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Hillary Clinton warns Syria and Iran: US Commitment to Israel is Unshakable
US secretary of state says threats to Israel's security are growing and must be addressed
Hillary Clinton warned Iran and Syria yesterday that America's commitment to Israel's security was unshakable, and they should understand the consequences of threats to the Jewish state.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton talks about the need to reach peace in the Middle East to the American Jewish Committee (Photograph: Astrid Riecken/EPA) The secretary of state said Syrian transfers of increasingly sophisticated weaponry, including rockets, to militants in southern Lebanon and Gaza could spark new conflict in the Middle East. Additionally, she said a nuclear-armed Iran would profoundly destabilise the region.
"These threats to Israel's security are real, they are growing and they must be addressed," she said in the speech to the American Jewish Committee. The speech was the administration's latest effort to reassure Israel that its ties to the US remain strong, despite tensions that flared last month.
Clinton told the group that Israel was "confronting some of the toughest challenges in her history," particularly from Iran, Syria and groups they support, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and reaffirmed US determination to get them to change course.
"Transferring weapons to these terrorists, especially longer-range missiles, would pose a serious threat to the security of Israel," she said.
Israel has accused Syria of providing Hezbollah with Scud missiles, which would dramatically increase the group's ability to strike targets in Israel. Syria has denied the charges.
US officials have not confirmed Hezbollah's possession of Scuds but say they are concerned about its growing arsenal of rockets and missiles.
Ehud Barak, the Israeli defence minister, later addressing the same group, made the same points as Clinton and said Israel was closely watching the situation with Hezbollah and Iran. He said Israel would hold the Lebanese and Syrian governments responsible for the introduction of any "balance-breaking weapons" to Hezbollah.
Getting the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, to stop supplying these weapons, Clinton said, was one of the administration's prime goals in returning an ambassador to Damascus. The US has been without an ambassador in Syria for five years. The nominee, career diplomat Robert Ford, is awaiting Senate confirmation.
Some lawmakers have questioned the wisdom of sending an envoy to Syria now, saying it would reward the country for bad behaviour. Clinton argued it would not be "a reward or concession", but rather "a tool that can give us added leverage and insight and a greater ability to convey strong and unmistakably clear messages aimed at changing Syria's behaviour".
"President Assad is making decisions that could mean war or peace for the region," she said. "We know he's hearing from Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas. It is crucial that he also hear directly from us, so that the potential consequences of his actions are clear."
On Iran, Clinton said the administration remained open to engaging with Tehran, but it must meet international demands to prove its suspect nuclear programme is peaceful, and not a cover for developing atomic weapons. Short of that, the US will continue to press for tough new UN security sanctions on Iran.
Iran is trying to forestall fresh sanctions and its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, may try to use a nuclear conference at the UN next week to lobby against them.
Last night, the UN confirmed Ahmadinejad was now a confirmed speaker at the conference at its headquarters in New York, which will review the nuclear nonproliferation treaty.
Ahead of her speech, Clinton said any attempt by Ahmadinejad to undermine the purpose of the conference would fail.
"If he believes that by coming he can somehow divert attention from this very important global effort or cause confusion that might possibly throw into doubt what Iran has been up to... then I don't believe he will have a particularly receptive audience," she said.
In her speech, Clinton also said the US would continue to pursue an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal and was hoping to restart indirect talks between the two sides soon.
The speech came after the Guardian revealed that the US had given private assurances to encourage the Palestinians to join indirect Middle East peace talks, including an offer to consider allowing UN security council condemnation of any significant new Israeli settlement activity.
The administration's special Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, is due back in the region next week. His visit will follow a weekend meeting of Arab League diplomats at which US officials hope for an endorsement of the indirect talks, which Mitchell would mediate.
An attempt to get those talks started last month fizzled out when Israel announced a new Jewish housing project in East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians claim as a future capital.
That drew fierce criticism from the US and led to the worst rift between Washington and its top Middle East ally in decades.
Since then, the administration has sought to repair the damage with a series of recent meetings and speeches from senior officials, including Clinton and James Jones, a national security adviser.
58 Comments so far
Show AllCan't "they" give Hillary some serious work to do? She is idling again. Maybe it's time to put her on a part time schedule and reduce her salary?
