would have been a more realistic better title for this presentation.
The documents presented are from a program that ended in 2003, for which US secret services gave a clear report of abandonment and which has been know to the world for many years now.
So the "smoking gun" of an ongoing nuclear weapons program is in fact only proof of the matter that Netanyahu needs a war to distract from his domestic problem that will land him in jail in the near future.
It was the same Netanyahu who, in 2002, said in a US governmental hearing that there is indisputable proof of a nuclear weapons program of Saddam Hussein and that 9/11 was an attack that was led by Iraq.
The same Netanyahu who, over the past days, has repeatedly committed war crimes against Syria by bombing various targets.
Netanyahu is, again, trying to start a war and no more.
The 3rd Reich had a famous quote "Seit 5.45 wird zurückgeschossen" or "since 5.45am we are shooting back" when they started the war against Poland by providing fake evidence of an attack at a broad casting stating in Gleiwitz.
Looks like Israel is just doing the same.
Provide lies and fake evidence to start an aggression.
This is not self defence, this is an act of war and war crime in the making.
But then again, Netanyahu and Israel are doing the same that FOX is doing, they play for a single person audience, the war criminal Trump.
8
Such hatred of Israel on display throughout these comments! I would find this disheartening if it weren't for the fact that the comments come from readers of the New York Times. As every reputable polling survey shows, opinions concerning Israel among the American public at large are very different.
6
Wrapping Israel in policies you support makes for a very unhealthy burrito.
Whatever that means, Stourley.
It’s not hatred of Israel. It’s anger that Israel will not in good faith negotiate a two-state solution. Israel wants it all. It’s not working now, nor has it worked in the past. Many Americans are ignorant to the facts, they prefer talking points.
3
Now we come to the point why Trump is really in the WH and who got him there...Israel and a coming war with Iran.
4
Israel does no say secret files detail Iran’s nuclear subterfuge.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is NOT Israel.
3
I assume Netanyahu will make all the evidence available online, for everybody to see. Otherwise this is a carbon copy of shaking the vial full of laundry detergent in front of congress to justify invading Iraq. Are we really that stupid to fall for this again?
7
Yes I did not think Netanyahu had any hard evidence.
4
The comments on this board are truly staggering. On one hand, you have a murderous regime that mutilated US servicemen in Iraq and chants death to America. On the other hand, you have the only true democracy in the Middle East presenting evidence that this terrorist sponsor wants to acquire nuclear weapons. Yet 90% of the comments in a so called mainstream US paper are condemning the messenger and have no problem with the sexist, racist and murderous policies of Iran. Liberalism at its finest....
7
Some of us may have learned something from the folks that sold us the Iraq war, especially from Bibi who said, ”If you take out Saddam, Saddam’s regime, I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region,”
4
You shouldn't be staggered, Dan. It's now a left wing newspaper, however centrist it once was, so it's got left wing readers.
2
Actually Israel has lied again as it has in past.
5
If anyone should know everything there is to know about the secret development of nuclear arms it is Israel.
Climate change is going to cause the collapse of global culture. The Middle East has been in severe drought for some six years. better to let them all have bombs and destroy themselves more quickly.
1
NO WAR WITH IRAN. Trump and Netanyahu are pushing for a war with Iran. NO WAR Ray Sipe registered Florida voter
5
Ray,
How about telling Iran: NO WAR WITH ISRAEL; IT WILL NOT GO WELL FOR THEM, particularly if Tehran is bombed!
1
Netanyahu is a known liar. Iran has been shown to be in compliance with the nuclear pact. France and Germany are begging the US to stay with the treaty. The regime change crowd are taking the world in an explosive dangerous direction. Armed conflict with Iran seems to be on the horizon. The Syrian civil war has been turned into a disgraceful human disaster by outside interference inflicting violent jihadists into the war. These warmongers have been trying for years to get the US to bring about regime change in Iran.
7
'Weapons of mass destruction' satellite images. Have I not heard that before?
Oh yes:
Sept 1, 1939 "We are hitting back". start of WWII by supposed defense against supposed Polish aggression.
How often do we fall for fake + self-serving factoids that lead to war and destruction?
7
Israel who has the bomb has no moral authority to demand Iran should not have the bomb. Iran has not attacked no country in 318 years, Israel attacks Syria or Lebanon as if it is a bodily function.
If Israel or Pakistan who have the bomb why Iran should not have one?
Do not forget when Saddam attacked Iran and used chemical weapon all the so called civilized world, including USA and Europe and USSR except Israel and Syria helped Saddam!!
This so called new world order needs to be changed!
Iran has every right to be in its back yard, it is the USA which is the aggressor and unwelcome intruder!
Do not forget not too long ago all of the middle east was part of greater Persian empire. It was US that illegally attacked Iraq and created some of the current problems. except death to Israel that is for domestic consumption Iran has not done anything to be treated the way she is being treated. It is no one' business to tell Iran what kind of missiles should have, it is all for domestic protection. Regime change is the business of Iranian people not Mr. Bolton.
8
Mohammad,
Article 51 of the United Nations Charter recognizes an "inherent right to individual or collective self-defense" in all U.N. nation-state members. Israel has not threatened to "wipe Iran off the map," or "erase it from the pages of history (depending on which Farsi translation is used)," irrespective of whether, or not, it is only for "Domestic Consumption." Was sending an explosive laden drone from the T-4 airbase into Israeli territory for "Domestic Consumption? Or was it an act of war? Israel, pursuant to Article 51, was right to treat it as an act of war and act accordingly!
Just as Iranians have a right to be safe and secure in their "back yard," so do Israelis have those rights in their back yards", and who have had to fight many "defensive wars of necessity" to protect their country.
Saddam also attacked Israel, when Israel did not attack Iraq, and the U.S. asked Israel to refrain from acting to preserve the coalition against Saddam.
Israel does not attack other nations without just cause, but only when its people are threatened. Iran should do the same!
1
Keep in mind that Netanyahu is still trying to stay out of jail for all sorts of fraud.
Nothing like manufacturing an international incident to take peoples' minds off of his legal trouble.
9
actually, since Netanyahu paints such a dire picture of the situation prior to the 2016 agreement, he is inadvertently arguing in the agreement's favor.
A childish attempt aimed at a childish man.
8
A good ending - "A childish attempt aimed at a childish man." An add on - "A childish man who lies ALL THE TIME!"
4
This is a tendentious article designed to sway readers' opinion rather than inform. I am surprised to see David Sanger's name on it. Why is Mr. Netanyahu's presentation described as "theatrical" while almost every State of the Union address is greeted as a serious report? Why also quote from Robert Malley, when his answers are predictably critical of Israel? And why pay attention to Iranian ad hominem attacks, designed to avoid the authenticity of the documentation? The reporting ignores the big picture related to the extensiveness of Iranian plans for a nuclear weapons, the auxiliary preparations for missile development and the inadequacy of the current inspection process. Of course the Mullahs are in compliance; the JCPOA is so replete with loopholes, they need not do otherwise.
5
Notably, the authors left out that it is not only Israel that is concerned with the Iranian violation but also the Saudis, Gulf Arab States, and Egypt who are concerned about the Iranian nuclear weapons development and the Obama negotiated agreement.
The Saudis have made clear that if Iranian is bomb building, they will too.
When it comes to anything nuclear, whether nuclear power plants or whether a threatening party such as Iran is developing nuclear weapons, it is prudent to err on the side of caution.
4
Iran IMHO should not develop nuclear bombs; and we should incentivize that by the sanction regime. But Israel has illegal nuclear bombs too; we should tell Israel also to denuclearize or put crippling sanctions on them as well.
6
It looks like the Christian right, the GOP and Israel want this war to start before the Republicans lose control of the congress in November. OK non-millionaire Americans, get ready to spend YOUR money and send YOUR children to fight another war for Israel.
In a saner time no head of state would have tried this sort of preposterous and gross fraud but today, thanks to the insane Republicans, it will not only be tried but will likely succeed.
9
So we should believe Netanyahu, who says Iran violated the agreement. This man is singularly responsible for getting America into the war on Iraq. Remember the yellow cake claim? Now he wants us to start another war, this time with Iran. Will it be the same result, with Israel walking away from the war with no deaths and debts? Is this the same man who deceived the US and the world on negotiations for a two-state solution with Palestine? Netanyahu used the negotiations as a ruse to allow Israel to continue stealing Palestinian land, so that now this theft has eliminated any possibility of a two-state solution. It's a shame that the US allowed this man to con us into a war with Iraq. So now he believes he can repeat that with Iran.
Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you.
9
Israel needs to be more careful here. Iran (and the Russians) aren't kids throwing rocks.
4
Absolutely. Israel is learning far more about dealing with fanatics from its experience dealing with Hamas militants shooting rockets and throwing Molotov cocktails from Gaza.
1
When it comes to truth-telling, Netanyahu is not too different from Trump.
8
It appears that Netanyahu believes the larger the typeface, the stronger the case? We await the skywriting for his justification for shooting peaceful protesters.
7
Not all of the so-called "protesters" were peaceful. Under the cover of smoke from burning tires, many terrorists tried to cross through the fence on the Internationally recognized border between Israel and Gaza, to invade Israel. IDF snipers shot at those, which included members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, who have sworn to destroy Israel. Every nation-state has the right to defend its borders from illegal immigrants and violent invaders!
It's a shame Bibi wasted a whole lot of time trying to convince anyone that Iran lied about its nuclear program. Israel has nukes the armchair generals whine. Why can't Iran have nukes too?
Chalk up another loss for Israel in the public relations war.
5
I can understand how Israel, the only country in the Middle East without a nuclear arsenal, would be concerned if Iran ever acquired them.
4
Breaking News for you Peter! "Israel HAS a Nuclear Arsenal."
3
With two days until the re-affirmation of the Iran pact, with France and Germany restating their support, all of a sudden Bibi comes up with stuff. Who is meddling in whose election/politics?
7
A short while ago I posted a satiric comment meant to parody this outrageously slanted "news" story and all the commenters, analysts and Israel-haters who are saying this is all not a big deal since everyone knew Iran was lying about its nuclear program anyway.
In a more serious vein, let me quote David Albright, a former U.S. arms inspector, and the president and founder of the Institute for Science and National Security:
"The most significant thing is that this is a warehoused collection intended to be used later for reconstitution. They could have destroyed these documents. But these were being carefully protected and hidden with the intention to reuse them when they launch their weapons program."
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-04-30/israel-exposes-iran-n.... Albright is also quoted as saying that Israel's intelligence fills in a lot of gaps in our knowledge about Iran's nuclear program.
There's a word for the ho-hum attitude reflected by these comments -- denial.
4
I liked Netayanhu's Road Runner cartoon Acme Bomb better!
No one but the most rabid Likudnik believes Netanyahu.
Simply put while we waste trillions on war, China invest trillions in Africa, South America and even in pig farms in North Carolina
14
Netanyahu in 2002 " “If you take out Saddam, Saddam’s regime, I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region…the test and the great opportunity and challenge is not merely to effect the ouster of the regime, but also transform that society and thereby begin too the process of democratizing the Arab world.”
And now we are going to listen to the self -serving presentation by Netanyahu deigned to get the moron in the White House to back Israel at the expense of the US? The supporting cast of neo- cons ,Bolton and Pompeo, are again leading the body politic down the path to war with Iran with lies, misinformation and warnings about Iran and WMD's.This is stunning in view of our past history in Iraq. Will Congress support these actions with a vote or will they continue to sleep in their self-imposed stupor?
17
This is easy - let's see the proof.
Netanyahu is a little Trump - a big, fat liar. He would say, and has said, anything. Let's see the PROOF. The NY Times article states that Bennie gave no proof that Iran violated the agreement. So put up or shut up, Israel. The world is sick of your lies.
9
Israel is a foreign entity led by a corrupted leader who has lied many times in the past to try to push the US to war ,in order to fulfill the Israeli right wing agenda. This time it won't work.We are watching...!
13
It is obvious Trump is the UI (useful idiot) being used by Israel to for their own agenda, which is to scuttle the agreement.
8
Because without the constant "boogy-man" threat of war Netanyahu has nothing to offer the voters. Much like the GOP here.
5
I watched the presentation; you had to listen carefully to figure out the dates of the lies and programs Netanyahu was discussing. He knew that his indictment was for acts prior to the Iran deal, and chose to confuse rather than enlighten.
10
This certainly smells of the build up to the Iraq war in 2003. Suddenly we have information from Netanyahu (recalling those bills of lading for yellow cake uranium delivered to Sadam, the mobile biological weapons development, and aluminum centrifuge tubes) like that Powell and others used to convince the US of real threats.
Too many advisors with access to Trump's ear and too many leaders who know how to manipulate Trump's ego want war with Iran. Many people are going to die (on both sides) if this state of affairs continues to escalate.
10
“Iran Lied?” Leaders are supposed to inspire, not pander to the lowest common denominator.
4
Israelis have been making claims of Iran's nuclear bomb
since a long time. Late Shimon Perez claimed in 1996
that Iran is a year or two away from having a bomb.
Netanyahu, under investigation for unethical conduct,
is not credible. He an Israel's Trump.
8
Simple. Let the Iranians do what they want. They will eventually have to deal with the consequences.
3
Does not pay to cancel deal. Europeans will not. Compliance is more possible with deal than without. In terms of Syria and other Iranian aggressions, the West can put sanctions on this behavior if it wants, including its arming Hezbollah.
4
So they lied. I certainly can’t blame them. If I ran a government and had to defend it against continuous Israeli aggression...I’d be inclined to think having a nuclear weapon would provide a nice respite in the all to frequent and extremely bold steps taken by Israel to undermine the sovereignty of my government. Netanyahu needs to simply shut up. Which is the bigger virtue, an old Iranian lie to protect the eroding Arab sovereignty in the region or pigheaded Israeli anti-diplomacy???
