David Rothkopf: Iran Acted with a ‘Degree of Restraint’

VOSSOUGHIAN It s interesting ░░░░░░░░ me because we had ░░░░░░░░ suggesting they were going ░░░░░░░░ retaliate that Iran was ░░░░░░░░ to retaliate after this ░░░░░░░░ on their top generals ░░░░░░░░ Syria We know the ░░░░░░░░ repeatedly had said Don ░░░░░░░░ Don t do it ░░░░░░░░ anybody inside the administration ░░░░░░░░ you ve been speaking ░░░░░░░░ actually think that Iran ░░░░░░░░ not going to respond ░░░░░░░░ an attack like that ░░░░░░░░ No I think everyone ░░░░░░░░ Iran was going to ░░░░░░░░ And I think some ░░░░░░░░ if you ask them ░░░░░░░░ the record would say ░░░░░░░░ the manner in which ░░░░░░░░ responded it wasn t ░░░░░░░░ It could have caused ░░░░░░░░ lot of damage But ░░░░░░░░ were telegraphing their punches ░░░░░░░░ did give Israel a ░░░░░░░░ to prepare they did ░░░░░░░░ to the United States ░░░░░░░░ third party intermediaries they ░░░░░░░░ say that they hope ░░░░░░░░ this would be the ░░░░░░░░ of it So they ░░░░░░░░ acted with a degree ░░░░░░░░ restraint even though the ░░░░░░░░ was really quite sweeping ░░░░░░░░ its sort of dramatic ░░░░░░░░ So that is an ░░░░░░░░ sign And I think ░░░░░░░░ lot of people would ░░░░░░░░ that not only will ░░░░░░░░ sort of act with ░░░░░░░░ going forward but that ░░░░░░░░ we can move back ░░░░░░░░ the kind of shadow ░░░░░░░░ that Israel and Iran ░░░░░░░░ been in for a ░░░░░░░░ time and lower the ░░░░░░░░ so that we don ░░░░░░░░ have the risk of ░░░░░░░░ regional war which is ░░░░░░░░ absolutely no one s ░░░░░░░░ VOSSOUGHIAN Is there a ░░░░░░░░ now David that this ░░░░░░░░ thing could set back ░░░░░░░░ kind of ongoing negotiations ░░░░░░░░ are currently happening when ░░░░░░░░ comes to the war ░░░░░░░░ Gaza release of hostages ░░░░░░░░ well A potential two ░░░░░░░░ solution very far down ░░░░░░░░ road it seems at ░░░░░░░░ point ROTHKOPF I think ░░░░░░░░ can distract from it ░░░░░░░░ think Israel in some ░░░░░░░░ hoped that it would ░░░░░░░░ from it But Israel ░░░░░░░░ also said that they ░░░░░░░░ planning to move forward ░░░░░░░░ an operation in Rafah ░░░░░░░░ famine in Gaza is ░░░░░░░░ taking place and accelerating ░░░░░░░░ the suffering in Gaza ░░░░░░░░ to be addressed and ░░░░░░░░ suffering of the hostages ░░░░░░░░ to be addressed something ░░░░░░░░ is a real source ░░░░░░░░ tension between Netanyahu and ░░░░░░░░ Israeli people So I ░░░░░░░░ for a lot of ░░░░░░░░ turning attention back to ░░░░░░░░ kind of cease fire ░░░░░░░░ Gaza getting the hostages ░░░░░░░░ and setting us on ░░░░░░░░ path perhaps a long ░░░░░░░░ towards a two state ░░░░░░░░ is precisely what is ░░░░░░░░ needed in this case ░░░░░░░░ a bigger conflict with ░░░░░░░░ is not needed and ░░░░░░░░ fact could hurt the ░░░░░░░░ of Israel Iran the ░░░░░░░░ in the region the ░░░░░░░░ States.”