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United States President Barack Obama.
 (AP)
Last update - 18:40 02/06/2009
Obama: I can't tell Israel not to fear Iran
By Haaretz Service

United States President Barack Obama has said he cannot tell Israel not to fear Iran's nuclear ambitions, in comments published Saturday ahead of a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"I understand very clearly that Israel considers Iran an existential threat, and given some of the statements that have been made by President Ahmadinejad, you can understand why," Obama told Newsweek. The magazine will publish the full interview on May 25.

"Their calculation of costs and benefits are going to be more acute," he added. "They're right there in range and I don't think it's my place to determine for the Israelis what their security needs are."
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Obama's comments came after CIA chief Leon Panetta informed Netanyahu last week that the U.S. President Obama demanded that Israel not launch a surprise attack on Iran.

Netanyahu is expected to raise the issue of Iran's nuclear program, which Israel and Western nations say is aimed at manufacturing atomic weapons, during his visit to Washington.

In the Newsweek interview, Obama said he wanted to offer Iran an opportunity to align itself with international norms and international rules.

"We are going to reach out to them and try to shift off of a pattern over the last 30 years that hasn't produced results in the region," he said.

But the president added that he was "not naive" about the difficulties of such a process. He said if the overtures to the Islamic Republic failed, "The fact that we have tried will strengthen our position in mobilizing the international community, and Iran will have isolated itself."