7
Such a flagrantly Trump-orientated press-conference - lots of pictures, videos and that huge “Iran Lied” image. Even Netanyahu adding “SAD!” at the end of it wouldn’t have made it more obvious.
6
When you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
5
It never fails: a GOP administration so we are AGAIN being manipulated into war based on phony information.
7
Strangely, I think that the evidence points out the big beneficiary of the Iraq war that Netanyahu among others cheered on was none other that Iran.
5
The big picture is that Iran is a terrorism sponsor and helps sows chaos and discord wherever it posits itself. Hamas, Hezbollah, the crumbling of Lebanon, Syria, ad infinitum are all Iran's proxies. And all of these entities supported and/or created by Iran have at least one thing in common: destroying Israel and pushing Jews into the sea. We've heard this song before throughout the centuries. Let us not be swayed by this siren. It is lethal.
3
It is not the Jews who are pushed to the sea right now.It is the Palestinians!
5
That situation was reversed by the 1967 "Six Day War," in which Nasser intended to throw the Jews into the sea. Now that Hamas refuses to engage in direct negotiations leading to a two state solution, it will be Hamas and Islamic Jihad which will be pushed into the sea! Actions have consequences; Hamas has yet to learn that Gaza is not a consequence free zone!
No more than two words per slide, lots of graphs and photos, dramatic visuals of binders full of paper -- he's playing to Trump's comprehension level.
We continue to look like fools. Congress, do something.
7
Anything said by Netanyahu should be heard for what it is - a dedicated attempt to use America for what (in his view) benefits Israel. America's dedication should be focused on protecting the security of the United States. To that end, we should learn from past experience and be firm in pushing back those who would exploit us. Images of "allies" and "good guys" and "bad guys" can distract from our fundamental duty - to defend and protect of our own country . "Charity begins at home" is not just a cliche.
15
"America's dedication should be focused on protecting the security of the United States." "...our fundamental duty - to defend and protect of our own country ." Quite right...so no doubt you are strongly in favor of building The Wall.
2
Following the 2001-2005 "Second Intifada," in which Palestinian suicide bombers killed over a thousand Israeli civilians in cafes and on buses, Israel built a wall and Palestinian terrorism declined markedly. While illegal immigration in the U.S. is not on the scale of the threat facing Israel, building a wall appears to be a reasonable solution to the problem!
Once when attending a lecture a few years ago, a well known American physicist was discussing why signing the Iran Nuclear Agreement Treaty was going in a positive direction for the United States. One of his points was that the universities and scientists in Iran were very sophisticated, learned, and more advanced in their education system than many other country's in the Mideast. Sometimes the west does not respect how educationally advanced they are. He specifically spoke about the courses that were offered at their universities far surpassing those at many other well known universities even in the United States.
6
Nobody is at war or conflict with the citizens of Iran. Many, if not most, hate their current government perhaps more than we do. Many Iranians are smart and educated. Their government is radically fundamentalist, and their roadmap is dictated by their understanding of their version of Islam. The Ayatollah cares more about these alleged religious fundamentals than about the welfare of his people. So he will use money to surround Israel and try destroy them even if many back home go hungry, or homeless. You don't begin to understand the difference between their tyrannical government, verses the majority of its people, many of whom are much more secular.
2
I think that most people understand that there is a vast differences between the Ayatollah and the fundamentalist government in Iran and the majority of the the Iranian people.
1
Right - they also attacked an american ship and blamed it on others years ago. Netanyahu lies almost as much as Trump. Get ready for a war with Iran. Wag the dog.
16
You took the words right out of my mouth. This political opportunist is himself under investigation for corruption, and looks to distract the credulous in the choir he preaches to.
Birds of a feather, Bibi and donald.
5
flase, that was a mistake that Israel is still paying for financially
This happened during the Six-Day War. Accidents and mistakes frequently occur during wars. Even by countries like Israel and ours who ordinarily go far out of their way to avoid them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty_incident
2
Translation: Thanks for taking out Iraq for us. Time for round two.
NO.
13
More theatrics from the Israeli leader. This time with bigger pictures so Trump can see them. We know he doesn't read.
13
This article bends over backwards, and ties itself in knots, trying to minimize the import of Netanyahu's news conference. The fact is that Iran was lying about the scope of its nuclear program, and a brilliant Mossad operation has caught Iran in its lie.
It doesn't matter that Netanyahu was "theatrical" in his presentation, or intended his remarks for an audience of one, namely Trump. The fact is that Mossad has exposed Iran's lie, and called into serious question (to say the least), the worthwhileness of this deal. You don't have to be a Netanyahu fan to believe this (I am certainly not, and was appalled at his speech to Congress opposing this agreement in defiance of then-President Obama).
Honestly, American politics has become so tribal that objective news coverage has virtually disappeared. And the formerly great New York Times has sadly joined one of the tribes and now presents all of its news through an ideological filter.
15
Thank you, Caleb. I couldn't more strongly agree with your excellent comment. And I alternate between rage and mourning that "the formerly great New York Times . . . now presents all of its news through an ideological filter."
3
It doesn't matter that Netanyahu was "theatrical" in his presentation, but it does matter than he was lying through his teeth.
"Fake news" anyone? Burned facts for Sarah Huckabee's eyeliner? Netanyahu is a degenerate who is under investigation that may land him in jail (just like Trump). Netanyahu is a disgrace to Israel as Trump is a disgrace to the United States.
8
It seems to me, Eli, that you're just like Mr. Trump, whom you so despise. Your only answer to facts you don't like is to shout "fake news," without an iota of evidence or argument to back up your bombast. You are Donald Trump, to a tee.
2
Does anyone really think that Israel is going to try to fool the intelligence services of the United States, Russia, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and all the other countries that are coming to Israel now to see what the Mossad spirited out of Iran? That he would jeopardize his relationship with the United States, and his okay relationships with those other countries? You may question the quality of the material, and you may question whether it is sufficient to pull us out of the agreement, but questioning the veracity of the material feels like an exercise in wishful thinking.
7
Zeitgeist Observer: The veracity of the materials is completely irrelevant because they have no bearing on Iran's present behavior, which is under strict international oversight precisely because of the treaty. The point of airing these materials now is to influence public opinion in Israel and the US, provide Trump with a cassus belli, and to distract attention from Bibi's own domestic political troubles, not to fool intelligence services that already know all about what Iran did prior to the treaty. Bibi himself has serious reasons to fear his domestic political fate, but he has no reason whatsoever to fear "jeopardizing his relationship with the United States." Perhaps you might try to develop your ability to critique the zeitgeist, rather than simply observe it.
2
Reading the overwhelming majority of negative comments about Netanyahu specifically and Israel in general is bad enough. But at least try to proffer a single positive redeeming aspect of the Iranian regime's posture in the Middle East and the world, not to mention the stifling treatment of its citizens and discrimination against every identity group the left loves- gays, atheists, women, etc. The fact is that you can't, but that really isn't the point, is it? Anti Semitism is alive and thriving.
12
I believe it's called "Criticism of the Israeli government" and not anti-Semitism. It's been done to numerous government around the world- the Philippines, Burma, the United States, Iran, India, China- the list goes on. Criticism of the government/regime doesn't equate hating the countries or the people. Unless you hold Nationalism close to your heart and hate becomes all consuming.
1
So there you go--two repressive regimes--people conveniently forget Israel's incredibly bad treatment of Gaza residents.
2
Nonsense. Saudi Arabia is a lot lot worse than Iran as far as human rights go & no one complains. Your criticism of Iran flies right out the window since as an American you are the very last person allowed to give lessons in morality. Every day your own labor, your own sweat & your own tax dollars are used to prop up & arm despotic & terroristic regimes around the world. You are the last person to open their mouth.
2
If you liked your kid's body bag caused by the neocons lying us into a war to "protect" Israel in Iraq over the threat of WMD, you'll love the body bag shipped to you from the next idiotic and totally disastrous war to "protect" Israel with "regime change" again in Iran. The war Bibi and Shel are absolutely panting for us to wage with American blood and new trillions down the tube to try, yet again, to "remake" the Middle East nearer Likud Israel's heart's desire. Just tear up the treaty Obama brilliantly pulled off to save us from this disastrous war, and, Shazam!, war will be "required" by Iran's renewed nuclear program. Yet the American sheeple just sit their in front of Fox, munching their munchies, as happily drifting towards a new Republican war for Israel as the same dolts did under W. If even body bags; their kids' faces, arms, and legs blown off; and many trillions totally wasted on a fiasco, with ISIS for dessert didn't penetrate the mob's Fox-Rush-Alex Jones fog, I guess nothing can. So bring on the next round of body bags, blown-off body parts, and trillions in new debt to China. What could go wrong?
17
Don't the Iranians want to cure cancer and win a Nobel? Creating more lethal bombs seems antiquated, dumb and usless . Unfortunately, I believe Bibi here. But putting these bomb building men against a wall seems equally antiquated....
4
Gulf of Tonkin Part II.
6
One liar begets another. Each makes up the 'truth' to suit their needs as they go along.
7
According to accounts of the years of international diplomacy, international sanctions regimes, and years of negotiations with Iran (it needs to be emphasized that the Iranians had to want to submit), everyone knew the Iranians were lying. All the governments involved knew, and the news reading population of the planet knew. We'd always known, but the diplomacy leading to the deal required giving them a face saving way to allow them to comply, a wink and a nod. The whole point of the JCPOA is that the Iranians couldn't be trusted. Compliance is verified.
This display of documents, that Iran didn't consider important enough to guard since everyone already knew what was in them, is a show meant for one person. An easily manipulated person.
With the success of the North Korean strategy apparent to everyone outside of people in the right wing media bubble, Iran will have no choice now but to quickly develop nukes and, like North Korea, be implicitly welcomed into the nuclear club.
3
Sorry to have to say this, but if I were Iran, I would have a backup plan because the US has not been a reliable partner in the past. So I don't blame them for keeping their plans locked away. And as for supposedly lying, does anyone really believe Mr Netanyahu doesn't lie when it suits him? And he loves bullying Trump and gets away with it! Hmmmm, wonder what he has on Trump?
11
Netanyahu playing gullible Trump. This isn't about treaty violations. It is about Israel. Agreement is withdrawn then bomb making resumes. Then Israel demands U.S. destroy "weapons of mass destruction." Wake up, people.
7
The whole tone of this story is that the bad guy here is Benjamin Netanyahu. And why not? After all, it's old "spring in his step" Bibi who is "awaiting . . . indictment on corruption charges, . . . count[ing] for his political survival on being seen as the only leader who can be trusted to keep Israel safe . . . [and] agitating single-mindedly against the nuclear deal, even at the risk of fraying Israel’s close ties with the United States." As for the ayatollahs who have been feverishly trying to get a bomb when not busy stoning women, hanging gays and taking hostages? Hey, everyone knew they were doing that, so what's the big deal! They lied about it when their nuclear deal with Obama required them to come clean? So what, what kind of fools would believe them anyway?
The important thing is that the nuclear deal is working great! The ayatollahs, whose whole religion revolves around the return of a ninth century imam, have to wait a whole 15 years before gearing up their nuclear program again! And even then, what's to worry? They promised they wouldn't do that!
Now Bibi, on the other hand, he's what I call a threat to world peace!
7
Is there some point you're trying to make?
2
No evidence, an emotional appeal, and a shout out to Islamaphobes? This was tailor made for Trump.
7
Who needs Wiki-leaks when we have Bibi-leaks? But I hardly see what Israel feels it has to gain by releasing this now, we all know how impartial they are. All politicians are slime. How does one drain a swamp when the whole world is a swamp? There's no place else for the dank water to go. Bit of a conundrum, no? But a great revelation for alligators and water snakes.
1
Netanyahu is trying to deflect from the pending criminal/corruption charges against him.
Sound familiar?
5
Distraction? Nothing helps to distract from several corruption probes more than the Iran bogey-man. No one’s buying it, Bibi.
8
Iran has stated many times that it intends to destroy Israel(Little Satan) & the USA (Big Satan).The Obama concession was giving them the ability to do that.In fact,freeing up Irani money led to the rise of ISIS.Those nuclear sites must be dismantled or destroyed.
9
israel is an undeclared nuclear-weapon state. it acquired that knowhow & technology with connivance of some western powers.
it is a joke that netanyhu now accuses iran of lying
8
Three names that point to the perfect storm: Trump, Bolton and Pompeo.. If anyone really believes we are not going to start another war in the Middle East with Iran with the prodding help of Israel. Get a hold of me, because I've got some ocean front property in Kansas I'd like to sell you.
5
If Trump and Netanyahu keep whipping up dangerous half-truths about the Iranian nuclear deal, instead of a Nobel prize for Trump they may split the memorial Gavrilo Princip war fever medal.
5
No, Mr. Trump, 7 years from now is not tomorrow. Get rid of the nuclear deal and they actually will be free to develop nukes tomorrow. Keep it and they won't be able to; it's as simple as that.
5
Why Mr. Netanyahu is so eager to push the US into another war in Middle East, effectively doing Israel's dirty work? I can think of many major and minor reasons, but two are particularly important to Mr. Netanyahu.
First because he is entangled in major scandals, revolving around bribes and influence puddling, as they say in Israel, "Bibi has become politically vulnerable". Many Israeli pundits predict that, if the looming crisis forces him to call for an election, chances are that the Likud party loses half of its parliamentary seats, paving the way for Naftali Bennett taking over the party. So, he badly needs a major distraction - which a significant war in Middle East can certainly provide - to ride the current waves of public discontent.