Hillary fails to utter a single true phraese or sentence. Instead continues with her warmongering Lies of Mass Distruction.
"These threats to Israel's security are real"
Complete Bullshit! These threat are IMAGINARY. There IS a difference. Iran has never threatened Israel, whereas the constant threats to Iran by the USA and Israel will probably happen. Irans nukes are NON EXISTANT. The nukes of both Israel and the USA are very real.
"Israel was "confronting some of the toughest challenges in her history," particularly from ... Hezbollha and Hamas."
More Bullshit! If Israel really has become afraid of Hizbollah, then DO NOT INVADE LEbananon. Its really that simple. Afraid of Hamas? Really? Then stop burning, bulldozing, white phosphororus, stealing land. Pretty darn simple really.
""balance-breaking weapons" to Hezbollah"
More bullshit! Referring to the relationship between Israel and Lebanon, where Israel completely destroys Lebanon every few years without fears of reprisal. Only a complete unabashed liar would need to refer to that as BALANCE. But if this imaginary fear is really exists, then DO NOT INVADE LEBANON AGAIN. But of course, they will anyway.
""If he believes that by coming he can somehow divert attention from this very important global effort..."
BS again! You mean Irans COMPLIANCE with the NPT or Israels NON COMPLIENCE. You mean any attempt to divert the focust from NON EXISTANT propaganda aimded at INVADING and STEALING Oil?
"...then I don't believe he will have a particularly receptive audience," she said."
You mean the USA media will say bad things about him? Surprise surprise!
"Hillary Clinton talks about the need to reach peace in the Middle East to the American Jewish Committee"
No she did not. All her talk was in order to facilitate war. That should have read "Hillary tells the required lies of obesience to her Zionist masters". Hillary Clinton refuses to talk to the Iranians, but seems to spend quite a bit of her time at Israeli conventions, not just talking to the Israelis, but actually demonstrating her obesience.
Samantha Powers is right. Hillary is a monster. So what does Obama do? He fires Samantha and hires Hillary as Secretary of State. Again, Obama caves to the DLC and MIC. Hillary still has visions of being President and is forever out to prove that she is as tough as any male saber-rattling warmonger.
braithwa842: "Iran has never threatened Israel"
An Article on Iran-Israel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%E2%80%93Israel_relations
Ahmadinejad incite the audience “Death to Israel.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_KfstCcywo
Iran attacks the Israeli Embassy in Argentina in 1992
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Israeli_Embassy_attack_in_Buenos_Aires
Iranian revolutionary guard fight against Israel in 2006.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Lebanon_War
More on Ahmadinejad and Israel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Ahmadinejad_and_Israel
Of course Ahmenijhad condemns the behavior of Israel. So do I.
That is a nice collection of links Letto, and the fact that NONE of them significantly support the assertion that Iran threatens Israel proves my point. The Wikipedia article makes no such statements. Also you have previously asserted that Iran has attacked Argentinia. I had thought it to be bullshit, and your link confirms that, by only suggesting an Iraninan "link".
The threats of Israel to Iran, on the other hand are REAL. An the attempts to get the USA to make war on Iran, using their stranglehold on US politics, are very likely succeed, unless we all do whatever we can to stop it.
You Letto, are like Clinton. You make whatever deceptions you can in order to facilitate war, with no regard for the consequences. The occupation of Iraq has already killed 1.5 million, brought 4 million refugees to Syria and left another million internally displaced. If you do not already have blood on your hands with Iraq, Letto, and I suspect you do, then you certainly will if you help cause the war on Iran.
braithwa842: "Of course Ahmenijhad condemns the behavior of Israel"
Ahmenijhad doesn't condemn the behaviour of Israel. Ahmenijhad condemns Israel's existance, (and predicts its destruction as if he has insider information).
I don't recall Clinton (or any other Western leader) inciting the crowd in Washington with calls "Death to Iran!" (Or death to any other UN member for that matter.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_KfstCcywo
there you go again, smoking the zionist dope and spouting nonsense....where have you been, to Israel to get indoctrinated with more BS that you can blow out here????
braithwa842: "Iran has never threatened Israel"
Why are we not calling for a nuclear free Middle East/ That includes BOTH Israel and Iran as nuclear free.
