by Israel Hayom Staff
Dr. Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy: President Obama in his second term is likely early on to focus on a "grand deal" with Iran, testing the Iranians to see if there is a political settlement before he needs, probably by the end of the second quarter of 2013, to decide on other means — perhaps military means — to prevent the Iranians from achieving nuclear weapons capability.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad tours the Natanz uranium enrichment plant in 2008. [Archive]
|Photo credit: AFP
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In its second term the Obama administration will likely offer Iran a "grand deal" to test whether diplomacy can stop its nuclear research program or whether other means, such as military force, may be necessary, according to Dr. Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
In a video released by the research organization, Dr. Satloff predicts that while the Obama administration will likely be preoccupied with domestic economic affairs in its early days, it will take steps to end the violence in Syria, to take advantage of opportunities to restart talks between Israel and the Palestinians, and to forge a new relationship with the Islamist government in Egypt.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martyn Indyk, speaking on Army Radio Wednesday morning, said he believes that the Obama administration would launch "direct, bilateral negotiations with the Iranians."
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martyn Indyk, speaking on Army Radio Wednesday morning, said he believes that the Obama administration would launch "direct, bilateral negotiations with the Iranians."
"Obama will attempt to reach an agreement with the Iranians that prevents them from obtaining a nuclear weapon. 2013 will be a year of decision. Obama will do his best to exhaust the negotiations, but if the Iranians refuse, I believe Barack Obama will use American force to eliminate Iranian nuclear capability. If he will do that, he will turn to Benjamin Netanyahu and say 'look I've dealt with the Iranian issue, now it's your turn to make progress on the Palestinian issue,'" Indyk said.
Israel Hayom Staff
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=6332
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