Second, Mr. Netanyahu, as well as many others in his circle, become very worried when it comes to any type of nuclear negotiations with any country in Middle East. They are afraid that at some point their own nuclear bombs and nuclear facilities become part of such negotiations. That was why he was dead against the first round of negotiations and now he is trying to make sure that there will not be another. It is by no means accidental that Mr. Netanyahu decided to join the fray once more, after President Macron and Chancellor Merkel visited the WH and forcefully argued that it is in the interest of the US and its allies that Mr. Trump keep the current agreement, but start a new round of negotiations with Iran.
3
The timing of this release is perfect. Israel has been wanting a war with Iran for decades and they want the U.S. to fight it. Now we have the perfect storm for that dream (really nightmare) to come true:
1. Trump is weak and the Russian and Stormy investigations are closing in on him.
2. A war will divert the press from his problems
3. He will gain support of the powerful Israeli lobby in the U.S.
4. The Trump-Bolton-Pompeo Axis will demonstrate that the U.S. can bomb their way through any international problem.
Lastly, this will prove Trump does not believe his 17 Intelligence agencies. No one, including General Kelly, can control him. But when it comes to Putin and Netanyahu, he will execute any order they give him. God help us.
7
Mr. Netanyahu said that Iran had intensified its efforts to hide evidence of its weapons program after signing the nuclear deal in 2015, and in 2017 moved its records to a secret location in Tehran that looked like “a dilapidated warehouse.”
Will Israel agree to the IAEA inspection regime that Iran is currently complying with? And have they always been scrupulously honest about their own nuclear weapons program in the past?
8
Of course the point is that their lying about having a bomb program is precisely what made the deal with Iran necessary.
Though--equally of course--somebody at the White House can't tell the diff between the past and the present tenses of the verb, "to have."
3
Netanyahu is the King of Israeli Propaganda Power
Point...
Stirring hatred against Iran while killing Palestinians.
What a stand-up guy.
7
It is amazing that your readers are so anti Israel. It is barely covert anti-Semitism. Anyway, the fact is Iran would launch against us if they thought they could get away with it. Iran will eventually launch against Israel and your readers will be more than pleased that what the Germans started will just about be completed by Iran.
5
Let me understand this: Netanyahu cited no evidence other than a big sign that says “Iran lied,” but this complete lack of evidence is expected to bloster Trump’s case for leaving?
But it’s a few Frenchified lit crit professors who are destroying Truth with their postmodern silliness?
I see.
1
All nonsense, and shame on the media for giving this man any platform to wreck this carefully crafted agreement to which Iran is scrupulously adhering as certified by the IAEA. US intelligence has known for years that Iran had no nuclear weapons program, even while Netanyahu was presenting his cartoon bomb to the UN years ago. A quick Google search brings up a schematic of a nuclear weapon, which has been freely available forever.
https://www.wisconsinproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/nw-1.jpg
3
The world failed to thank Israel when she destroyed Iraq's nuclear reactor thereby saving countless lives. This is just history repeating itself.
7
Let's see. Weapons of Mass Destruction... we haven't tried that one in a while. Maybe they'll fall for it again.
6
Lather, rinse, repeat....
This guy is just yelling for war. He wants to employ the Americans for a THIRD time in a war that might ruin the Near East for ever. Not to forget the casualties the United States will have lost.
That nobody in Israel is opening his mouth against such a policy is the strangest thing. Are all Israelis d'accord with Netanyahu?
4
Iran hoodwinked the US into agreeing to a "deal" which only delays its nuclear weapon development by 10 years. The deal reflects Obama's distaste for Israel. Trump's disgust for the Iran deal reflects his distaste for Obama. And why not, Obama despised him! I support the President. I support Trump. Thank you.
4
Unfortunately, there's no factual basis for your conclusions. You're welcome.
1
The bottom line will be: Does the US have credibility? IF Trump cancels the deal, then no, no one will trust the word of the US and new deals will mean nothing to both sides.
Of course, leaving the present deal with Iran intact, a separate deal could be constructed with ALL our Allies to address Iran's missile program and expansion in the middle east; using the same format, including possible sanctions.
BUT, given Trump's propensity to go alone, its unlikely he can understand this.
15
The negotiation of the Iran Nuclear Deal in the first place (between the U.S. and five other countries including Iran) was an incredible feat of diplomacy. The agreement is something that smart leaders should look to build upon - not destroy.
56
@Melissa
But this is Trump we have to work with not someone who understands/comprehend Intel. He gets it from a dog and pony show.
3
Netanyahu was out Trumping Trump before Trump even considered being President. Netanyahu not only wants to be Prime Minister for life, but he want to wipe out the Palestinians and take over their land for a biblical Israel. Iran is just another "Arab Enemy" that Netanyahu needs to use to keep getting money from the USA.
48
Iran isn't an Arab enemy because they aren't Arab. The Persians and Jews have long histories but the Mullahs hijacked Iran and have made war of destruction on Israel its principal foreign policy objective.
1
Netanyahu is a war monger as is John Bolton. Both of these characters are promoting their own agenda at the risk of annihilation.
42
That include the new Secretary of the State. If Trump wants his war, first he need to send his three sons, son-in-law and Trump himself.
3
Seems like Bebe is fully aware of the fact that Trump can only deal with pictures and great big print. And, of course, Trump does enjoy a good show. So, Bebe put on a show for Trump complete with pictures and super big print. No facts, of course, and no actual proof of anything...Trump doesn't much care for facts and doesn't think proof is important.
43
“Both presidents [Obama and W] said publicly that Iran had a bomb project underway, and the United States mounted, with Israel, a vast covert program to undermine the Iranian effort with one of the world’s most sophisticated cyberattacks.”
Not true, the NY Times here be conflating uranium enrichment with an up and running bomb project. Big difference.
Effectively, yet again, the NYT has posted ersatz news regards Iran; it reads a good bit like the claims Dick Cheney was making in 2004. That's about when the formal National Intelligence Estimate came out saying Iran had dropped anything like an atomic weapons program.
4
"Not true, the NY Times here be conflating uranium enrichment with an up and running bomb project. Big difference."....My recollection is that prior to the agreement the CIA said Iran was within 6 months of building a bomb.
3
This just in: it's extremely difficult to make a nuclear bomb without highly-enriched uranium or plain old plutonium.
3
Pray tell, what is a uranium enrichment program to develop weapons grade material besides a bomb project?
3
Netanyahu certainly knows his audience of one suffers from short attention span. Could he have been more obvious? Then there’s the matter of corruption charges hanging over his head which leads me to question the validity to his claims.
This is rehashed old intel according to Bob Corker’s interview on today’s CBS morning show.
19
Calling the kettle black...
Israel’s nuclear arms are undeclared and the state is not a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, its possession of these weapons has been an open secret since the 1980s.
Can you say Israelis went rogue and lied about their nuclear program?
Probably not in NYC.
31
The US Manhattan Project which developed the first A Bomb was carried on in secrecy. Which of the 7 or so member nations of the nuclear club developed the Bomb out in the open? - zero.
3
Ask Colin Powell......
14
Who believes Netanyahu? Regarding Iran deal, he has been opposing, lobbying against it in US Congress from very beginning and we know his agenda. We remember his lecture in UN against Iran and constant propaganda against Iran deal. Netanyahu did not disclose anything new ---- all smoke, no fire. We would appreciate if he stops killing innocent Palestinians at Gaza border.
40
Bibi is wasting no time taking full advantage of Bolton's arrival to draw the U.S. into fighting Israel's war against Iran.
The answer, folks, is NO.
38
No American serviceman or woman, has ever been asked to fight for Israel.
4
But they have been killed by Israel.
2
Israel lies about their own nuclear weapons program.
...so, they're accusing Iran of something they continually do?
38
There is no comparison between the governments of Israel and Iran.
5
And yet, you can't really argue with the accuracy of this post.
Israel is a responsible western democracy. Iran is a essentially a dictatorship run by crazy mullahs who have expressed a desire to wipe Israel off the map. Moral equivalence? You must be kidding.
2
And if you have an open mind, read Prof. Cole’s analysis at juancole.com. The title of the piece:
Netanyahu: Don’t look here where we’re shooting children, look over there at Iran
32
Do you mean "If you don't think Israel has a right to defend themselves against invaders"?
5
The Palestinians are throwing bombs into Israel and trying to tear down the border fence and rush. What should Israel do? Meet them with flowers?
1
Netanyahu and Trump make a good pair. They both lie more than they tell the truth. Bibi hasn't told us anything we don't already know. Does he think Iran is going to unlearn what they know? It's time Israel opens itself about its nuclear program. They lie to the world and refuse to expose themselves in any way.
28
In September 1939, the Germans claimed Poland attacked Danzig and killed German citizens, so they had to invade Poland to restore peace and protect Germans.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
29
The only person lying here is the same corrupt and mendacious Israeli leader who lied to us about Iraq's WMDs, who lies constantly about Jewish settlement expansion on Palestinian lands, who lied about supporting a two-state solution and is now trying to persuade us that since Iran lied about its nuclear weapons program in the past, it continues to do so now. His entire performance with charts, file folders and CDs was all past tense, not what is happening now, without providing a shred of evidence that Iran is violating the nuclear agreement negotiated by the Obama administration. In fact, the CIA under Pompeo has repeatedly confirmed the IAEA's verification and monitoring reports that Iran is in fact abiding by the agreement. Bibi's performance was aimed primarily at Trump, knowing that the president whose chief of staff calls an "idiot" has the attention span of a two-year-old, does not read, does not listen to briefers, knows none of the details or verification procedures in the agreement and blindly believes whatever he sees on TV, especially if it helps him undo all the good Obama has done.
41
Iran having nuclear capability and the ambition to destroy Israel, and then America, is part of the "good Obama has done". Yeah, real good.
4
WMD WMD...attack now before it's too late..
Last time it cost the US 15 trillion bucks..
Anyway in 30 years, the term of a home mortgage, nuclear weapons on Earth will be as commons as microwave ovens are today..
10
Bibi must want more even more US Tax Money to fund his country’s single payor healthcare system and state of the art infrastructure.
He knows the religious fanatics of the GOP will give him whatever they want since they’re afraid of angering their Sky God. Sadly, the Democrats have these religious delusions as well.
So sick of giving Israel what this country needs. My guess is all the ultra Orthodox will sit out any war with Iran. We’ll send our kids to die so they won’t distribute their studies.
Israel is another manifestation of the destructive impact that religion has on our country.
24
Show me the money, Bibi, show me the money! How crass and so self-serving. Macron is meeting with Rouhani to save the agreement, and is hopefully making progress. Netanyahu is doing everything he can to undercut it, appealing to Trump, Bolton, Pompeo and Fax News. How low we have sunk.
23
France? You're counting on FRANCE? The country that didn't have a "Plan B" when they knew Germany was going to invade? Yes, I feel much safer now.
3
Of course, by neither confirming nor denying its own nuclear program, Israel has not been entirely forthright on the subject either.
21
Not a fan of Iran but Netanyahu doesn't exactly have a great track record on truth telling.
29
It's the old Wag the Dog tactic.
How obvious can Netanyahu be?
He is facing corruption charges and he is desperate.
The alarm bells of "Weapons of Mass Destruction" better be clanging in America's ears!
If America is DUPED again by this unverified, dubious, highly questionable slick powerpoint presentation a desperate foreign leader who is facing criminal charges, we are so doomed.
16
Yes, we need to remember the old adage “fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me”.
There is NO way would trust Netanyahu ever,
1
And against whom did Israel commit espionage in order to become a nuclear power? And what was the fate of Julius and Ethel for doing far less damage to national security interests of the United States than did Johnathan Pollard? And where on the are-you-serious scale is Netanyahu’s suggestion that trump Administration place the country on a war footing because of the DISHONESTY of the Iranian Regime??
10
Because bebe and dondon don't have their own agenda? I'm surprised trump doesn't say that bebe even found Obama's real Kenyan birth certificate in that trove of documents.
11
I have to laugh about the whole Republican racist obsession with whether Obama was born in the USA or in Kenya. Either the Republicans never read the US Constitution or they are compulsive liars. The US Constitution Allows anyone to become President so long as they had at least one parent who was a US Citizen. So, Constitutionally where Obama was born is irrelevant since his mother was a US Citizen.
1
You're making sense. That's not allowed.
Will Iran give up it's nuclear program if Israel gives up it's nukes? Inspectors everywhere.
15
Bibi is trying THE BIG LIE, yet again, in order to try to keep himself from the public gallows for his wanton corruption and blatant war crimes, not only against the Palestinians, but against his own people as well. It is his last gasp, and it should very well backfire on him.
HE is the one who keeps trying to start WWIII in the Middle East because of the ancient scripture on The Apocalypse, but, he is the Anti-Christ, and Trump is his Cohort in Crimes. A nice little war over There would get the heat off from Both of the nasty criminally corrupt politico's backs, or so they think.
10
Is Netanyahu's proof in the same drawer with Trump's voter fraud information and McCarthy's list of known Communists?
This is what happens when five year olds, who think they are gods gift to mankind, are invested with enormous power.
I'd call them birds of a feather, but no bird was ever that corrupt and self-serving. And birds don't lie.
6
"Iran lied" read the sign. And the Israelis are expert in that department. They lied and still lies about their own nuclear program.
7
Israel doesn't lie about it; Israel doesn't talk about it. Big difference.
1
The reason why Israel is not talking about it, is if they officially acknowledge that they have a nuclear arsenal, they will lose a part of the aid that the US provide to your country.
There is lie by omission.
Ok. Say now let's play it out with Power Point. Anytime one uses slides to teach has lost. Changing behavior requires a little bit more.
