Here, have something else to talk about: Israel lobbyist suggesting false flag attacks to get US to war with Iran: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M84l19H68mk
Can anyone find anything about this guy being an Israel lobbyist outside assertions from conspiracy theory sites (visit the homepage linked from that video for an example of that)? The only history I can find for him are the IMF and World Bank, plus his work at the Washington Institute which is a general Near East policy think tank. Everything I've read about him makes him out to be a financial wonk who is also an expert on Iran. I'm having a really hard time finding the Israel connection.
As for his actual words, there is a little bit of context. After an
hour long discussion (the part shown is around 1:15:15, with direct context for a few minutes before that) they are asked questions by journalists. One of them is about the US's ability, diplomatically and politically speaking, to use force against Iran in the case that they don't respond to diplomacy or sanctions and develop a nuclear bomb. The journalist asking mentions a poll showing that 70% of American are against such an intervention.
The first response is about Obama's being willing to use force
as a last resort, based on his commitment to prevention of Iran getting such a weapon as opposed to a strategy of containment.
Then it's the guy in the video who solely addresses the popularity aspect of going to war with Iran. He basically says that the US rarely gets to declare wars without a clear threat to (or attack on) their own interests. As such, if the US were to go to war with Iran it would be most likely started by someone else.
It was odd language and phrasing, and the guy is somewhat weird (he later makes some remarks about Iranian subs that are odder than the clip shown IMO, suggesting covert military ops have a place alongside sanctions), but I actually think it's an interesting point and, frankly, right. If the US were to ever end up in an armed conflict with Iran it wouldn't be because they fired the first shots. IT would be because (most likely) Israel had made a strike against their nuclear facilities. The site of the Institute giving the talk
have a lengthy article on that scenario that is worth reading.