A Force For Evil; Russia Shift To CT From SMO; Iran Intel Coup

I’m slowly working my way through some of the interviews I’ve been listening to today. In this partial transcript I’ll append some remarks by Scott Ritter to the remainder of the Chas Freeman interview—Ritter’s remarks are directly pertinent and fascinating.

AMB. Charles Freeman: Israel Destroying Itself.

Judge: Were you surprised that Alastair added in the last two words which had not been the subject of our conversation [who runs American foreign policy], "and Israel"?

Chas: No, not at all. I think the Zionist lobby effectively controls our policies toward West Asia. I think it's coming to the point where support for Israel's actions--for Israel itself—is becoming unconscionable. The world--other than the United States and some parts of Western Europe--sees Israel as a force for evil. Implacable, determined, resolute in its cruelty--and yet we support it. So, what happens, as Israel loses all credibility and support abroad and generates hatred? We are suffering from contagion from Israel's collapse.

Judge: Is Israel on the verge of domestic collapse due to the Netanyahu regime?

Chas: The trends certainly seem to be in that direction. There's no national consensus on a variety of issues anymore. Netanyahu continues to be a formidably effective politician, but widely disliked and opposed--not just in society at large but within the Israeli government. That is, the intelligence agencies oppose many of his beliefs and contradict him. The military just don't like his military strategies. The hostage families regard him as duplicitus and uninterested in the well-being of their family members. The ultra orththodox are ill at ease with the attempt to draw them into the military. Israelis who are liberal or democratic and who have remained in Israel--of course, many of them have emigrated--are upset by the effort to stifle the independence of the judiciary and by the increasingly undemocratic nature of Netanyahu's rule. Israelis who are not religious fanatics, secular Israelis, are dismayed by the presence in the cabinet of religious fanatics who are not just not just that, but fascist.

So I think we have a country that--quite aside from the fact that its economy is suffering terribly, from the ongoing efforts to conquer Gaza, displace Palestinians from the West Bank, devastate Syria, and control Lebanon--all of this is taking its toll. Startups, which were the glory of Israeli science and technology in the Israeli economy, are moving abroad. Bankruptcies are increasing. Many, many people have gone abroad. We don't know whether they'll go back or not. There are increasing doubts among Israelis about the future of their country. If we listen to thoughtful Israelis, I think the answer to your question is, Yes, Israel is on a path to self-destruction.

Judge: The Iranian officials are claiming they have Israel's nuclear secrets, and Prime Minister Netanyah has been mysteriously silent on this claim. The claim is now 48 hours old as we are recording this segment. What does this mean, that they have Israel's nuclear secrets?

Chas: Well, we don't know the content that they have acquired, but we do know that one of the strange phenomena in the controversy over the Iranian nuclear program is that Israel's actual acquisition by clandestine means of a formidable nuclear arsenal is never discussed. So we have Iran discussing the Israeli nuclear programs which were conducted behind the back of the United States in the face of assurances to us that they did not exist. President Kennedy, in particular, was adamant on this subject, and he was deceived [and then removed “with extreme prejudice”]. These Israeli programs are never mentioned. So we have a double standard--which is apparent to the entire world outside the United States.

Judge: Let's get back to the Ukrainian attack on Russia. Do you share the view of Western media that 40 or so multi multi-million dollar nuclear arms capable jets were destroyed, or are you more in the Alastair Crook - Larry Johnson school of thought that it was no more than half a dozen?

Chas: I think Larry and Alastair are correct on that. There was damage done to the Russian nuclear bomber fleet, for sure. There was also a train derailed and civilian casualties as a result of action against that train--which, if the intent was to create civilian casualties, probably is correctly classified as an act of terrorism. But I don't think the damage was that substantial. It's the precedent that this set that is the real problem.

Judge: So the Russians are now rebranding the special military operation as a war against terrorism which, of course, unleashes them under their own rules to seek to eliminate President Zelensky and his senior people. Do you see that happening? And, if so, does that expand this?

Chas: I think the decision to proclaim that this is a war of counterterrorism has important domestic effects in Russia because it basically puts Russia under a form of martial law, which suspends those restraints on the government that existed. Not that they were that great. So the repression in Russia connected to the war--the surveillance, the silencing of any dissent--is bound to increase. But you're also right. I think what the special military operation designation was intended to signal was a limited war--limited not only in its dealings with the backers of Ukraine but with Ukrainian factions that have a history tracing back to the German Nazi SS, which is Stepan Bandera's heritage. The question of denazification which the Russians raised was nothing they were directly pursuing. But I think you're right. I think they have now expanded the attacks to include political figures who are in this ultra nationalist Ukrainian camp, and so I think the war has indeed escalated.

I think this change will also increase the likelihood that Russia could push all the way across Ukraine. It will certainly expand Russia’s aims.

Scott Ritter on the Iranian intel coup

Judge: What is the significance of the claim by Iranian officials that they have secret files on Israeli nuclear capabilities?

Ritter: I don't speak Farsi, but the people who do speak Farsi--when they read the original there's some interpretation. Did the Iranians get the Israeli targeting of Iran's nuclear program, or did they get a specific layout of Israel's nuclear program, or both? But the bottom line is, it shows that Iran has penetrated Israel's security mechanism. They've gained access to data that strengthens its hand in any potential conflict. The interesting thing is, almost immediately after this breach took place, Netanyahu contacted Trump and said, 'Yeah, we're no longer talking about attacking Iran. We'll accept that 3.75% enriched uranium thing.' Remember, Israel said, 'Never, never, never! We will never ...!'

...

The caveat is 'temporarily', and of course the Iranians will do it. But Israel's in a panic right now, because either way--let's say Iran got hold of the target deck. That means that Iran right now is shifting resources, and whatever the Israelis thought they were going to bomb they aren't going to bomb. But if Iran has Israel's nuclear [garbled], that means they can now bring in precision strikes and take out Israel. Israel's in a bind and they desperately need these negotiations to work. My understanding is that Netanyahu has indicated that he is now amicable to a 'temporary' continuation of the Iranian nuclear program, limited to 3.75%. Why? Because Israel knows that if it wants to go to war against Iran it's going to be taken off the face of the earth.

FWIW, I’m not sure I agree with Ritter that Iran will go along with some sort of ‘temporary’ arrangement—depending on the actual details arrived at. I expect the Iranians to be like Xi—very tough to bring to a deal.