1
I am cynical. Netanyahu is being investigated for corruption and many feel that this time, he may be in real trouble. When asked why Israeli's keep supporting him, some have shrugged and said, "Well, there is confidence that he can keep the country safe, even if they don't particularly like him." So now we have the sudden appearance of a cache of documents purported to show that the Iranian government has been lying all along about their nuclear arms program. What a coincidence - just when Netanyahu's career is jeopardized, he arranges to be the strongman who can keep Israel safe.
Nuclear proliferation treaties are useless - who truly believes that a nation willingly destroys the makings of its nuclear arsenal? Would the U.S. do that? Russia? I think not. Face facts - with the exception of Canada and European countries, who seem to have learned something about large-scale murder and catastrophic authoritarianism, much of the rest of the world is controlled by bullies, wealthy men who favor them, and a military that supports them. Every day, the U.S. leans toward joining their ranks.
No lies by Trump, Putin, or Netanyahu are too large.
2
Netanhayu is spouting the same kind of lies Bush Jr. spewed and the media loyally repeated to invade and devastate Iraq. These are lies. The world community (beyond our embedded media) knows that Iran has complied with the agreement not to pursue nuclear weapons -- a verifiable reality. We are also aware that certain people including Trump, Bolton and a segment of neocons desperately want to attack Iran. This is about control of the mid-east. The US, Saudi Arabia and Israel are working to assert dominance.
This is a moment for the US press and the Times to either demonstrate that is has learned anything from the past, that it has any legitimacy and independence, or to confirm that it is a tool of the most aggressive sectors of the CIA and State Department in the fomenting of war and crimes against humanity.
3
If Trump backs out of the Iran deal he would be wasting his time trying to deal with North Korea or anyone else. Any remaining trust in the U.S. as a nation that honors the deals it negotiates would be lost.
3
What does Netanyahu know?
He knows that Israel is a threatened and beleaguered nation that will remain dependent -- for the time being and perhaps for the next 6 and ½ years -- on the whims and caprices of a mercurial and unstable man.
He knows that influencing this man and guiding him in directions that will prove beneficial to Israel will require constant praise and flattery on his part and policy choices not always in keeping with the desires of Jewish Americans; who nevertheless will continue to support him in overwhelming numbers in his efforts to protect Israel.
He knows that the military and political intelligence that Israel supplies to this man must be absolutely reliable, lest it contribute to some failure or embarrassment on the part of the one man in the world who presently controls more of Israel’s future destiny than he does.
He knows that Iran is a real and looming danger to Israel that cannot just be wished away; and that acting before Israel’s enemies can rally their forces will likely prove to be the better choice for him.
5
one suspects that 90% of the "secret archive" is stuff that could be found on Wikipedia.
and seriously, CDs? We're supposed to believe that this supersecret archive is stored on CDs... why not 8 track tapes?
5
In the end, behavior is what matters. The motives, schemes and other beliefs behind behavior is completely secondary.
Iran has accepted the most invasive regime of monitoring that any sovereign country has ever tolerated. There has not been even a whiff of non-compliance.
Argument over.
Pointing to Iranian missile programs or their activities in neighboring countries in the same breath as the nuclear accord is a vacuous and ideologically loaded kind of whataboutism. Want a missile accord: negotiate one. Want one that further regulates Iranian activities in places like Syria: negotiate that also.
7
This is a conspiracy to raise oil prices.
1
If this information is so important to world peace why did Netanyahu rely on a cheesy media presentation during a news conference to talk about it? Netanyahu needs to focus more on his own country.
4
"Netanyahu needs to focus more on his own country."
As he is ultimately responsible for Israel's national defense, he is doing exactly that!
The Iranians do not let inspectors into their military installations. Nobody really knows what they're doing, so it can't be said with certainty that Iran is complying with the deal or even if it isn't actively pursuing nuclear weapons. What Netanyahu is underscoring is Iran's true nature. Do you trust them? All Israel wants is to neutralize the threat coming from a country that continuously expresses the desire to eliminate Israel. Do you know of any other country that constantly calls for another country's destruction (and is tolerated to the point that major countries want to do business with it)? It's surreal.
5
This is not just about Bibi. It is about Iran's goal to dominate the Middle East, at a devastating human cost in casualties, refugees and lost cultures.
Blaming Israel and burying your head in the sand will not make that disappear.
6
So Israel says that they have proof that the largest exporter of terror in the world lied about their nukes. The NYT needs to listen rather than defend the previous President's actions towards Iran.
9
They say they have proof, yet have provided none. How gullible do you think we are?
1
Of course Netanyahu didn't provide any evidence, of course - the Israeli's just need us to invade Iran and knock their regime out for their own geopolitical interests. Netanyahu advocated America invading Iraq for similar reasons. I do wonder how many Jewish-Americans in DC support Netanyahu & Israel's geopolitical interests over America's?
5
Nobody can do better than Netanyahu in sowing WMD false security alarms. His special brand of farcically mixing supposedly new scientific-technological intelligence revelations (which are on a scale between fabricated alarms and operationally inconsequential exposures) with the Holocaust memory has cornered the market of global inflated existential alarms. This time around is no different in both its absurd accusations of an Iranian plot “to build up to five nuclear weapons” and Netanyahu’s poisonous impact on American policies.
It’s indeed not surprising at all that Mr. R. Bergman who was a leading media figure in the incessant Israeli campaign portraying Iran’s nuclear program as a clear and near-immediate global danger is here to report on the latest “Iran’s nuclear subterfuge”. One typical gem: after the 2007 NIE report, Bergman continued to warn that Iran is scheming to “manufacture a nuclear bomb in a secret path even in case its known and open facilities will be under the inspection of the IAEA [Yedioth Ahronoth Feb 8, 2008]”.
I’m aware its most probably a comment-killer, but here I stand: if ever there’ll be convened a tribunal of the ICC to put on trial those who were responsible for the Iraq and Iran nuclear incitement and to its world-shattering derivations (fat chance), than the Times’ Board, some relevant Op-ed writers and commentators should be among the accused of taking part in these crimes against humanity.
Question for the Times
from the web, I gather that many informed observers consider Netanyahu's presentation arrant nonsense
so why does the Times have its headline and lede so favorable ?
I really think you shd be more cricitical here;
4
Israel's the tiny nation they all wish to destroy. What it does to protect itself
is none of anyone's business. For unlike its neighbors it harbors no
ambitions nor intent to do to them what they - in their delusory and destructive
hatred - have wished to do to Israel since the day of its birth. Of all these
countries Iran is presently the greatest threat, both to Israel and, needless to
say to its own subjugated people.
7
Wow! I had no idea Iran had so many supporters in the US.
6
It's not that we support Iran. It's that we don't trust liars.
5
As trump stated - "... we've spent $7 trillion in the Middle East and we've got nothing for it. Nothing, less than nothing, as far as I'm concerned."
Indeed! What has the US got for funding and protecting Israel against our own interests - moral and financial - for decades? Nothing!!!
The Iranian stash of nuclear know-how was kept for obvious reasons - in case the US elects a reckless arrogant leader and reneger-in-chief who decides to renege on the deal, they would not be left out in the cold without the ability to resurrect their nuclear ambitions. They trusted and will verify that the US cannot be trusted. Obviously Israel cannot be trusted - look at all the spying they've done on America!
Trump and Netanyahu are in the same political predicament - masters of corruption - both looking to evade justice and what better way than to start a criminal war to distract. Shouldn't that qualify as a war crime?
6
Israel lies about its nuclear program and is a proven threat to the United States and to Europe. Immediate destruction of Israel's nuclear capabilities should be priority number one of NATO..
2
Netanyahu is Israel's t-Rump. I wouldn't believe or trust Bibi for a second. Pants on fire, just like our dear leader.
4
"In seven years, that deal will have expired, and Iran will be free to make nuclear weapons,” Mr. Trump said, incorrectly stating the terms of the deal.".....And if Trump backs out of the agreement Iran will be free to make nuclear weapons tomorrow. Actually under the agreement Iran cannot make nuclear material until 2030. One would think if Trump was considering backing out of the deal he would at least know what the terms of the agreement really were. Talk about dumb.
12
You expect him to READ?
4
You're forgetting that fundamentalist "christians" in the USA (which make up a large percentage of Trump voters) idealize, yes idealize, a nuclear war in the Levant, since that fits with their eschatological world view.
4
"If you take out Saddam, Saddam’s regime, I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region,”
insisted Netanyahu in 2002
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/26/world/middleeast/kerry-reminds-congre...
60
You need to put this into context. Sadaam was paying thousands of dollars to families of terrorists who committed deadly attacks in Israel.
5
Sorry, Dan, but your "context" fails to invalidate Lynn's comment.
1
The misinformation is coming from the same source who in 2002 told the US Congress to attack Iraq as it had WMDs and that it would be a piece of cake to topple Saddam, and change would follow in every neighborhood and so on. (CSPAN https://cs.pn/2jlOuza). Rep John Tierney reminded Bibi that the domino effect did not happen in Afghanistan which was harboring Usama Bin Laden.
The drama/presentation was geared for an audience of one, President Trump. Every foreign leader knows that the President of the United States doesn’t read Intel, he gets it from watching morning shows. What a shame we are being used by perpetual liars who wants us to destroy every country in their neighborhood so that they can trample on any country they want. Just like what Israel is doing with Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and now Iran? The US Congress is already bought and paid for by AIPAC. If we are not careful we will have a backlash similar to Europe of the World War II days.
We need America Firsters instead of Israel Firsters in US Congress. I certainly would like to use former Rep. Michelle Bachman’s loyalty oath. President Trump values loyalty, we need it to be for the US.
No more wars in the Middle East. Let Israel and Saudis fight their own.
45
Iran has long been a useful distraction from Israel’s core problem, Palestine. Iran is far away from Jerusalem and Iranians seldom think about Israel. Ramallah is very close to Jerusalem and Palestinians think about Israel all the time. Sometimes they rise in fury against their overlord and wield knives.
Oppressed people will do such things. The oppression does not make random Palestinian stabbings of Israelis defensible. They are vicious crimes against innocent people. But it makes them understandable. Violence is the other face of the so-called status quo that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes to be in Israel’s interest. Violence is inextricable from the Israeli occupation of the West Bank that is almost a half-century old. Stateless non-citizens, living behind a high-tech wall among colonial settler garrisons, will not all acquiesce to their fate.
The liberal Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted Netanyahu recently saying that “we will forever live by the sword” and that he does not want a binational state but “we need to control all of the territory for the foreseeable future.” All the territory is binational. Therefore to control it in the way Netanyahu envisages, democracy must be sacrificed. The Jewish and democratic state of Israel withers.
3
"Bi-nationalism" is an oxymoron. Had Palestinians wanted a state of their own, as part of the two-state option provided under UNGAR 181, they would have had it 70 years ago. But driven by an arrogant, greedy, self-centered sense of entitlement to "all the land between the river (Jordan) and the sea (Mediterranean)," they set off on a course of continuous wars against Israel, all of which they lost. Following the 1967 "Six Day War," Israel offered to withdraw from all captured land in exchange for peace. The Arabs responded with the infamous "Three No's (No negotiation, recognition, or peace with Israel)" of the 1967 Khartoum Conference. Thus, Palestinians acquiesced in. the so-called "occupation" of captured land. Since the Egyptian and Jordanian peace agreements, Israel twice made peace offers which would have given Palestinians a shared capital in Jerusalem. Those were rejected by Yasser Arafat in 2000 and Mahmoud Abbas in 2008.
Since Arafat signed the Oslo Accords in 1993, Arafat, followed by Abbas, refused to engage in the direct negotiations called for in the agreement. Since the three failed Hamas Gaza wars (2008-09, 2012 and 2014), the Palestinians continuously refuse to negotiate, leaving Israel as the "one state solution" by default. As one Israeli Foreign Minister once remarked, "Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity," thus ensuring that they will remain perpetually stateless!
I find it amazing that so many comments here give Iran the benefit of the doubt when Israel questions their commitment to the Obama treaty. The same Iran which the U.N. has branded as the number supporter of state sponsored terrorism in the world. The same Iran which teaches their children to hate the Jews and the U.S. in their religious schools. The same Iran which has repeatedly lied about its nuclear plans and development. The same Iran which promotes Islam as the only true religion, and which demands the subjugation of every human being and nation to Islam. And you prefer to trust that they have peace and love and tolerance in their hearts and minds? That is the definition of stupidity.
36
Blah, blah, blah.....The same Iran that has never attacked the U.S. and is a death enemy of Al Qaeda and ISIS; while we back the Saudi's who have sponsored and supported them.
47
Most of the world sees the US as the number one sponsor of terrorism around the world. We are subjugating people to Christianity. We have bases all around the world supporting dictators while Iran stays in their own backyard. We and Israel repeatedly lie about our weapons. Trump wants to teach our children to hate Islam.
You need a longer list.
12
Iran is only defending itself from the violent and many incursions by Mossad and the CIA who keep trying to create war with Iran because they have a gold backed currency, something they cannot manipulate like the Petro-Fiat-Dollar.
Iran KNOWS what happens when somebody gets close to the bomb, they watched Libya just like we did, they saw Iraq on their own borders, they see Afghanistan and Pakistan very close up, and they KNOW that America and Israel do not keep promises, especially financial or political ones.
Iran is not the problem in the ME, that belongs to Israel who ALREADY HAS Nuclear Weapons and delivery systems, and has been accused of using small nukes in the ongoing conflicts. Certainly they overfly all the surrounding nations, armed, without permission, which cost them an F-16 in dealing with Russian anti-aircraft fire, which has also been taking down their missiles. Israel is no longer the strongest dog on the block, and so they are whining and barking loudly at the ends of their chains. Trying The Big Lie again is only going to get Bibi hung when his people finally find out the full truth of the depth of his crimes. That IS what they do to traitors.
