Is Obama trying to leave Israel no choice?

March 7, 2012

Article by CLIFFORD ORWIN from Wednesday’s Globe and Mail

Published Wednesday, Mar. 07, 2012

“Obama to warn Netanyahu against military strikes on Iran.” So proclaimed the headline in Saturday’s Washington Post. At their meeting on Monday, Barack Obama reportedly did just that, while reaffirming America’s commitment to Israel’s safety. And yet … could this be very different than it seems? Is it the cagey exterior of a policy aimed at leaving Israel no choice but to strike?

Look at it this way. Suppose you were the Obama administration, confronted by an intransigent Iran but facing an election in November and an American public weary of Middle Eastern wars. Wouldn’t you rather shoehorn an ally into undertaking this risky and unpleasant business in your place? Then, even if you too had to intervene (as you would, at the very least to keep open the Strait of Hormuz), you’d have avoided blame for starting the conflict.

Continue reading this article at The Globe & Mail.