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      1.   Bush tried, Clinton tried 17:48  |  Karl 17/05/09
      2.   Obama speaking out of both sides of his mouth? 17:53  |  S 17/05/09
      3.   President Obama is being non-commital. 17:53  |  Lou Medel 17/05/09
      4.   CAN HE TELL IRAN THE OPPOSITE? 17:56  |  indrajaya 17/05/09
      5.   But at what cost? 17:59  |  Morris Valentine 17/05/09
      6.   In Other Words:The US Do Not Necessarily Agree with Israel`s View 18:00  |  Monitor 17/05/09
      7.   So, Israel must fend off Iran. OK, and America must look... 18:22  |  S 17/05/09
      8.   Obviously they are training terrorits... 18:24  |  rigma 17/05/09
      9.   He can tell Israel to come clean on it,s arsenal 18:28  |  Labhras 17/05/09
      10.   To: MR. "Monitor...`We` worry more about Israel..." 18:37  |  Jack 17/05/09
      11.   An open secret, Iran has the same rights as Israel 18:38  |  fritz t. 17/05/09
      12.   i cant tell obama not to fear Iran 18:50  |  dave 17/05/09
      13.   Nobama should go and read a TelePrompTer 18:54  |  Mark 17/05/09
      14.   Pick your friends 18:54  |  Peter 17/05/09
      15.   indrajaya: Here we go again 18:56  |  Brad 17/05/09
      16.   The West should wake up! 18:56  |  Jean Van Daem 17/05/09
      17.   Monitor: Don`t turn the world on its head 19:00  |  Brad 17/05/09
      18.   #6 The US supports Israel....Period..Anyone 19:02  |  Wyatt Earp 17/05/09
      19.   I reckon so Wyatt....they just gonna stand... 19:06  |  `Doc` Holiday 17/05/09
      20.   Existential Threats 19:07  |  new_york_loner 17/05/09
      21.   Nuclear Iran 19:10  |  nemo 17/05/09
      22.   Double Talk from Obama Admin 19:22  |  Turco 17/05/09
      23.   to all Israel cynics 19:25  |  Turco 17/05/09
      24.   Israel now totally on its` own 19:26  |  Witness 17/05/09
      25.   Mr Obama: THOUSANDS of civilians killed, where is the outrage? 19:33  |  Arie 17/05/09
      26.   The amateur in the White House 19:41  |  Chrostopher 17/05/09
      27.   folly 19:43  |  MEMor 17/05/09
      28.   #5 Mr. Valentine, it does not matter the old saying could be true 19:43  |  Mark B. 17/05/09
      29.   Witness 19:55  |  dave 17/05/09
      30.   Israel has 3 months to stop Iran 19:56  |  Moshe Benzaquen 17/05/09
      31.   Obama is trying & has an uphill struggle ! 20:03  |  Akram Zekaria 17/05/09
      32.   Obama doesn`t have to tell Israel not to fear Iran 20:06  |  Chris Linthwaite 17/05/09
      33.   nemo 20:07  |  dave 17/05/09
      34.   To Nemo 20:16  |  Jim 17/05/09
      35.   Irresistable Force Vs Immovable Object, equals 20:17  |  Witness 17/05/09
      36.   NO, LABHRARSE, WE DON`T 20:18  |  Freethinker 17/05/09
      37.   18 they will arie they will 20:22  |  dave 17/05/09
      38.   Interseeding 20:27  |  Roger 17/05/09
      39.   #18 Arie of BaGolan 20:32  |  Chris Linthwaite 17/05/09
      40.   Witness33 20:38  |  dave 17/05/09
      41.   lol 36 chris 20:43  |  dave 17/05/09
      42.   Chris and Sri Lanka:next complaint 20:46  |  Arie 17/05/09
      43.   Israel does not fear Iran. 20:47  |  Stephen. 17/05/09
      44.   Iran with Nukes 20:50  |  JJ 17/05/09
      45.   new york loner: easy to understand why you ae a loner 20:51  |  x-ray 17/05/09
      46.   [Re: Turco] 21:08  |  Spar 17/05/09
      47.   Freethinker aka kathy --you can change your name 21:18  |  Labhras 17/05/09
      48.   Obama waking up to reality 21:23  |  Realist 17/05/09
      49.   There is nothing new under the sun 21:29  |  Bob 17/05/09
      50.   new_york_loner, you are a real loner 21:30  |  Bruce 17/05/09
      51.   The President sends a serious warning to Iran 21:34  |  Realist 17/05/09
      52.   Its a Done Deal 22:14  |  Robert 17/05/09
      53.   Dont tell iran not to have Nukes also 22:18  |  sonicgumel 17/05/09
      54.   Will Obama "invite" Israel to align itself with 22:23  |  jim the mechanic 17/05/09
      55.   S and Morris V I say a pox on both your houses 22:33  |  American in NY 17/05/09
      56.   Talking to the press. 22:34  |  Stephen. 17/05/09
      57.   the ft has being having orgasms at the prospect 23:08  |  samuel the seer 17/05/09
      58.   linthwaite how would you know about something so complex 23:14  |  harzion 17/05/09
      59.   indrajaya 23:14  |  oz 17/05/09
      60.   why has there been no irish pope 23:16  |  dodgy priest 17/05/09
      61.   chris 23:21  |  oz 17/05/09
      62.   # 5 morris valentine 23:22  |  Axel 17/05/09
      63.   arie on sri lanka 23:38  |  Axel 17/05/09
      64.   Israelis will be have to kiss the Middle East goodbye. 00:20  |  dutch 18/05/09
      65.   Well Christopher..He Did Say "CHANGE"on the Stump didn`t he? 01:06  |  Whiskey/Bravo 18/05/09
      66.   Refreshing 01:20  |  MIKE 18/05/09
      67.   NEW YORK LONER 01:30  |  OZ 18/05/09
      68.   iran considers wiping out the whole country 01:41  |  j 18/05/09
      69.   Karl no. 1 03:13  |  Steve 18/05/09
      70.   To Mark B (#28) 04:10  |  Morris Valentine 18/05/09
      71.   Messianic, Apocalyptic Cult 04:16  |  MIKE 18/05/09
      72.   History repeats itself 07:12  |  utagawa 18/05/09
      73.   Obama - A gesture 08:02  |  Reid 18/05/09
      74.   Mark B - All the more reason not to provoke Israel 08:12  |  Reid 18/05/09
      75.   What Obama should tell the Israelis 01:32  |  Dutch 19/05/09
      76.   To Reid (#74) 05:40  |  Morris Valentine 20/05/09
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