10
Not sure which is more obvious in today's news: That Bibi orchestrated this charade this for his own agenda, or that Trump's team leaked investigation questions so that Trump could disparage Mueller as a leaker.
19
I think Trump is the leaker. He likes the news it generates for him.
2
Bibi and trump are very similar: " full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. " they do have their believers, though.
3
Lying comes so natural to Netanyahu that it almost looks like he believes it. This is the same guy who says it’s ok to kill children because ??????? Wake up
It’s time for peace and truth in our world; but that would stop the cash flow to israel
13
Never did he say that
4
Hmmm, remember the lead up to the Iraq war, WMD, the Iraqi man (sadly I forgot his name but he was all over the news) who claimed he knew, and much much later we found out he was in the pay of the ISRAELIS. He beat the drum of war. As of course did people in the Bush Administration. How many Iraqis died because of fake WMDs, how many US soldiers were killed, or maimed for life etc.. We completely destabilized the Mid East with our blunder into war. Saddam Hussein was terrible terrible man but we were played for fools. Lets not do that again. This is not a war we want or need.
19
Chalabi?
1
thank you
I don’t believe anything Netanyahu says. He’s the Israeli Trump: a self-aggrandizing fraud.
50
This liar is a danger to the United States, to Israel and the world. Since 1991 he has been repeatedly saying that Iran would have a nuclear bomb within a couple of years. Just prior to Iraq war, he appeared in US Congress stating, "there is no doubt, absolutely no doubt, that Saddam has an active nuclear weapons program." Why is the world paying any attention to this lying buffoon? Is he not due to be jailed for corruption? These accusations come from a country that has amassed an arsenal of nuclear weapons through lies and deceit, even deceiving its closest ally and protector. Time has come for the world to wake up and not be dragged to another war by this compulsive liar.
27
Anyone with red blood should be as obsessively worried as Netanyahu about the prospect of Iran gaining a nuclear capability.
10
Which is exactly why you should keep an agreement with on site inspection in place. What Netanyahu really wants is to make sure the U.S. and Iran are enemies.
13
WA Spitzer, We ARE enemies!
3
It is amazing to me how deluded Americans can be about who the bad actors in the Middle East really are. Israel is not our enemy; they are our closest ally in the world. We have never, ever fought a war on Israel's behalf. Israel is progressive and offers rights for women, minorities and homosexuals. Israel has a free press. Are the governments in the Palestinian territories and Iran modern, progressive and free? Iran just participated in the gassing of Syrians. It is building attack bases not far from Israel. Why in the world wouldn't every freedom-loving Westerner be concerned about Iran's nuclear program more than Israel? If democracy dies, it will be a suicide.
11
" Israel is not our enemy; they are our closest ally in the world.".....The U.S. supplies Israel with billions of dollars of military equipment every year and provides them cover in the UN Security Council. To prove your point you should provide a list of things that Israel has done for the U.S.
7
Do you think that we give Israel aid because we love them? No, every government we've had since Truman supports Israel because they have the same values that we do and they promote them. The US supports Israel because it is a US proxy that uses US weapons in combat situations against US enemy weapons. Israel provides valuable intelligence about hostile governments and terrorist organizations. Israel is the eastern most Western country in the world. It provides a buffer and absorbs the punishment for that. Without Israel East and West would meet where? In Spain? France? It's nice to think the US supports Israel only by the goodness of its heart, but it certainly isn't true.
5
um, how is it a democracy when more than half of the people under Israel's control have no right to vote, to travel, to work, or to live where they choose? And, rights for women? Images of women are not allowed to be shown in public in Israel's capital city. Women cannot sing in public in many towns in Israel. Women who show their ankles have stones thrown at them in some Israeli towns. Secular Israel is in full retreat both in a cultural sense and in a literal sense as thousands of secular Israelis flee Israel every year.
3
It takes a lot of Chutzpah for Israel to accuse Iran of lying about its nuclear activity when Israel has stolen uranium and nuclear technology from the U.S., lies about its nukes, and refuses to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The Iran nuclear deal has mechanisms for verification, and both U.S. and Israeli intelligence, in addition to the IAEA, have certified that Iran is in compliance. Netanyahu just wants to push the U.S. into a war with Iran to ensure Israeli dominance over the region.
20
No mechanism for verification at certain sites. AIEA admits it, and allowed the deal even though Iran never disclosed the details of its past progam to the AIEA, as required by the deal.
Israel does not lie about its program, just does not discuss it.
Bibi never told Congress to attack Iraq.
Whole idea is to prevent a war by preventing Iran from further enabling the murder of tens of thousands of Sunnis and others and the dominance and destruction by the Islamic Republic of the region.
4
"...to ensure Israeli dominance over the region"
That is a lie that rejects facts on the ground -- Iranian Shia militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Gaza as well as new bases in Syria set up for one reason only, and not to fight isis
1
A suggestion to the "Times:" If you clear purpose is to undermine Netanyahu's credibility and the significance of the huge cache of documents the Mossad spirited out of Iran -- why paint your intentions with so broad a brush? The article fairly drips hatred of Netanyahu and makes him a comic figure who is "theatrical," has a special "bounce in his step," announces the find of the documents "proudly" (as if any head of state would not), he "brandishes" the Iranian plans like an appalling child, etc., etc. Considering the piece also approvingly quotes a large group of Netanyahu critics -- from Iranian scientists to Robert Malley, a particularly anti-Israel member of the anti-Israel Obama's National Security Council -- one would have thought you had your bases covered without the loaded rhetoric.
11
The only paper I can think of that's further left and more hostile to Israel is Haaretz.
1
As I have said, as long as people and countries only see what others do to them, but never see what they do to others, peace will remain elusive... Honest ''Bibi'' calls the Iranians liars, but has a short memory when back in 1963 Shimon Peres lied right to Pres. Kennedy's face when he asked if Israel was developing nukes. Lied right to his best friend. [friend, the most abused word in the dictionary]. Pres. Kennedy was staunchly opposed to Israel having nuclear weapons. ''Bibi'', people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
11
No Israeli head of gov't has ever threatened to destroy another country .. repeatedly. Iran continues to do so, Hamas continues to do so, Hizballah continues to do so.
Israel has never founded international terror groups. Israel does not seek to dominate the ME, Iran does.
By the time JFK became president Israel had fought 2 wars of existence, a continuous war of attrition and terror on 3 fronts (Lebanon/Syria, Jordan, Egypt) and threatened nobody.
BTW - in JFK's time, not one Israeli or Jew was present in the W. Bank. Not one. Still - every Arab and Muslim country was formally at war with Israel.
Every Arab/Muslim country threatened to destroy Israel.
This is not a case of living in a glass house and throwing stones.
Jesus forgave the sinner - but there was a condition "Go forth & sin no more".
When Iran & Islam stop calling Jews dogs & descendants of pigs, when they live in peace with their minorities & neighbors, when they stop calling for Israel's destruction and killing all the Jews, then you have a right to call out Israel. Until then - why not put a skull cap on your head and try walking the streets of Damascus or Tehran (or even Paris/Berlin). See what happens.
6
I am shocked...Iran possibly lied about its nuclear bomb program...!
This clearly warrants NYT front page news.
I am waiting for the NYT to report on the front page that Israel has lied about its nuclear bomb program and how that program might be the reason Iran is pursuing their own program.
13
Has Israel EVER threatened another country with annihilation? No. THAT'S the difference between the two countries.
3
"But Mr. Netanyahu did not provide any evidence that Iran had violated the nuclear agreement since it took effect in early 2016."
But that really is the key point to consider. No one thought the Iranian government was telling the truth when it claimed, prior to the 2016 agreement, that they had no nuclear weapons program. Even without access to the sort of intelligence we all assumed that Western intelligence agencies had, it was obvious that the scale and quality of the uranium enrichment program that Iran had built was not necessary for nuclear electricity generation.
The 2016 agreement both reined in the Iranian enrichment program and provided stringent inspection regimes to monitor their nuclear program. The worst aspect of the agreement is its 10 year expiration date.
Netanyahu is engaging in propaganda to influence US public opinion. If the Israeli or any Western intelligence agency had information that demonstrated that the Iranians are cheating on the agreement - that would be news. But clearly there is no such information or else Netanyahu would have used it to make a much stronger case. This is Netanyahu's modus operandi - another disingenuous attempt to manipulate US politics. He has stated in the past that he believes the US should go to war with Iran. We Americans should be thoroughly skeptical of this latest attempt at getting us into yet another war in the middle east.
16
Good deal. So, when's the open-ended Q&A session on the Israeli nuclear program, targeted assassinations, worldwide hacking efforts, crowd control techniques at the Gaza border, etc.? It's hard to think of any country in that part of the world whose government routinely tells the truth and whose policies can be trusted to comply with international standards of conduct or have the region's best interests at heart. When there's not much to choose from among the players, the best thing for us to do is avoid taking sides.
4
Israel needs Trump to start a war before congressional oversight resumes after the midterms.
9
Netanyahu in his own bombastic way has said nothing new or more importantly relevant. His display was simply to be a nuisance, If he had something relevant to say about the here and now, there is a monitoring group established to investigate claims. While I am a supporter of Israel, I find that Netanyahu is blot on the Israeli landscape and indeed the whole Middle East. His politics is not remotely conducive to peace and is divisive, while his personal integrity is dubious at best, When is the next court appearance Mr. Netanyahu ? For him to throw charges such as he is, including about lying is farcical. Maybe he is looking in a mirror. One hopes that as Trump matures in office he will not continue to be a lackey for Netanyahu
7
Typical of the swamp. You keep any "diplomatic" deal, no matter how bad. Yes, it's true, European leaders are urging Trump to stay in the deal, but not one of them has denied it is a terrible deal...and that Iran is probably lieing about all aspects of it. Not one of them has said anything other than...it's the best we have, so stay in. That's swamp talk.
3
Netanyahu's outrage over the Iranian documents is entirely justified. Especially since Israel has never had a secret nuclear weapons program - which has reportedly turned out several hundred nuclear weapons. Chutzpah, indeed.
9
You're comparing apples to grenades. Israel has never called for the destruction of any other country. We only seek to defend ourselves. And we will.
4
The only Americans who say this deal is any good are the extreme partisan "preserve Obama's legacy" crowd. That makes me nervous.
I applaud Obama for bringing Saudi Arabia and Israel closer. They will join forces in the coming war when we have to go in and get the Iranian nukes.
4
"The only Americans who say this deal is any good are the extreme partisan "preserve Obama's legacy" crowd. That makes me nervous."....You are kidding right? The agreement has the full support of England, France, Germany, China, Russia, the EU, and the United Nations. And I might mention that Iran is a death enemy of Al Qaeda and ISIS while 15 of the 19 9/11 terrorists were Saudis. And the Saudi's have continued to supply backdoor money and support to both Al Qaeda and ISIS.
3
Halbfinger, Sanger and Bergman write: “'In seven years, that deal will have expired, and Iran will be free to make nuclear weapons,' Mr. Trump said, incorrectly stating the terms of the deal. While some restrictions on Iran are relaxed starting in about seven years, Iran cannot make nuclear fuel until 2030, and it is never permitted to make nuclear weapons: It has signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which bans it from weapons production." HOWEVER, Halbfinger, Sanger and Bergman fail to note that Iran signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in 1968, and as manifestly evident from the documents obtained by Israel, Iran had no intention whatsoever to abide by its commitments. MOREOVER, Halbfinger, Sanger and Bergman fail to note that Iran did NOT sign the The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran. As the State Department wrote in November 2015, the JCPOA “is not a treaty or an executive agreement, and is not a signed document." As such, how can Halbfinger, Sanger and Bergman claim that under the JCPOA Iran "cannot make nuclear fuel until 2030"? Perhaps, if Iran begins to make nuclear weapons before this time, these three gentlemen should wave the unsigned JCPOA in the mullahs' faces and tell them that they cannot do this. I am certain the mullahs will listen.
1
Iran began a program to develop nuclear weapons back when our friend Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, was running Iran with HIS secret police. Maybe he'd heard something about the Israelis developing their nuclear weapons (which they - wink wink - deny).
Netanyahu's "revelations" are as much intended to bolster his withering position in Israel as to influence the ignorant clown in the White House. Netanyahu must also have forgotten that Jared is in charge of bringing peace to the "middle east". How dare he undercut the wunderkind's efforts!
Regardless of what they may say, those documents weigh 1,000 pounds, and that should count for something!
"But Mr. Netanyahu did not provide any evidence that Iran had violated the nuclear agreement ... "
1
So, let me see if I have this correct here. Bibi, acting as prosecutor against Iran, levels a major accusation against Iran and then concludes the country is guilty of cheating but provides no evidence. His jury, as noted in the article, is Trump.
To predict how Trump will decide, we need to look at his past verdicts. Obama was found guilty of wiretapping Trump Tower with no supporting evidence. Three million illegal immigrants voted for Hillary with no substantiation. And everyone in the infamous Trump Tower meeting discussed Russian adoptions despite all evidence to the contrary.
If I were in Las Vegas, I'd be betting that we ditch the Iran nuclear agreement based on nothing more than "because Bibi said so."
4
This is very interesting, because it goes against two aspects of the Iranian Nuclear agreement that the Israelis were pushing very hard before it was signed.
First, they were making the case that this was a bad deal, largely because the Iranians were "too smart" for the US negotiators. Many articles were written in Israeli and Western press suggesting that Iranian negotiators have bamboozled John Kerry and European foreign ministers to agree with terms that are too favourable to Iranians. This point was pushed to the extent that Saudi Arabia's foreign minister in an interview hinted that the US was in fact deceived by the Iranians.
Second, right from the start, the Israelis were talking about Iranian nuclear research and testing facilities that were built deep inside mountains. These facilities were supposedly built with great expenses to be able to withstand modern penetrating bombs that the US and others could use to destroy them.