"Why are we not calling for a nuclear free Middle East/ That includes BOTH Israel and Iran as nuclear free."
Now, there you go, diverting attention away from the "very important global effort" to make sure Israel and the US can continue their illegal occupations, smashing any little country that gets in the way.
rvrwalker: "make sure Israel and the US can continue their illegal occupations, smashing any little country that gets in the way."
Iran is 75 times bigger than Israel. I wouldn't call Iran "little country."
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Israel_Iran_Locator.PNG
" balance-breaking" weapons
As in no more unrestrained slaughter of Muslims.
isreals 200 nukes need some balancing or better eradication.
is isreal still considering the samson option of nuking europe and the middle east
israel is what has destabilized the middle east.
the ongoing inspections will readily discover any IRANIAN attempts to build a nuke.
USA can rush munitions to israel to slaughter gazans but no one can send weapons that threaten israels uncontested domination
As Secretary of State, one would think she would be working full time to end our invasions. But she is not really in charge. She is only taking orders.
Joe
Hillary Clinton is an ugly old man.
//she said a nuclear-armed Iran would profoundly destabilise the region// (sic)
She is only interested by the stability that serves her hidden masters. But who are they?
Hilary should be at home keeping an eye on Bill! Not running around the globe trying to start wars for the corporate elite. Oh, thats right, she is part of the corporate elite. I wonder how many shares of Haliburton, KBR, Bechtel and Xe she owns?
"US commitment to Israel is unshakeable"
I'm tired of being included in statements like this.
It should be: US GOVERNMENT commitment to Israel is unshakeable.
99% of what my government says or does is NOT representative of my desires & wishes.
Oh Boy, you got that right. Our government pandering to Isreal is rediculous. I find it hard to believe. There must be some major blackmail issue the public is unaware of that keeps our politicians sucking up no matter what the Isrealis do.
I agree on this. For one thing izraelis very much most likely have no problem with setting up elected or appointed government officials in compromising situations that work better than money in collecting on that information of compromise. I call it 'skeleton in the closet' politics and just plain old blackmail will work also.
The 2 worse terrorist nations stick together- they will fall together, as the fascist empires amerika and israel collapse ! War criminal clinton is a war mongering puppet, deserving only prison, along with bush, cheney , rice, gates and obomber !
U.S. commitment to Israel or any other country should never be unconditional or "unshakable". How dare Hillary Clinton make such an irresponsible statement?
Agree. Hillary and others put Israel ahead of Americans as we shell out billions to Israel while the US is heads into the direction of bankrutcy or a massive cut in social spending.
-"...an offer to consider allowing UN security council condemnation of any significant new Israeli settlement activity."
What a lorry load of hot air... "cosider", "significant", "new"... in other words the US will not consider forgoing its veto of worldwide condemnation of Israel's insignificant ongoing settlement activity. What a joke. Yeah, things would have been so much better with her as president.
Apart from that, the language about Israel's neigbours as "terrorists"? What a joke. It seems giving Israel your latest and greatest bombs is fine for Obama, but the countries that Israel invades, occupies, threatens,...having weapons? Oh!! We can't have that!!! Israel, like America wants war, at least the people in charge, who don't share in the pain, do. So, what do you think is going to happen?
"Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none." (Jefferson)
Yes, if Jefferson were to come back today, he'd be sick with rage over what we have become, notwithstanding his slaveholding ways, of course.
Even though I am a citizen of the u.s.a. this bitch does not speak for me! And the sooner the current terrorist izraeli overlords are finally hushed out of existence won't be soon enough for me and hill billie hillary along with them for that matter.
The state of izrael, proof of a nation, under the guise of religious BS, gone berserk.
The biggest threat to Israel is Israel. It's destroying itself economically, morally, culturally, and as part of the world community. It's like a drug addict sinking into the gutter. It's roots as a terrorist nation from the beginning are now blossoming into full fledged tyranny, sociopathy, and complete evil. (Much like the US.)
Boycott, sanction, divest!
