Syria Strike on Pause

Obama Unleashes Horror in Jerusalem - David Horovitz

The Israeli political and security leadership is privately horrified by President Obama's 11th-hour turnaround on striking Syria. It is profoundly concerned that the president has set a precedent that may complicate, delay or even rule out credible action to thwart Iran's drive to nuclear weapons. 

Obama has given Assad more time to ensure that any eventual strike causes a minimum of damage, and to claim initial victory in facing down the U.S. At the very least, too, Obama has led the Iranians to believe that presidential promises to prevent them attaining nuclear weapons need not necessarily be taken at face value.

If a formidable U.S. strike does ultimately come, some of that damage can yet be undone, the Israeli leadership believes. If there is no strike, the U.S. - hitherto Israel's only dependable military ally - will be definitively perceived in the region as a paper tiger, with dire implications for its regional interests and for Israel.
(Times of Israel)


Weak World Response on Syria Boosts Chance of Strong Israeli Action on Iran
- Herb Keinon

Whether or not Israel decides to act against Iran could be determined in large part by how the world acts now against Syria. "Trust us," the world - led by the U.S. - has urged Israel for years on Iran. "We will deal with Iran, we will not allow them to get nuclear weapons." Really? One could not blame the Iranians for calculating what action they could expect if they run at full speed to nuclear capability. The British will vote military action down in Parliament, and Obama will bring the matter to Congress for a vote if Congress is in session.

Besides, if this is how the world acts when 1,429 people are gassed, how should we expect it to act if Iran just crosses the nuclear threshold but doesn't kill anybody yet? If the response is not harsh enough, or swift enough, or serious enough, the Iranians may very well conclude that they would face a similar situation and proceed with their nuclear program at full speed.

Israel, too, may conclude that if the world's response is not harsh enough, or swift enough, or serious enough, then they too will feel that they have a green light to take action to stop the Iranians. The lack of a strong international response in Syria might compel Israel to think twice about relying on the world to rid it of the Iranian nuclear menace.
(Jerusalem Post)


Decision to Delay Strike against Syria Sends Dangerous Message
- Ron Ben-Yishai

Should Congress approve an attack, President Obama will not be as limited as he is now with regards to the scope of the attack and the damage it will cause.
(Ynet News)
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UPDATE: 


Israel Views America and Syria - Jennifer Rubin

A former U.S. official tells me the top levels of the Israeli government are convinced that Assad is not about to make more enemies by lashing out against Israel in the event the U.S. responds militarily to the use of weapons of mass destruction. At the same time, most Israelis are coming to the conclusion that it will be up to them to deal with Iran's nuclear arms program.

Imagine for a moment how different this situation would be if Iran had a nuclear weapon. Iran would rule the roost, daring the U.S. to act while threatening to take out Tel Aviv - or Berlin. Iran's nuclear capability would soon become a shield for every bad actor in the region. Israel swims in a sea of violence and unchecked Islamic extremism.
(Washington Post)

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