So, the question that one needs to ask Mr. Netanyahu is simply this: Given that Iranians are smart and given that they have major testing facilities deep inside mountains, why should they store their most secret information in a dilapidated building somewhere in Tehran? Why are they not hiding their "nuclear treasures" deep inside the mountains that would keep them safe from bombing or Israeli sabotage?
35
Netanyahu is playing a nefarious game, convincing the ignorant and gullible Trump that Iran can’t be trusted and that the 2015 nuclear deal must be scuttled. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, after consultations with the State Attorney's Office, will now have to decide whether to follow the police recommendations and indict Netanyahu, who is not legally required to resign, even if he is charged. But Netanyahu believes that having Trump’s ear would make him look good at home. He can show his critics and opponents that he dictates US foreign policy.
Trump is eager to fulfil a campaign pledge when it also coincides with a legacy of the Obama-era that he abhors. He surrounds himself with hawkish advisers, who refuse to see that nothing new came out of Netanyahu’s presentation. The evidence has confirmed what Western powers had known for more than a decade and a half, and European signatories stress the importance of keeping the deal. Not only has Iran been abiding by it, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is needed for longer-term assurances on Iran’s nuclear programme.
10
Israel still doesn't admit they have nukes. The hypocrisy is staggering, but not unexpected
90
Slow down cowboy, they don't deny they have nukes either. They haven't called for the annihilation of IRAN, or the death of all the people in Iran either. Small difference there. ,
2
"Israel still doesn't admit they have nukes. The hypocrisy is staggering, but not unexpected"
Or that they came close to using them (nukes) in the early days of the Yon Kippur war when things were gong badly for them.
1
I fully expect that when and if Iran gets nuclear weapons they will happily use them. Of that I have no doubt.
Israel, according to popular myth, has nuclear weapons, up to and including a neutron bomb. They haven't used them. There is no credible report of them even testing them. There was a flash somewhere near Antarctica but there has never actually been any proof that Israel has tested an Atomic bomb. Given this complete lack of proof of Israel's possession and a clear absence of any intent to use, either Israel is a very moral and restrained state that has the bomb simply because they are surrounded by enemies intent on genocide at all costs or Israel's bomb is a myth and they have been accused unfairly.
1
If the Mossad gained the degree of access required to remove this degree of documentation why didn’t they just blow this repository of existential threat to Kingdom Come?
11
"... why didn’t they [Mossad] just blow [up] this repository ..."
Obviously, the documents have huge intelligence and propaganda value.
4
Netanyahu said these were copies. Moreover he claimed the originals gave Iran the intellectual wherewithal to jump start its program at a moment’s notice. So, a redundant again, why not blow the EXISTENTIAL treat up?
J-John: "Netanyahu said these were copies."
According to the article:
"Mossad operatives broke into the building one night last January, removed the original documents and smuggled them back to Israel the same night, the official said."
That appears to mean that the documents were not copied at the warehouse. It is not clear whether the documents were returned. Spies don't always want to give away the fact that they have covertly obtained information. Bombing the warehouse would have made it obvious that someone knew where it was and that could have exposed an intelligence source:
'“Few Iranians knew where it was, very few,” Mr. Netanyahu said proudly. “And also a few Israelis.”'
One thing is for certain, the Iranians didn't have very good security at the warehouse. That suggests that the Iranians didn't believe the information was very valuable.
1
Oops, my bad: Billy said that! Of Reggie & The Boss
Why is Israel's nuclear program off limits from discussion?
50
Because Israel hasn’t stated its intent to wipe another country off the map the way Iran has.
8
Israel is under an existential threat from its neighbors and its nuclear program is a deterrent. Iran is under no existential threat to itself. Quite the opposite as it is actively involved in threatening many of its near and far neighbors, promoting violence in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, among others.
7
"No evidence..." what more needs to be said. Our sane allies in Britain, Germany and France say this is the best deal in keeping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Period. Trump is being played by Netanyahu who wants nothing more than to use the U.S.'s blood and treasure to annihilate Iran. Then what? To what end? Killing thousands of innocent civilians in the process? Will that make the world and America a safer place?! Does one think we can unilaterally go bomb, destroy cities and kill people without expecting retaliation? Netanyahu needs to get the hell off Palestinian land and if he wants to bomb Iran... go ahead. See what happens!
27
The very thought that Trump and Netanyahu are steering this ship should keep us all up at night. Reminds me of nothing so much as what Reggie Jackson said of Steinbrenner and Billy Martin five decades ago.... look it up youngsters.
20
"The very thought that Trump and Netanyahu are steering this ship should keep us all up at night."
And if that's not enough to do it for you, realize they're steering a course that was set by John Bolton.
Obama/Kerry are Chamberlain. Netanyahu is Churchill.
9
Bingo.
3
Chamberlain is a little too far, but the Churchill comparison is right on but not the way you might expect....read your history on Churchill and realize how much he loved war to keep Britain "Great" at other's expense and lives! Just like Bibi is trying to do.
3
Some would argue Trump is more like Churchill than Netanyahu.
In other case keep smoking and keep voting for Trump!
3
Israel wants the US to attack Iran and do its dirty for it. Sorry, we ain't buying.
65
Actually we might end up buying it. Current US leaders, starting with Trump, are chomping to start another war. His base is all for it.
3
Here I am, waiting for this "never seen before proof" and all we saw was a TV show ala Trump where he pulls the drapes and shows binders and DVDs. Really, this is it? I'm waiting to see secret videos of nuclear weapon productions by Iran with people identifiable as Iranian scientist, workers, and agents, and we get a...what's behind the curtain act. This guy is doing a "Trump" on us, playing us for fools along with Trump, using this carnival show to end the Iranian Nuclear deal. This guy is nothing a carnival barker along with his hero Trump. Nothing but an excuse for a war in the Middle East. These two guys don't have an ounce of honesty in what they say.
49
so says the man with zero credibility known for flights of fancy, hyperbole, and working hard to distract from domestic travails (i.e. corruption charges) at home . . .
31
This is not just about Bibi. Iran intends to dominate the Middle East and has been sending its proxies to destabilize it at horrendous human cost.
Proof of the fact that Iran can't be trusted is the news. Don't shoot the messenger.
6
Those wily Iranians! They shoot missiles into Syria, station troops their without the permission of the internationally recognized government, and they threaten regime change. Or is that the US and its allies?
1
It is beyond obvious what Netanyahu is doing. I'm surprised he hasn't been reduced to using skywriters over our country.. Netanyahu is taking full advantage of Trump's ignorance and is daring him to cancel the Iranian agreement. His evidence is old evidence that pre-dates the Iranian
Agreement, which he is trying to plug as new evidence..
An excellent example of collusion is Netanyahu, Pompeo, Bolton, and Trump. They all want war, especially with Iran, which also serves as an excellent diversion from the Russia investigation for Trump. Yes, Trump would go that far. I don't know whether the American people know what a dangerous situation we are in right now, not only with foreign enemies, but also with treasonous bad actors within our own government, and a majority of our population who don’t have a clue as to what’s really happening to their country.
56
So, if the Iran nuclear deal is scrapped, what is the alternative? Has anyone proposed a plan B?
16
Yes, Bolton had. A Plan B, B for bombing as he wrote in an Op-Ed in the NY Times.
2
Plan B is what we were doing before Obama agreed to stop doing it in exchange for nothing -- economic sanctions that the president of Iran said were threatening the country with an economic stone age. We had them on the ropes, and Obama agreed to stop the fight in return for an agreement that gave them hundreds of billions and an end to sanctions up front, and which they can walk away from whenever it suits them. Obama's appeasement has given them relief, but maybe sanctions can be put back in place. Isn't that what Obama was saying all along -- if they violated the agreement sanctions would "snap back"? Well they violated it by lying about their nuclear program, whatever the comments here say.
1
This is the most important line in the story:
"...Mr. Netanyahu did not provide any evidence that Iran had violated the nuclear agreement since it took effect in early 2016."
Background: Netanyahu is the guy who used all his powers to make us invade Iraq in 2003. He said Hussein was another Hitler and had weapons of mass destruction.
Trillions of dollars and a million lives later, nothing has been found, but he still doesn't blush, hesitate or learn.
And now, while on trial for bribes and perjury at home, he reaches out to scuttle the renewal of the Iran deal he battled Obama over and lost.
Once again, the Israeli tail tries to wag America's inner Rottweiler.
He barks in our ear about secret files, like Joe McCarthy's secret list of traitors in the state department.
But just remember this:
"...Mr. Netanyahu did not provide any evidence that Iran had violated the nuclear agreement since it took effect in early 2016."
197
Iran does not allow inspectors into its military installations. The fact that there's no evidence is incomplete proof of its sterling behavior.
2
2016 was only 2 years ago. The proposition here is their lies outlined in a ton of documents are a predicate for likely continued subterfuge. Israel does not and can't be expected to have a real time intelligence on Iran- can it?
--- It is a matter of historical record that Jews contributed mightily to the invention of nuclear physics and the atomic bomb.
If Jewish scientists in Israel are now saying that Iran has concealed and lied about its nuclear practices, then I will believe them until someone more knowledgeable than they arrives on the scene and competently disputes this.
--- Usually a fan of Mossad, I am a bit disappointed this time.
I would have advised them to break into Trump Tower and Mar-a-Lago.
Well … perhaps ... they already have accommodations there.
4
Anyone paying attention knows Iran was trying to develop a nuclear weapon prior to the agreement. This "revelation" is nothing new. The question that should be asked is: "Is Iran currently in compliance with the agreement?" If so, then let's all move along as there is nothing to see here. And where does Netanyahu get off being so high and mighty. We all know that Israel has nuclear weapons. If we're really trying to eliminate such weapons, why are we not asking Israel to give up theirs. Just askin'.
28
The Shah of Iran, America's Best Friend in the Middle East (before the US switched to Israel) began Iran's nuclear weapons program - long before the Iranian Revolution. Just sayin'
Just anserin' Trig. Do you pay any attention to the Iranian cry for "Death to Israel" and "Death to America" Have you heard such rhetoric from Israel? Israel knows that its situation with a rogue regime is existential, so it maintains a nuclear arsenal to provide a warning that any attack by Iran will be met with a punishing response. Israel has never threatened to use its arsenal of nuclear devices without just cause, while the threats from Iran are persistent. Take a look at Israel's size and location and ask yourself if Iran couldn't overcome them with a preemptive strike with the nuclear arsenal that they "don't have." Could you live with that?
4
By your logic, the USA should have given up its missiles before asking Cuba to remove the Russian missiles in 1962
1
If Israel’s version of Trump says it is true, then it must be true.
Trump will believe the story and use the story as a wag the dog exercise to deflect his possible obstruction of justice questioning.
9
In this episode of Pot Meets Kettle, Israel says Iran lies about its nuclear program.
63
The difference lies in the fact that Iran is the world's largest sponsor of terrorism and seeks power for its theocracy throughout the Middle East. Israel has a host of problems of its own, but Iran is a dangerous and destabilizing force.
3
So lying is ok, as long as you're the "good guy." #liarsrationalealways
There is nothing new in what Bibi presented. It was just the old obfuscate-or extraordinaire doing what he is very good at, knowing that the American electorate is by and large superficial and susceptible to sound bite 'journalism'. Then there's the inconvenient question concerning Israel's nuclear weapon status - which Israel has lied about for decades.
18
So what? Or as Israel's might say, Neu? A country with a history of hostility towards the West, specifically, the US and Israel lied about its nuclear weapons program. Duh. Hasn't Israel denied the existence of its nuclear weapons program for years? This is why, fellow Americans, it is important to have a President who doesn't lie and bluster with such ease; and for the American people and co-equal branches of government to call him on it. When courts don't give serious weight to Donald Trump's campaign rhetoric or Senators think that Trump's lies are just eccentricities, its makes it hard for the US to have any legitimacy when it tries to hold other leaders to account for their statements.
12
Neu? So you think that the possession of nuclear arms by Israel is no different than their possession by Iran? Iran is a fascist clerical dictatorship driven by an end-of-days theology in which the destruction of Israel is a central theme. You see no difference? This is an example of the idiocy of comfortable American Jews who will countenance even the possession of nuclear weapons by a country bound and determined to complete the Holocaust so long as they can make an anti-Trump point along the way. As they say in French, you are a "shonda fur de goyim."
5
The International Atomic Energy Agency of the UN had seen this info in 2005 and made it public in 2011. The IAEA determined that substantial work on nuclear weapons development ceased in 2003 and that there was no research after 2009. This fraudulent dog and pony show is aimed solely at one idiot who slathers over Fox & Friends.
81
While we cannot allow Iran to ever have nukes, I think the Israelis are more than capable of handling this. Finally, it’s classic to see the Israelis accusing another nation of lying about nuclear ambitions, Israel has been doing it for 50 years. Don’t get me wrong, I trust the Israelis more than Trump, but it does take chutzpah. Of course, Bibi is engaged in an act that is our biggest threat at the moment, Propaganda. We have become willing fools, believing every piece of garbage sent into the ether.
4
What was that all about? "Bibi" took on the role of a Trumpian sock-puppet armed with an outdated PowerPoint presentation.
33
Who is Netanyahu to talk, when he has 200 nuclear bombs and is occupying all of Palestine, a bit of Lebanon and Syria?
14
Israel just proved it has a lying government. No wonder Netanyahu sees eye to eye with his equal in lies Trump. Hey Trump's spokeswoman burns facts to make eyeliner from the ashes.
29
Timing is everything, just when 45 is going to revisit the Iran deal,with France and Germany supporting the current pact, this comes out. And speaking of Russian meddling in our election ...... Hmmm
4
Netanyahu is desperate to start a war to distract from his own failures and corruption, just the same as Trump.
