DEMOCRACY NOW
President Obama addressed the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Sunday, assuring the pro-Israel lobbying group he will not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran and reiterating his unwavering support for Israel. As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Obama at the White House today, we host a debate between Rashid Khalidi of Columbia University and Commentary magazine’s Jonathan Tobin. “It is true [Iran does not] have the weapon now, the question is are we going to wait until … they are one screwdriver away from doing it or not,” says Tobin. “[Iran’s] policy has been to forthrightly proclaim it wishes to destroy Israel — to wipe it off the map. Letting it have nuclear weapons is a threat to the entire region.” But Khalidi argues that war with Iran “would guarantee that no responsible Iranian leadership in the future would allow Iran to be without a nuclear weapon after it had been attacked in an unprovoked fashion either by the U.S. or Israel.” Khalidi adds, “It will be a disaster that would make Iraq and Afghanistan look like tea parties.” Tobin and Khalidi also debate the relationship between Iran and Syria.
AMY GOODMAN: Although the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, AIPAC, and its sympathizers convene annually, this year’s gathering was especially fraught with significance, given the election-year politics and heightening tensions between Iran and Israel.
During their meeting today, Netanyahu is expected to continue pressuring Obama to adopt a more stringent line on Iran. Specifically, he wants Obama to explicitly state the circumstances under which the U.S. itself would strike Iran. Israeli officials are also demanding Iran halt all enrichment of uranium before the West resumes negotiations with Tehran. However, the White House has rejected this precondition and is sticking to its policy of economic sanctions, with military action as a last resort.
For more on Obama’s position on Iran and Israel, we’re joined now by two guests. From Philadelphia, we’re joined by Jonathan Tobin, the senior online editor ofCommentary magazine. His latest piece is called “What’s Missing from Obama’sAIPAC Speech? Red Lines on Iran and Palestinians.” Tobin’s columns have also regularly appeared in the Jerusalem Post and elsewhere.
Here in New York we’re joined by Rashid Khalidi. He’s the Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies at Columbia University’s Department of History and the author of several books, including Sowing Crisis: American Dominance and Iron Cage: The Story of the Palestinian Struggle for Statehood.
Jonathan Tobin, Professor Khalidi, welcome, both, to Democracy Now! Let’s begin with Jonathan Tobin. What was your assessment of President Obama’s AIPACspeech, and what did you feel was missing?
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