Yes, yes, Madame Clinton is a good little bootlicker. She is thinking politically and doesn't give a fig about what best for America or the world. She is frightened of AIPAC (the powerful Israeli lobby) and what they will do in retaliation if she doesn't comply.
AIPAC has control over a lot of money and not only will they not fund you if don't bend over far enough, they'll fund your opponent.
AIPAC is funded in part by the extremist Likud Party in Israel and AIPAC takes their marching orders from them.
They don't represent the thinking of the majority of Jews and certainly not the majority of American Jews.
Their influence is contrary to American interests and their power represents interference in the internal affairs of the US by a foreign power.
America's so-called commitment to Israel is the dirty work of a small number of politically motivated scoundrels who don't give a damn about America or anything else. It is a contradiction to call oneself a patriotic American, a progressive and a supporter of these murdering weasels. Israeli snipers are busy each and every day doing things that would land a person in prison for life, and doing them with impunity. It is unbearable to contemplate, unthinkable for any sane person to support. Hillary is a hollow monster.
In case any of you do not yet know about Israel's relentless bombing of the USS Liberty in 1967 that was sailing in international waters, go to this veteran's website and read all about it and watch the BBC film, "Dead in the Water" that is embedded at the site:
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/03/20/gordon-duff-law-needed-to-protect-the-uss-liberty-survivors/
Then ask yourselves: Why are we "allies" with Israel?
Come on, How low can you get. Providing an article that compares the attack on the USS Liberty to the Holocaust?
---
During 1967 (43 years ago), Israel was at war. The attack on the USS Liberty was a friendly fire case, (the USS Liberty was mistaken for an Egyptian ship.)
Friendly fire accidents do occur in wartime. The day before the attack on the Liberty, Israeli aircraft had bombed an Israeli armored column south of the West Bank town of Jenin, demonstrating such mistakes do happen
During the Vietnam war, 8,000 US soldiers died from friendly fire. During WW-II, the number was above 20,000.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendly_fire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty_incident
On July 2, 2003, the National Security Agency released copies of the recordings made by the EC-121 and the resultant translations and summaries...
English transcripts of the released tapes indicate that Israel still believed it had hit an Egyptian supply ship even after the attack had stopped. [9] [10] After the attack, the rescue helicopters are heard relaying several urgent requests that the rescuers ask the first survivor pulled out of the water what his nationality is, and discussing whether the survivors from the attacked ship will speak Arabic. [11]
The NSA-translated tapes show that the helicopters were first dispatched to rescue Egyptians (control tower to helicopter 815 at 1234Z: "The ship has now been identified as an Egyptian ship"), and that they demonstrate confusion as to the identification of the target ship. (e.g. control tower to helicopter 815 at 1310Z "The first thing is for you to clarify what nationality they are. Notify me immediately.") Cristol adds: "The tapes confirm that the helicopter pilot observed the flag at 3:12 p.m." (1312Z) which would coincide with the audio tapes the Israel Air Force released to Cristol of the radio transmissions before, during and after the attack. The English translations of the Israeli Air Force tapes are published in Appendix 2 of Cristol's book The Liberty Incident.
Albright, Rice, Clinton--it's a such joke among diplomats it has a number--"Joke 3455".
Right on. They are:
1. A professional old bag (Let Iraqui kids DIE!)
2. Aunt Jemima updated with Ferragamos (Let em eat pancakes!)
3. A clone of Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West in a polyester pantsuit, pop beads and NO cigar, shouting Oy vey, carpetbomb Persia!
Fuckin A.
LOL!!!!!!!!! You are making me laugh and cry at the same time! I needed that...
I am not sure that I did, though.
Those ballbusting war whores make me puke.
"Joke 3455", aka "The Aristocrats".
The second Obama selected Hillary and other hawks on his cabinet, you knew he his Hope for Change campaign was a farce.
"The Man From Hope For Change", jeje.
Spare change, so far.
Many of us saw it long before that. How about the telecommunications immunity? And his vote against placing a cap on what lenders could charge borrowers - the bill would have capped it at 35%! How much do I get to charge my bank for keeping my money in savings? (kind of like lending it to them, right?) First of all, I don't get to say, the bank does and interest on savings is at around .06% in most banks. Credit unions a bit more.