Kim Jong Un understands the danger from having a war wongering lunatic in charge of a massive nuclear armed military and has sensibly taken himself out of Trump's sights, but that's because he is a dictator and able to do so. Things aren't so straightforward in Iran.
Prepare to see many such propaganda efforts over the next few months as the war mongers get the public excited for war on Iran.
Remember though that Trump and his enablers are liars - all types of lies, big, small, blatant, subtle, white, black - and they are happy to lie their way to a war that is profitable for them and their business friends.
Don't be taken in like the last time and remember also that the damage, death and destruction from this war will be many orders of magnitude greater than the last little adventure in Iraq.
12
It's been said that because of the phony 'yellow cake' acquisition story during the Bush administration and unnecessary Iraq invasion - that when a real threat surfaced there would't be the political will to deal with it and that this was the real tragedy of the Bush administration's foreign policy. So here we are today with skepticism about concrete evidence that the Iranians lied about their plans to build a bomb. And the Iranian's response isn't very reassuring since it seems so dissembling. From the Iranian mullahs point of view I'm sure they have no guilt about their actions in trying to attack the Zionist enemy but that doesn't mean that their threat isn't real. What if, despite Bibi's political problems it's all true? Better be safe than sorry IMHO. At least if I were sitting in Tel Aviv. Seems like a double standard : when N.Korea only threatened the U.S. homeland with its missile capabilities we were immediately making moves to stop them on the suspicion alone. Why should the Israelis be treated differently? Esp when the mullahs have vowed to destroy the Israeli state and its people over and over very publicly ad infinitum?
4
Israeli intelligence at its best.
3
I consider myself a left-wing full fledged supporter of Israel. Just for the record.
But this is ridiculous. When has the leader of any country publicly acknowledged stealing classified documents from another country? How many years has Israel lied about or denied their own nuclear weapons program?
Everybody already knows that Iran was trying to develop nuclear weapons. That's why we all wanted to get them to stop. One would think that if Mr. Netanyahu is concerned about Iran's nuclear ambitions he would want some sort of treaty to make sure they don't continue to develop them.
Surely he does not think America should go to war about this? Israel did not sign the treaty- the IDF is free to strike Iran unilaterally anytime they want.
11
The only person I would trust less than Trump is Netanyahu.They are two of a kind and equally repulsive. If anyone can make Iran look like the honorable party, it's these two contemptible clowns. Both are awaiting indictment on charges of corruption in their respective countries which reflects the state of mind of the populaces that support them.
Iran might not be an Innocent, but in the matter of the nuclear deal, they have been found to be in compliance with their end of the bargain. That should be the end of the story. But when thugs are manipulated into leadership positions, as they have been in Israel and the Divided States, bad things are destined to happen. Good luck to Iran.
17
This feel like collusion between trump and netanyahu to distract from respective criminal investigations into their behavior. Mossad did incredible work in obtaining the documents, but then netanyahu throws that away for cheap political theatrics. The WH seizes on the information to put out another lie, chalked up to a "clerical" error, about Iran having a secret nuclear program. trumps take to the airwaves immediately to declare, "I was 100% right". Except that he is not. And the whole thing feels like something the two of them cooked up as bad theater in a Wag the Dog moment.
2
I find it appalling that the NYT is so dismissive of the realities of just what Iran has been up to with its nuclear program. It allows it's intense dislike of Netanyahu and Trump to color everything and anything that involves Israel. And as for all of those commenters sitting here nice and safe in NYC or LA; ever consider how it would feel if it was YOUR country in this cross-hairs of the madmen who run Iran?
Netanyahu came to DC and begged Congress to not implement the Iran deal but he was treated with derision and of course it went into effect. Now he tries to show that Iran was lying all the time and continues to do so but the world says "well that's why we need the deal". It's a bad deal and the only beneficiary has been Iran.
8
So Trump doesn't trust his own intelligence agencies but listens to a politician fighting for his political life. I guess we are in a post-truth world. It's somewhat Ironic that this is running at the same time as Hayden's Op/Ed about truth and intelligence gathering.
4
I have to say I already don't believe anything that trump says or tweets, so why would I believe someone who has become a lap dog (Netanyahu) for him. Neither has liked the Iran deal as written, but one I might understand if he had never joined the trump team, just saying. trump never liked the Iran deal (most likely never read it) because it had Obama's name on it. If Obama had been against NAFTA, or the TPP, trump would be all for them.
3
Is anyone shocked at this action from Iran? Their national chant is "Death to America" and they have broken every agreement they have made with us. Months after the Obama agreement they captured our naval vessel and we had to pay a ransom to get our troops back. Besides the Paris Accords over Climate, this Iran deal has to be the worst deal made by the USA in the last 20 years! It is funny to see the libs with no clearance or clue on how Iran lies attacking Trump on this one. Clueless folks. Iran and Syria are the #1 supporters of terrorism in the region TODAY. FACT!
16
"they have broken every agreement they have made with us"
Not true, but Trump would have us break our agreement with them and Britain and France and Germany and Russia.
"they captured our naval vessel and we had to pay a ransom to get our troops back"
Our Navy blundered in basic navigation, and was totally in the wrong. If we'd learned from that blunder, perhaps we would not have had three vastly expensive warships hit slow moving merchant ships, killing our guys. Our Navy showed it lacked ship-driving skills, and we just blundered on, crashing into things.
I hope we do not make ourselves into liars, and I hope our Navy sorts out its basic skills. Pretending it all isn't so and is somebody else's fault will not help us.
6
I'm wondering how different the world might be had the US not backed a coup to unseat the democratically elected Prime Minister of Iran, Mohammad Mosaddegh, and installed their own hand-picked authoritarian puppet to oppress Iranians and do the west's bidding – the priority being that Iran and Iranian citizens would have absolutely no control and little benefit of its own resources, namely oil.
1
Well no, but no one else here seems willing to take Netanyahu at face value.
The only intelligence which the Israeli PM has revealed indicated a nuclear weapons programme before the JCPOA went into effect. This much was known already, but does not mean the Deal is a failure. In fact, it's a good argument that the Deal should continue.
Yes, there is a group of hardliners in Iran who shout 'Death to America'. There is also a group of Americans who shout 'Bomb Iran'. Historical interactions between the two countries are not ideal: Iran has supported terrorism and held Americans hostage; America has deposed their democratic prime minister and installed an autocratic Shah, isolated and sanctioned Iran, and supplied Iraq with chemical weapons technology and targeting info to enable chemical warfare against Iranians. However, there is a large population of liberal young people in Iran who want better ties with the West, and Hassan Rouhani seems willing to liberalise.
Regarding the capture of US Navy Sailors: the USN boat strayed into Iranian territorial waters and the incident was resolved diplomatically and civilly. No ransom was paid.
Literally every single country in the world except the US has signed the Paris Climate Accords. Climate change denial is the US is absurd and blatantly ignores science and reason to pretend that climate change is not an imminent global threat. Whole nations are flooding now and the Republican party stands by environmental Flat-Earthism.
2
Netanyahu is the prime minister who cried wolf in the run up to the Iraq war. John Kerry pointed out in 2015 that Netanyahu was "very forward leaning" in pushing the Iraq War--a conflict that made Iran stronger and made all the problems Netanyahu is worried about worse. So on the subject of the Iran nuclear deal, listen to former Mossad chief Efraim Halevy (who in 2015 expressed support for the Iran deal), and not the factually-challenged Netanyahu.
7
The non-revelations from Mr Netanyahu are bait for our President. Indeed this information from Israel simply reinforces the need for the agreement with Iran, that provides us access for inspection and verification. Without access we are in the dark. I am an American Jew but I am American first. Mr. Netanyahu is not our friend in this regard.
3
This article makes it clear that Netanyahu is using a Trump tactic - bold statements with no proof - to fool those that will easily be fooled. Like Trump supporters falling for what they want to hear, Donald himself will readily believe this.
10
Please don't forget what happened in the lead up to the invasion of Iraq...aluminum tubes...vials filled with whatever...misinformation from many sources.
12
Netanyahu was also firmly convinced of Iraq's WMD. We all know how that turned out.
7
Mike Pompeo's first task as Secretary of Evangelical Christianity is to bolster Bibi's lie.
7
Just Bibi Netanyahu's "alternative facts" in his never-ending campaign to persuade Donald Trump to pull out of the JCPOA (aka the Iran Nuclear Accord). More disinformation, the real "fake news," here than facts. But, it was apparently good Reality TV of the kind that may nudge Mr. Trump to pullout and start a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Only those who believe in the "rapture" and Armageddon would support this irresponsible and irrational action. For the rest of us it seems it seems the ultimate act of a religious fanatic in the land that gave birth to the three Abrahamic religions that have yet to find peace and tolerance for one another.
9
Yellow cake, anyone ????? Setting the stage for a " little " WAR with
Iran, just in time for the Midterms. This has Pompeo written all over it.
Just saying.
11
Netanyahu's lies "helped" us find our way into Iraq looking for non-existent WMDs. He and his local lobby did what they could to block the Iranian nuclear deal. The Israeli Ambassador is making the case now on any TV screen that will have him.
Netanyahu, who has a full arsenal of nuclear weapons and is not a party to international treaties on the subject, obviously would like America to take on Iran much as he wanted us to take on Iraq. He's clearly belligerent, as per the recent Israeli bombings in Syria. Yes, he's doing it again against Iran just as he did against Iraq. He would have us fight to the last of our men and treasure.
He has no credibility. He should be ignored.
6
Netanyahu is Israel's Trump. Or, rather, the other way around. Both are venal little men, endlessly entranced by and in love with themselves. Corrupt, arrogant, uncaring about the people they lead, Siamese buffoons, joined forever at the ego.
And both share the distinction of having led their nations, if directions are not changed radically and soon, very much closer to self-inflicted destruction.
In gesture, word, and insufferable attitude, these bully bookends share the tragic trait of going full bore against any they decide are enemies; lying, fabricating evidence, provoking violence, then standing in their altar boy outfits (yes, I know) cynically declaring their innocence and their deep good wishes for the world
Each has made his nation a laughingstock and a pariah, condemned to fruitless loudmouth declarations that lose all meaning once they cross the border.
8
Reminds me of when Rumsfeld assured us he knew where the WMD were.
7
Netanyahu, like his counter part in this country, is very close to prison time. So he plays the termination of Israel card. Standard practice.
7
This is all you need to know about this political stunt:
"But Mr. Netanyahu did not provide any evidence that Iran had violated the nuclear agreement since it took effect in early 2016. That suggests that the Israeli prime minister — who has opposed the deal since its inception, and even went to the American Congress to try to block it — was hoping that the disclosures would bolster Mr. Trump’s resolve to scuttle the agreement on May 12."
5
"But the Iranian program to design and build nuclear weapons was hardly a
secret"
Got it. The Iranians lied and lied and continued. Bush and Obama were able to understand that they were lying and imposed.
Now there is proof positive. BUT .. since we presumed it before; it no longer matters even now that there is definite and conclusive proof.
Consider a parallel:
Mueller finds positive, incontrovertible proof that Trump colluded with Putin, positive proof that Trump et al thwarted the investigations into everything being investigated and absolute proof that he and Kushner and gang cheated on taxes, conflicts of interest, etc.
"No matter" you will (no doubt) say; "We always knew he lied". Right?!
That will be the future Times editorial??
Here is Bibi (not my favorite Israeli) with proof that cannot be denied that Iran lied for years and all you can say is "it was hardly a secret".
Iran continues (no past tense here) to threaten Israel with total destruction! Annihilation.
"No matter."
"Peace in our time", right?!
All of the sudden Iran stopped lying?
Huh??
2
No evidence? Sound familiar? The lying and corrupt twins, Donnie and Bibi...
1
Two ego maniac pathological liars, Bibi and Trump.
Even if they told the truth by accident nobody would believe them.
2
A country whose leadership shouts “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” at every opportunity, does not earn our trust. Making the fuel is the hard part for weapons. The bomb designs can be easily obtained from NK, Pakistan or Russia. They will be free to start the fuel process in 7 years, with full scale production in 12.
Since the fuelmaking will be internationally legalized, they will be free to purchase centrifuges and hard to obtain materials on the open market. This will greatly accelerate the process.
Anyone who thinks they are going to manufacture this fuel for peaceful purposes is fooling themselves. They have been lying about a secret weapons program as recently as 2015. They couldn’t care less about the nuclear nonproliferation treaty.
At a minimum, the deal needs to be renegotiated.
4
This ten years was supposed to be spent building a new relationship, making peace. Instead, Trump and Netanyahu are spending it trying to get out of the deal and return to a nuclear arms race. Their reason? We had a nuclear arms race, and they don't like that, so we should do it again.
2
I was surprised that Bibi went with the Steve Jobs type of presentation. Also since he had an audience of one, he missed a great opportunity to impress. Revealing what was behind the curtain would have been more effective had it been Trump Steaks instead of boring binders.
1
the evidence is they can not be trusted and most likely continued after the agreement was reached QED
1
Why is it fine for Israel to lie about their nuclear program for 50 years, but Iran takes heat for it a decade after they stopped
2
The Bottom line is this : Iran has a program and blueprint for producing Nuclear Weapons and when the Nuclear Agreement EXPIRES, Iran will be able to obtain Nuclear Weapons -
Iran has a robust Ballistic Missile program and is currently engaged in extending the range of its Missiles -
Iran and it’s proxies are currently engaged in controlling Iraq , Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen -
Iran has threatened Israel, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Arabs and even the United States -
A BAD Deal is no substitute for No Deal
Enough said : Nix the DEAL...
3
It would be a safer world if India, Pakistan and Israel were under the same strictures as Iran.
