Obama’s Munich Deal with Iran: What Does Israel Do Now?

COMMENTARY | The question that arises, now that the United States and other western powers have pretty much capitulated to Iran in her quest for the nuclear bomb, is what Israel is going to do about it? The Associated Press suggests her options are limited.

At this moment, Israel is in discussion with a number of new allies in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan about a possible strike against Iranian nuclear facilities. If that is to happen it will likely happen without American support and, indeed, with possible American interference. The Obama administration has already stated that no strike will happen without its permission, noting its radar capabilities in the Persian Gulf.

The current agreement lapses in late spring, 2014. Israel might choose to monitor the situation in Iran until then and see if the United States and the other western powers wake up to the fact that they have made a terrible deal with Iran. If it launches a strike before then, it would have to do so without advanced warning to the United States.

One actually wonders what President Obama would do if he were to receive word that Israeli planes and missiles were on their way to Iranian nuclear and other military targets. Would he do nothing and await developments? Would he warn the Iranians about what is about to befall them? Would he actually try to use American military assets in the region to stop the attack? The fact that the answer to that question is uncertain says a lot about the current president’s attitude toward what was once America’s greatest ally in the Middle East.

The House Republicans are said to be highly skeptical of the agreement and understandably so. The agreement has handed Republicans another issue to batter Obama and Democrats with over the president’s blatant appeasement. Imagine what would happen if Israel decides to strike and Obama, far from supporting such an operation, moves to stop it? It would make the current firestorm over Obamacare seem like a pilot light compared to a nuclear explosion.