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10 Responses to “Former IDF Chief: ‘Kill Ahmedinejad,’ Bomb Iran”

1. Zhu Bajie says:

   November 24, 2008 at 10:05 PM

   “what would assassinating Ahmadinejad accomplish?”

   It would cause a lot of trouble for Iranian Jews.

   Zhu Bajie

   Reply
2. Alex Stein says:

   November 24, 2008 at 10:21 PM

   If he’s trying to score points with the electorate (in that well known Israeli newspaper the Sydney Herald, noch), then why would he even attempt to deny it?

   Reply
3. Richard Silverstein says:

   November 25, 2008 at 12:31 AM

   @Alex Stein: Yaalon clearly wanted to send a message not only to the domestic audience, but the international as well. He knew a story published in Australia would make the rounds of Europe & the U.S. as well & likely have a positive impact on Likud’s Diaspora fundraising. He prob. also wanted to fire a shot across Obama’s bow letting him know that a Likud regime would not simply rollover at his command.

   All this wouldn’t necessarily have happened if he’d made the original comment for Israeli publication.

   Reply
4. Alex Stein says:

   November 25, 2008 at 12:38 AM

   Those are all very reasonable explanations, which mark a departure from your idea that it was to gain votes in Israel. In a recent poll, only 13% of Israelis named the Iranian issue as their main priority (the economic crisis was in first place, the conflict with the Palestinians in second). I’m not convinced by the idea that the average Israeli voter is particularly turned on by threats to assassinate Ahmadinejad.

   Reply
5. Richard Silverstein says:

   November 25, 2008 at 2:07 AM

   @Alex Stein: I find that poll number astonishing. If it’s correct then why are Bibi & Boogie talking about Iran as an existential threat to Israel?

   Just because only 13% find it their TOP priority doesn’t mean that many others don’t find it a critical (if perhaps not the TOP) priority. So in other words, there are many Israelis who would be favorably impressed by a far right hawkish approach to Iran. It may not be THE deciding factor in winning their vote. But it could be A deciding factor.

   Reply
6. Alex Stein says:

   November 25, 2008 at 2:11 AM

   Well it’s only one poll. And you are right – it may be that there are “many Israelis who would be favorably impressed by a far right hawkish approach to Iran.” But the empirical evidence of one poll – however slight that is – seems to me to be of more value than speculation. For what it’s worth, I’ve heard little worry among the people I know about Iran.

   Reply
7. William Burns says:

   November 25, 2008 at 12:22 PM

   Given Israel’s PR system, the fact that only 13% find it a top priority doesn’t mean that that 13% isn’t worth appealing to.

   Reply
8. John Dickerson says:

   November 27, 2008 at 10:20 PM

   FROM HAARETZ:

   Last update – 10:46 18/05/2007

   Poll: 71% of Israelis want U.S. to strike Iran if talks fail

   By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent

   Fully 71 percent of Israelis believe that the United States should launch a military attack on Iran if diplomatic efforts fail to halt Tehran’s nuclear program, according to a new poll.

   The survey, commissioned by Bar-Ilan University’s BESA Center and the Anti-Defamation League, found that 59 percent of Israelis still believe the war in Iraq was justified, while 36 percent take the opposite view…..

   ENTIRE ARTICLE –
   http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/860903.html

   Reply
9. Tabres Esfahani says:

   November 28, 2008 at 9:14 PM

   Wow…so very counter-productive of him. As an Iranian I guarantee that assassination is the absolute worse idea, especially since with they way our government even works, Ahmedinejad has no real authority, the religious council does.

   Reply
10. B.BarNavi says:

    December 4, 2008 at 12:55 PM

    Geez, isn’t it simple enough to let his low popularity rating kill him in the elections – you actually have to KILL him?

    Yeah, it’s probably red meat for the “war without rationality” crowd.

    Reply