5
Netanyahu is doing what is a textbook definition of grandstanding, except he has an audience of one: President Trump. His “facts” are immaterial to the agreement, the intent was to give Trump some ammunition (irrelevant to the battle as that may be) to counter US military leaders who do not want the US to leave the agreement and destabilize the region once again. The only thing missing was the Saudi Crown Prince on stage with him.
2
Oh, how convenient! What a coincidence that just now, on the verge of Trump making a decision re continuing the Iran deal, that Bibi puts on this show. I find almost anything Netanyahu says to be suspect since I am convinced that Netanyahu is determined to fight Iran up to and including the very last American soldier.
3
When is Netanyahu going to come clean about Israel's nuclear program?
189 recognized states are party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Israel did not sign, why not?
6
Israel already has illegal nuclear weapons and can strike Iran. So why is Israel so worried?
Also, why isn't Netanyahu in jail? This is his attempt to thwart the investigation into Netanyahu's criminal activities.
4
In seven years the agreement can be renegotiated. That should be obvious. In the meantime, Mr. Bibi, let's see the evidence. As it is, it's difficult to tell whose lying.
1
Netanyahu and Trump would both have more credibility in this if they weren't both trying to distract attention from serious legal problems at home. In any event there's no good solution to Iran; the Obama deal was the least-worst option, unfortunately.
Meanwhile, John Bolton cites the "Libya model" as a blueprint for a North Korea deal. This should send young Mr Kim scrambling to watch YouTube videos showing how that worked out for Ghaddafi.
3
Interesting timing and interesting graphics (for the literarily challenged) to get a message across to one person, Mr. Trump.
2
Israel has been lying over Iran's nuclear program for years. Some years ago, Netanyahu himself claimed Iran would have nuclear weapon in couple of months.
I would not be surprised if the corrupt politicians like Feinstein and Schumer would support Netanyahu's claim.
3
A simple question to Netanyahu: does Israel have nuclear arsenal?
6
Maybe Israel should give up nuclear weapons as an incentive for Iran to dismantle its program.
5
What will impartial observers like the International Atomic Energy Agency and others say? Whatever one's opinion of him, Mr. Netanyahu has presented some interesting evidence of Iranian intent and plans to build atomic bombs. We should wait and see what experts think of that evidence, rather than prejudge based on our own limited understanding.
That said, with Iran's leadership placing soldiers on Israel's borders, openly challenging the extent of the Nazi genocide and painting Jewish stars on long-range missiles, those who rush to Iran's defense seem to be buying into a very hateful and dangerous agenda.
2
No, it's really about Israel and its BIG LIE! While madman Benjamin Netanyahu (in competition with Donald Trump) trots out with ridiculous bombosity information long known prior to Iran's agreement and internationally verified cessation of its nuke program, Israel maintains its nuclear arsenal of upwards of 300 warheads amassed over the past 30 years. The whole world has long known this, but Israel continues its refusal to sign on to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran, however, is a signatory. Yet again, Israel displays the quintessential in hypocrisy!
3
Netanyahu and Trump are cut from the same cloth, sensational and dangerous puerility with a weft of lies, insults and feints to add distracting and violent color.
Proof? As far as I have read all these allegations predate the agreement anyway.
And as Rob Malley said "All it does is vindicate need for the nuclear deal "
This low production value spectacle of Netanyahu's reminds me of the tables weighted down with folders that Trump said were legal papers transferring operational control of his business to his sons. But, no one was allowed to take a peek to see what or if they contained anything but reams and reams of blank paper.
1
I have a total distrust and distaste for Mr. Netanyahu. His elementary presentation as if a scholarly truth enables our Toddler in Chief to feel vindicated, smug, and a "winner". Trump's weakness for being manipulated by other world leaders to do THEIR bidding is embarrassing and dangerous. And why so strongly against Iran when the evils of North Korea seem to be forgiven? What a mess of a mockministration we're suffering through.
1
Didn't we already know Iran had lied about its prior program...even before we signed this deal? I don't get it.
2
This clown is playing to an audience of 1. Try to guess who.
Old, worn, cheap trickery with kindergarten level props.
Why is every single morsel coming out the mouths of one Israeli minister, or another ALWAYS front page news?
1
Benjamin Netanyahu is the perfect version of reality politician version of Wag the Dog. A perfect sidekick for Donald Trump.
3
Netanyahu looks like the host of Wheel of Fortune.
2
Go back and review Netanyahu's speches and presentations of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Have we already forgotten the lies and misrepresentations that culminated in one of the biggest debacles in our history that continues to haunt the world today? I'm afraid the answer is yes. Many of the people involved in the deception resulting the in the war on Iraq are the same ones now pushing for war and regime change in Iran.
8
Israel could have evidence of Iran's nuclear program but one has to consider that Israel has an agenda concerning the middle east and its neighbors.
The real question is will Trump listen to our intelligence agencies about Iran?
1
I am so sick of blatant liars and Netanyahu knows good and well what he is doing. We knew about the documents well before the treaty and they mean nothing now. We wouldn't have this nonsense if it weren't for the personal hatred (or envy!) the Trump and Bibi have for Obama.
3
“There is no question whatsoever that Saddam is seeking and is working and is advancing towards the development of nuclear weapons – no question whatsoever”
Benjamin Netanyahu, 2002.
10
Flash! Netanyahu, following Trump's lead, takes his case for rejecting the Iran nuclear treaty to this morning's "Fox and Friends." He subjects himself to F&Fs journalistic scrutiny.
4
“the Israeli prime minister has an audience of one: Trump.”
Iran has corrupt liars in charge. So does Israel, So does the U.S. Scuttling this deal does more to bring us closer to war than move away from it. And it wasn't even good theater, Bibi.
2
This reminds me of when Netanyahu had his bomb drawing at the United Nations. He looked like spy vs spy from MAD magazine. What a baffoon. They only ones who are lying are the usual suspects, the Israeli's and our government. They are determined to start WW3. I think the Iranians have shown great restraint here. Last night the Israelis killed 20 or so Iranians working in Syria. A few days ago their missiles killed 7 Iranians. They broke into an Iranian warehouse to get these redundant documents. What if the Iran killed 20 Israelis??? That's what these liars want Iran to do, retaliate, so they can have an excuse. They a planting the seeds. They want Iran to be defenseless. That's why they are harping about Iran's missile program now. If I was Iran I would start really beefing up all aspects of the military. We ( the U.S & Israel ) won't be happy until the world goes up in smoke. And we are on the very wrong side of history here.
8
Who would you believe? Israel, our only ally in the Middle East, which faces Islamic enemies on every border who preach hatred for the Jews in their madrassas? Or Iran, which continually calls for the "death of America", and is ruled by religious fanatics who have been branded by the United Nations as the world's primary sponsor of international terrorism. Trust, but verify, does not apply when Iran is involved.
4
The answer is obvious, Paul. The readers of this newspaper would believe Iran.
1
Israel PM things he is an intelligent person. He is trying to block the Iran deel. It won't happen. He showed some documents from Iran. from where he took this. The counties who signed this agreement don't know nothing according to the Israel PM. He and Trump both in one bucket. Both have investigation against each other in there own country. Israel PM have to save himself for his curraption case, Trump is not going to save him.
I think everyone knows by now that Yaho is the second biggest liar west of the Kremlin.
4
As soon as Israel joins the NPT, I'll listen sympathetically to what Bibi Netanyahu has to say about the J. C. P. O. A. and Iran. As the Lothario said about the Pope and birth control, "If you don't play the game, you don't get to make the rules."
7
Netanyahu would lie to his mother! He's a more accomplished liar than Trump will EVER be!
3
Umm, does Netenyahu have any credibility left whatsoever? He advised the U.S. to invade Iraq; you'd think maybe we learned our lesson.
5
We are being pushed into war with Iran with the subtlety of a gold plated toilet. Bravo, Netanyahu, that spectacle pretty much ensures that no civilized country will back our next potential military blunder.
Israel is flagrantly interfering in our politics. AIPAC must be required to register as a foreign agent. The stranglehold this lobby has on our elected reps is becoming increasingly pernicious.
As ridiculous as Netanyahu appeared yesterday, the performance was not amusing. Trump is president. He is being played like a useful idiot. Millions of lives could be lost. Meanwhile, Israel has hundreds of nuclear weapons and is not a signatory to the NPT. Madness.
10
Trump and Netanyahu, both under criminal investigation, confered by phone the night before this announcement. Even if correct, which is highly questionable, given that BOTH are chronic liars themselves, how can we trust what they say?
7
The Israelis are brilliant! Shame on those who fail to see it.
3
Netanyahu Is certainly one of the more disgusting individuals that the world would be better off without.
9
NYT has unequivocally called out Netanyahu’s presentation for what it is, lies and theatrics. No wonder he gets along so well with Trump, they are birds of a feather.
I sincerely hope that NYT is as vigilant in exposing Netanyahu’s desire and attempts to provoke a war with Iran by bombing Syrian sites, ostensibly to attack Assad’s forces but more likely to attack Iranians who are there.
Bibi thinks that Israel will come out victorious as in the 1967 war. He does not care if this draws US into a war with Iran. One US president attacked Iraq based on false evidence and destabilized the region for decades to come. Now there is danger of another Republican president doing the same by attacking Iran. But Iran is not alone, Russia too may get sucked in.
I hope saner voices prevail.
6
Netanyahu is up to his usual histrionics again. He has fooled himself again to believe he is a master orator. Instead he has demonstrated he is a liar again and again to the world community. He believes he is a Jew, a Semite but he is not. The state of Israel must be dismantled for peace to arrive in Palestine. The nations of the world cannot allow the displacement of the Palestinians from their homeland and however much the European converts to the Jewish religion cheat, deceive, and lie to hold on to Palestine, they will have to let go. As it is written, so let it be.
1
Netanyahu says Iran lied ... cites no proof ... still using the playbook to "win over" the low information listeners ...
4
What about Israeli/South African nukes?
Oh, was that supposed to be a secret?
8
Bibi, stop subjecting the world to your delusional paranoia and war-of-distraction mongering. All see you for for the arrogant, belligerent and manipulative criminal you are!
6
The orchestration yesterday by Bibi Netanyahu seems to be closely coordinated with the White House. Mike Pompeo's swing to NATO, then directly to Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem before first sitting down at his desk in the Department of State--this with Netanyahu's well-timed reiteration of his repeated and dated allegations against the Iran agreement--all point to justifying a previously decided announcement by Mr. Trump to abrogate the 8-nation partnership, which has been working. It will be difficult to get others to enter into agreements with the U. S. if we allow this madness--including any desire to see something positive happen in Korea--although the Korean leadership demonstrates hopeful beginnings to a what will be a long, tedious process.
Mr. Trump shows disrespect for long-time allies in France, Germany and England, and an antipathy towards requisite and careful resolution of diplomatic and multi-lateral trade agreements by peaceful and mutually honorable means. Netanyahu has found his soul-mate.
We must take seriously, however, the continuing chaotic 'demolition derby' which seems unending under the Trump presidency. Congress seems to have heard with some enthusiasm French president Macron's cautions. Whether they can remember and heed them is another matter.
6
Under his Iran centric paranoia and his own survival instincts the Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will always like to raise alarm about the Iranian nuclear threat, specially sensing the anti-Iran disposition of Trump, and his inclination to end the Iran nuclear deal. So its his familiar wolf crying about the Iranian threat- largely his own creation.
60
Not to put too fine a point on this matter, the only proven liars about the Iran nuclear deal are Trump, Pompeo and Netanyahu.
165
And they've all got itchy trigger fingers!
1
I assume John Bolton and Pompeo assisted Bibi with writing that speech to impress the President. It did not contain any information that would influence a real diplomat or leader to abandon the current treaty. But it sure will impress Trump's base.
I missed the part where Bibi explains the extent of Israel's secret nuclear program. That could not in any way have motivated Iran to start its own program, could it?
129
The 20 ft. visual props were a dead giveaway. Manipulating Trump is easy and now Bolton and Pompeo are in charge with an assist from Netanyahu.
6
Since 1979 Iran's stated foreign policy priority has been the elimination of the state of israel. They fund, train and arm proxie militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Gaza. Yet you blame israel for Iran pursuing nuclear weapons? Leftist hatred of anything Israel does is the reason for Israel to need its full defense capabilities.
If Prime Minister Netanyahu really has evidence that Iran has violated the agreement then it would be in his and the US’s best interest if he showed this evidence to the American public and the world. Nothing was more damaging to the USSR and Cuba then showing photos of the missiles installed in Cuba to the world at the UN.
The American public wants to do the right thing, so show us what you have and let the chips fall where they may.
77
Did Netanyahu not say that he sent the evidence to the US?
Netanyahu has no evidence, not even one iota. He and Trump have engineered and rehearsed this diabolical , ridiculous, mendacious fabrication. Prove to the world that you and Trump are smarter than all the scientists and wisemen who constructed the Nuclear agreement with Iran. Netanyahu argument is not plausible but displays his inanity.
8
This is nothing else than propaganda to influence and reenforce Mr. Trumps probable decision to get out of a multilateral contract with Iran.
8
"“In seven years, that deal will have expired, and Iran will be free to make nuclear weapons,” Mr. Trump said, incorrectly stating the terms of the deal... Iran cannot make nuclear fuel until 2030, and it is never permitted to make nuclear weapons".
Shame on Congress for allowing Trump to lie to the American people every single day and shame on them for letting Netanyahu dictate to our foreign policy. Shame on Fox for running this story as sure evidence of Iran's plans to deceive the world through the JCPOA. And, shame on everyone who only looks for damning headlines and ignores the actual details of a story.
238
Do you mean to say Trump was got lying?
2
The fact is there will be less and less inspections in 7 years and we will just have to trust Islamic Republic which is the reason this is a stupid deal.
1