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Netanyahu's Churchillian Warning
(Washington Post) Charles Krauthammer - President Obama must defend the fundamental premise of his Iranian diplomacy. It had been the policy of every president since 1979 that Islamist Iran must be sanctioned and contained. Obama, however, is betting instead on detente to tame Iran's aggressive behavior and nuclear ambitions. For six years, Obama has offered the mullahs an extended hand. He has imagined that he would turn the Khamenei regime into a de facto U.S. ally in pacifying the Middle East. For his pains, Obama has been rewarded with an Iran that has ramped up its aggressiveness in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and Yemen, and brazenly defied the world on uranium enrichment. In about 10 years, the deal expires. Sanctions are lifted and Iran is permitted unlimited uranium enrichment. As the Wall Street Journal's Bret Stephens points out, we don't even allow that for democratic South Korea. Obama's response to Netanyahu's speech was: "The prime minister didn't offer any viable alternatives." But he did: conditional sunset, smaller infrastructure. And if the Iranians walk away, then you ratchet up sanctions, as Congress is urging, which, with collapsed oil prices, would render the regime extremely vulnerable. And if that doesn't work? Netanyahu's final point: Israel is prepared to stand alone, a declaration that was met with enthusiastic applause reflecting widespread popular support. It was an important moment, especially because of the libel being perpetrated by some that Netanyahu is trying to get America to go to war with Iran. In its near-70 year history, Israel has never once asked America to fight for it. Change the deal, strengthen the sanctions, give Israel a free hand. Netanyahu offered a different path in his bold address, Churchillian in its appeal to resist appeasement.