For several months Israel has watched from the sidelines as the U.S. engaged in a power play with Iran regarding its potential development of nuclear weapons. At the same timeframe that this has been ongoing Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad described the Nazi Holocaust of European Jewry as a “myth.” In his references to the Nation of Israel he said Israel was “heading toward annihilation.” While the US and Israel have strong ties that date back for 60 years, their government has the same responsibility as ours. Namely homeland security. With that backdrop I am not surprised by this latest news report from the International Herald Tribune which just published the following report that begins as follows:
U.S. says exercise by Israel seemed directed at Iran
By Michael R. Gordon and Eric Schmitt
Published: June 20, 2008
WASHINGTON: Israel carried out a major military exercise earlier this month that American officials say appeared to be a rehearsal for a potential bombing attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Several American officials said the Israeli exercise appeared to be an effort to develop the military’s capacity to carry out long-range strikes and to demonstrate the seriousness with which Israel views Iran’s nuclear program. More than 100 Israeli F-16 and F-15 fighters participated in the maneuvers, which were carried out over the eastern Mediterranean and over Greece during the first week of June, American officials said. The exercise also included Israeli helicopters that could be used to rescue downed pilots. The helicopters and refueling tankers flew more than 900 miles, which is about the same distance between Israel and Iran’s uranium enrichment plant at Natanz, American officials said. Israeli officials declined to discuss the details of the exercise. A spokesman for the Israeli military would say only that the country’s air force “regularly trains for various missions in order to confront and meet the challenges posed by the threats facing Israel.” Today in Africa & Middle East
But the scope of the Israeli exercise virtually guaranteed that it would be noticed by American and other foreign intelligence agencies. A senior Pentagon official who has been briefed on the exercise, and who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the political delicacy of the matter, said the exercise appeared to serve multiple purposes.
To read the entire report simply click on the following link:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/20/america/20iran.php
Juice readers.
This report opens the door to see which of the two major presidential candidates has the best plan for dealing with this potential Foreign Policy challenge.
What do you think Obama’s reaction will be to this story?
The same question should be asked of McCain.
Which candidate do you think Israel would trust the most in the event this Sabre rattling begins to escalate?
Note: For those who have not followed Israel’s military exploits regarding neighbors developing nuclear capability I recall their taking out Iraq’s nuclear reactor in 1991 and most recently their Sept 2007 attack in Syria when it is alleged that they “destroyed a cache of nuclear materials from North Korea.”
Michael Gordon quoting “American officials”? Well now THERE’s some reliable, hard-nosed, investigative reporting for ya.
More like writing down what an American official told him to say.
We’ve been through this before with Gordon’s sloppy reporting on Iraq.
Israel carried out a major military exercise earlier this month that American officials say appeared to be a rehearsal for a potential bombing attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Warmongering and preemptive military action should be discouraged. Cooler heads and smarter thinking are called for. Additional war in the region is a wetdream for Bush. He’s the “War President” and he’s just not finished.
We are already in two wars. I think any talk of additional war is uncalled for. Israel needs to be reassured that we’re their friend and to wait and see what happens in the next predential election. End-of-Timers will have to wait for their Apocalypse.
Anon.
Are you related to Neville? You know who I mean.
The guy who preceded Winston Churchill. Neville Chamberlain, UK’s Prime Minister from 1937-1940 who supported the appeasement policy” that conceded part of Czechoslovakia to Adolf Hitler.
FYI. “Chamberlain was forced to resign the premiership on 10 May 1940, after Germany invaded the Netherlands, Belgium and France.”
We do not need to sit on the sidelines and “hope for the best.” “Hope” will never replace Homeland Security. Pacifism is not an alternative.
In da paper, Iran is ready to talk about their nuclear program. Just days after Israel’s war games.
The difference of attitudes of the “Wait and see” or “Take a stand”.
Larry,
Typical for you hawks. You see the world in black and white. In your world, questioning our policies, and Israel’s policies, makes one a Neville-esque “pacifist”. As does questioning the “journalistic” techniques employed by the likes of Mr. Gordon, as well as the majority of the establishment press.
Allow me to remind you that these are the very same people who wrote things like “administration sources say they have evidence that Iraq has stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction”.
And your attempt to draw a parallel between Hitler’s Germany and present-day Iran are really quite laughable.
Larry:
Might I suggest the bullseye for the bombing attack by Israel be the Jimmy Carter abandoned U.S. ambassador residence in Iran.
Of course all the Israeli pilots would have to wear a sweater and and carry a bag of peanuts in their flight suite pockets. Pilots shot down can call for Jesse Jackson to negotiate their release or beheading–whichever Mahmoud Ahmadinejad chooses.
Anon.
The Herald Tribune article and this post address’s a possible action against Iran by the Nation of Israel, not the U.S.A. As such, where does WMD enter the picture?
Furthermore, Israel gets one shot. If they lose a single war they are driven into the sea. Unlike the U.S.A. they are within range of Iran’s missiles be it a direct hit or from Syria.
Let me suggest your looking at a globe before your next response.
And yes I am a Hawk in this self preservation.
Herb.
My sense is that ANON voted for “Dove” Jimmy Carter. Please don’t open up that old sore.
We lost our honor the day students took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran capturing 52 Americans and holding them hostage for 444 days starting in Nov of 1979. In April of 1980, five months later, he made one botched rescue attempt.
While Pacifist Jimmy Carter practiced a “policy of restraint” we looked like a bunch of wimps to the entire world. Foreign Embassy’s are supposed to be off limits and protected by the host country. “The crisis is thought to have strengthened the prestige of the Ayatollah Khomeini and consolidated the political hold of radical anti-American forces who supported the hostage taking.”
The hostages were only released on Jan 19, 1981, one day before Ronald Reagan was sworn in. So while Jimmy Carter enjoyed his turkey (or ham) for Christmas in 1980, American hostages sat locked up waiting and waiting and waiting for their release. And I am certain that their families back in the states were not celebrating that Holiday.
Iran’s Ayatollah Ahmad Khatammi responds:
“If enemies, especially Israelis and their supporters in the United States, would want to use a language of force, they should rest assured that they will receive a strong blow in the mouth,” senior cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami was quoted by AFP as saying during a Friday prayers sermon, which was also broadcast live on state radio.
Khatami stressed that the Iranian nation’s mentality was “to fight foreigners.”
“Given this mentality, if you make a hostile look at the Islamic Iran, you will witness such a united roar by our nation that it will definitely make you regret any vicious move forever,” he added.”
If Israel had hit Iran when they first wanted to, then it would have set Iran back many years. Now that Bush and Obama have proven they have no backbone and do not have a pair between their legs as a man should and were and are afraid of Iram and what they might do, has only caused many young Isralies to lose their lives when the bombs hit the fan. They were also afraid of what the Russians and what China and the world would think of them. They did not and do not care for Israel and the Jewish people. Israel will stand alone on this and Israel will win. The world fails to realize the most important point in all of this. GOD! The Word Of GOD has told us over and over, Israel is HIS Chosen Nation and The Jewish People are HIS Chosen People. Yes Israel will suffer, but they will not be defeated. When this war kicks off and Israel faces Syria, Hezbalah, Hamas and Iran, the world is going to see just how much GOD loves Israel and just how Great GOD is! When this kicks off it may well be the destruction of Demascus as fortold in The Bible. We will soon see if the god the Musliums worship is greater than the GOD I worship and The GOD who loves Israel. I myself already know who the winner is! Do you?