# Iranian Scientist's Wife Says Husband Sought Annihilation of Israel **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 24, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783 "2012-02-24T00:55:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/1 "2012-02-24T00:55:22Z")
> **[Iranian Scientist's Wife Says Husband Sought Annihilation of Israel](https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/02/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/253368/)** > > The wife of Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan Behdast, the scientist was assassinated in Tehran last month, says her husband's "ultimate goal was the annihilation of Israel." > [@](#): > > I’m not sure I understand this story out of Iran. The wife of Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan Behdast, the scientist was assassinated in Tehran last month, says her husband’s “ultimate goal was the annihilation of Israel.” Why would someone involved in Iran’s peaceful nuclear program have as a goal the murder of six million Jews? Shouldn’t he have sought another line of work, perhaps with Hezbollah, that would have set him on track to reach this goal? How could he possibly achieve his dream as an employee of such a peaceful nuclear program as Iran’s? Nah. Iran is not looking to develop a nuclear weapon. And I am sure the wife’s statement is just another “mistranslation”. She actually said that her husband’s ultimate goal was saving kittens. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/2 "2012-02-24T01:02:31Z")
Not that I particularly believe Iran’s statements about its nuclear program, but why does it matter what this scientist thought? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/3 "2012-02-24T01:08:15Z")
Exactly. She just said her husband wanted Israel destroyed, not anything useful or concrete like “he was making nuclear weapons to destroy Israel.” By those standards, millions of Americans are plotting to destroy Iran just because they think it should be nuked into oblivion. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/4 "2012-02-24T01:09:50Z")
Purely as a hypothetical, how do we think the scientists in Israel’s nuclear program feel about Iran? ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/5 "2012-02-24T12:52:08Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Purely as a hypothetical, how do we think the scientists in Israel’s nuclear program feel about Iran? Well… considering that Israel has had nukes longer than Iran has existed as an Islamic state, I’d say they’d find it hard to convince themselves they are working toward its “annihilation.” ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/6 "2012-02-24T19:29:31Z")
There’s a lot of people in the US who wants Iran destroyed, and those people actually have the means to make it happen. Iran has much more to worry about from us than Israel has to worry about from Iran ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/7 "2012-02-24T20:13:56Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > There’s a lot of people in the US who wants Iran destroyed, and those people actually have the means to make it happen. Iran has much more to worry about from us than Israel has to worry about from Iran We’re not being run by crazy religious fanatics - yet. And denying Iran’s right to exist is not a central tenet of our foreign policy. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/8 "2012-02-24T20:33:18Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Not that I particularly believe Iran’s statements about its nuclear program, but why does it matter what this scientist thought? Assuming always that the source was accurate, it’s evidence that the scientist in question was, in fact, working towards making nuclear weapons. It certainly isn’t determinative as to what the research and development the guy was doing was to be used for (that being a political decision and not up to this scientist), but certainly the opinion of the guy working in Iran’s nuclear program gives some useful indication as to exactly what he was working on. I suppose it would be possible for Iran to “annihilate” Israel by outcompeting it with its awesome peaceful nuclear energy project, but the statement makes considerably more sense in the context of Iran making nuclear weapons - a point which is in some dispute. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/9 "2012-02-24T20:37:35Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Purely as a hypothetical, how do we think the scientists in Israel’s nuclear program feel about Iran? We know that Israel has nukes. It has had them for decades. If an Israeli nuclear scientist (hypothetically) claimed to be working for the destruction of Iran, such a statement adds no new knowledge about whether or not Israel is trying for nukes, because we already know it has them. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/10 "2012-02-24T21:06:55Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Exactly. She just said her husband wanted Israel destroyed, not anything useful or concrete like “he was making nuclear weapons to destroy Israel.” > > By those standards, millions of Americans are plotting to destroy Iran just because they think it should be nuked into oblivion. No, she said “her husband’s ultimate goal was the annihilation of Israel.” I bet people raising puppies there want Israel destroyed - after all they’ve been brainwashed for over 30 years - but they wouldn’t say their goal is to have this happen. Just shows that Israel’s secret service knows what it is doing. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/11 "2012-02-24T21:16:35Z")
Given Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the current President of Iran, I would fully expect the ultimate goal of an Iranian nuclear scientist to be the annihilation of Israel. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/12 "2012-02-24T21:22:39Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > We’re not being run by crazy religious fanatics - yet. And denying Iran’s right to exist is not a central tenet of our foreign policy. Yes we are. Have you seen the GOP lately? The Dems aren’t as bad, but they are unwilling or unable to stand up to many of their attacks. Just like Bush’s official policy wasn’t to get rid of Saddam and install a puppet government, it doesn’t matter what our official government policy is. A lot of unofficial stuff still is given the force of policy I would like the GOP candidates, other than Ron Paul, to state that at least if Iran gets a nuke, we’ll still talk to them. That we’ll protect Israel from whatever boogeyman they are afraid of but we’re not going in there to bomb Iran if they are getting a nuke ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/13 "2012-02-24T21:23:42Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Assuming always that the source was accurate, it’s evidence that the scientist in question was, in fact, working towards making nuclear weapons. Ok, so it’s evidence for something most of us were already pretty sure of? I guess that counts for something, but I don’t think that would mean very much. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/14 "2012-02-24T23:02:44Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Ok, so it’s evidence for something most of us were already pretty sure of? I guess that counts for something, but I don’t think that would mean very much. Well, until recently at least there were still people busy arguing that Iran wasn’t going for nukes, that the notion that they were was reminiscent of the Iraq WMDs scare, etc. Plenty of examples of that on this site alone. So, yeah, it means _something_. Another thing is that it is simply another measure of the mood in Iran. Obviously not anything like definitive, but I’d be very surprised - to use your example - if many Israeli scientists or their relations are openly declaring that their goal is “annihilation of Iran”–even if they thought that way, they would know saying as much sounds crack-pottish. The fact that educated Iranians are saying this stuff with straight faces “means something”. Something not good. (And in fact most Israelis could not care less about Iran - other than the fact that Iran poses a threat to their existence and supports terrorism against them. The difference between Iran and Israel is that, if Iran stopped its aggressive acts and rhetoric, Israel–and Israelis–would be happy to ignore them - while the reverse, apparently, is not true). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/15 "2012-02-24T23:10:28Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Obviously not anything like definitive, but I’d be very surprised - to use your example - if many Israeli scientists or their relations are openly declaring that their goal is “annihilation of Iran”–even if they thought that way, they would know saying as much sounds crack-pottish. I didn’t say anything about “many.” This story is about one guy. But let’s go back to the beginning here: the story comes from [Fars News Agency, a news outlet with ties to the Iranian government.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fars_News_Agency) So I won’t say the guy was really talking about kittens - I’ll say I don’t know if anything in the story is true to begin with because it could just as easily be posturing or propaganda by the Revolutionary Guard or anybody else with an axe to grind. So I won’t take it at face value. > [@](#): > > The fact that educated Iranians are saying this stuff with straight faces “means something”. Something not good. If they’re really saying it (in private conversations with their wives). Another point is that the wife doesn’t actually say he said this. But no, I’m not sure it means much of anything. Iran is theocracy that’s been run by crazy people for 30-odd years, and I’d expect a good number of people brought up in that society to share those crazy views. I’m concerned about this issue - my worry with Iran’s nuclear program is that elements in the nuclear program or the government could pass weapons or information to terrorists; if they launched nuclear weapons at Israel because they’d be swiftly wiped out - but I don’t think statements being attributed to one dead scientist matter. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/16 "2012-02-24T23:24:48Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I didn’t say anything about “many.” This story is about one guy. But let’s go back to the beginning here: the story comes from [Fars News Agency, a news outlet with ties to the Iranian government.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fars_News_Agency) So I won’t say the guy was really talking about kittens - I’ll say I don’t know if anything in the story is true to begin with because it could just as easily be posturing or propaganda by the Revolutionary Guard or anybody else with an axe to grind. So I won’t take it at face value. Huh? If the government, or some powerful faction thereof, is deliberately spreading such talk, why would that make it _less_ worrisome? I’d have thought it would make it moreso. > [@](#): > > If they’re really saying it (in private conversations with their wives). Another point is that the wife doesn’t actually say he said this. But no, I’m not sure it means much of anything. Iran is theocracy that’s been run by crazy people for 30-odd years, and I’d expect a good number of people brought up in that society to share those crazy views. I’m still not quite understanding how you extract ‘this isn’t of much concern’ from your stated analysis of the situation! :eek: > [@](#): > > I’m concerned about this issue - my worry with Iran’s nuclear program is that elements in the nuclear program or the government could pass weapons or information to terrorists; if they launched nuclear weapons at Israel because they’d be swiftly wiped out - but I don’t think statements being attributed to one dead scientist matter. Again, it “matters” in the sense that it is a snapshot of the national mood - either a real snapshot of actual folks (assuming it is “true”) or, worse, a snapshot of the “officially endorsed” viewpoint, assuming it is _not_ true in the way you state. Either way is not good. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/17 "2012-02-24T23:28:49Z")
I never realized it was in any doubt that Iran was trying to make nuclear weapons. It’s a perfectly sensible thing for a nation to want. The big question is not whether they’re trying, but to what extent they’re succeeding, and what they’ll do with them if they do. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/18 "2012-02-25T07:45:36Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Yes we are. Have you seen the GOP lately? The Dems aren’t as bad, but they are unwilling or unable to stand up to many of their attacks. You must have missed “yet” in my post. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/19 "2012-02-26T07:59:33Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Ok, so it’s evidence for something most of us were already pretty sure of? I guess that counts for something, but I don’t think that would mean very much. The wife’s statement tends to undermine whatever vestiges of “plausible deniability” they may (or may not) have had. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783/20 "2012-02-26T19:03:22Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > By those standards, millions of Americans are plotting to destroy Iran just because they think it should be nuked into oblivion. > [@Yogsosoth](#): > > There’s a lot of people in the US who wants Iran destroyed Who are all these people who supposedly want Iran obliterated? Do they have a corporeal manifestation that we’ve missed all this time? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iranian-scientists-wife-says-husband-sought-annihilation-of-israel/613783.md?page=2)