>>The secretary of state said Syrian transfers of increasingly sophisticated weaponry, including rockets, to militants in southern Lebanon and Gaza could spark new conflict in the Middle East. Additionally, she said a nuclear-armed Iran would profoundly destabilise the region.
Syria denies such transfers occur. The Governmnet of Lebanon deny such transfers occur. Where is the EVIDENCE? Remember Ms Hilary YOUR lying Government made such claims in the past all later PROVED to be outright lies.
Why is this claim suddenly believable?
As long as US has Israel’s support it has nothing to worry about.
And of course Syria & Iran are threatening the screwballs in Israel, right. Christ what a joke & why does the Clinton think she must deliver veiled threats to S&I, they aren't bothering anyone.
Hillary just caused a further loss of support for the US in its Asian quagmire wars, and a few more US soldiers die.
Keep shooting your mouth off, Hillary, while troops get their faces shot off.
Hilary Clinton :
"Hillary Clinton warned Iran and Syria yesterday that America's commitment to Israel's security was unshakable, and they should understand the consequences of threats to the Jewish state.
http://www.viewzone.com/dualcitizen.html
You will easily understand, as you proably already do, why Clinton says America's commitment to Israel's security is unshakable.
Where do these guys loyalties, many with dual citizenship, in the highest offices of the usa - lie?
Letto April 30th, 2010 11:27 pm
rvrwalker: "make sure Israel and the US can continue their illegal occupations, smashing any little country that gets in the way."
Iran is 75 times bigger than Israel. I wouldn't call Iran "little country."
GOOD!
I'm GLAD that Iran is 75x bigger than israel.
May israel lose MANY and pay DEARLY if they attack Iran!! Israel's debts are LEIGON, and they will eventually pay for their crimes-mark my words.
The US and 'mini-me' israel are run by learned sociopaths, and I fear that the US will pay dearly for helping Israel. Our bond with them is based on racism, outdated religious notions, and flat-out GREED.
Israel is the most progressive country in the Middle East. (In terms of Democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, woman's rights, gay's right, and minorities rights.)
Did you know that in Israel, being gay is not a crime? (In Iran – it’s a crime punishable by death.)
http://images.google.ca/images?hl=en&q=iran%20gay&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi
Did you know that in Israel, (unlike in many other Middle Eastern countries) women can drive, chose who to marry, what to wear, their career, and how many kids (if any) they can have?
Did you know that unlike Iran, in Israel, a woman can see another man without being stoned to death?
http://images.google.ca/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=iran+stonning&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&start=0
Did you know that in Israel, people can convert from any religion to any other without being put to death? (In Iran, a Muslim who converts to any other religion will be executed.)
Now I’m not saying that there is no racism in Israel. Nevertheless, the level of racism in Israel is lower than in any other country in the Middle East. (Including Iran.)
Letto. Given that israel is better on gay rights. True. It is a fact that it is not safe to be 'out' in many areas...Including the West Bank. I know from friends who are ISM activists. So.....
Why is israeli government so close with the right wing, gay hating american fundamentalist christians? Shouldn't israel take a moral stand here? Particularly since these are the people who want all jews to move to israel in order for the second coming and rapture to occur. In which case most jews are to be killed, and a small percentage to be converted. Do you find this alliance at all strange?
They support israel but feel that jews must be killed when Jesus returns.
As a jew myself, i would be sincerely interested in your thoughts on this.
PRAGMATISM, OPPORTUNISM, WARMONGERING
That ain´t all you "fail to see", IDF shill.
The US indicated that they were taking nothing "off the table" when dealilng with Iran--including nuclear weapons.
Israel threatens Iran about every 15 minutes.
I suppose the only way to get rid of vermin like you is to stop publishing anything about Israel.
De-countrifying it would be a good start on that.
It's interesting how the IDF shills can post with impunity here, whereas Native Americans are banned left and right to the point where there are only a couple of us still posting here.
Hillary Clinton is the same neocon that warned America that Obama was too soft during the primaries and has proven that she is ready to sacrifice America's interests to that of Israel's as any good new york politician must. She is disgusting.