Israel official: Strike on Iran possible

[Windmill knight]

Now that US elections are over... here we go again *sigh*. :(

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061110/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_iran_nuclear

Israel official: Strike on Iran possible

By AMY TEIBEL, Associated Press Writer1 hour, 34 minutes ago

The deputy defense minister suggested Friday that Israel might be forced to launch a military strike against Iran's disputed nuclear program - the clearest statement yet of such a possibility from a high-ranking official.

"I am not advocating an Israeli pre-emptive military action against Iran and I am aware of its possible repercussions," Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh, a former general, said in comments published Friday in The Jerusalem Post. "I consider it a last resort. But even the last resort is sometimes the only resort."

Sneh's comments did not necessarily reflect the view of Israel's government or of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said government spokeswoman Miri Eisin.

Olmert, who was arriving in Washington on Sunday, said he was confident in the U.S. handling of the international standoff over Iran's nuclear program. The Bush administration and other nations say is a cover for developing atomic weapons, but Tehran says the program is peaceful.

"I have enormous respect for President Bush. He is absolutely committed," Olmert said in an interview on NBC's "Today" show. "I know that America will not allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons because this is a danger to the whole Western world."

The United States and its European allies have proposed a raft of sanctions to try to curb the country's nuclear development.

Israel sees Iran as the greatest threat to its survival. Hard-line Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for Israel's destruction, and Israelis do not believe his claims that Iran's nuclear program is meant to develop energy, not arms.

Israel crippled Iraq's atomic program 25 years ago with an airstrike on its unfinished nuclear reactor. Experts say Iran has learned from Iraq's mistakes, scattering its nuclear facilities and building some underground.

Sneh's tough talk is the boldest to date by a high-ranking Israeli official. Olmert and other Israeli leaders frequently discuss the Iranian threat in grave terms, but stop short of threatening military action.

Years of diplomacy have failed to persuade Iran to modify its nuclear program so it can't develop weapons.

 

[bngenoh]

More propaganda about Iran:

A semiofficial Iranian news agency says Iran has obtained four S-300 surface-to-air missiles despite Russia's refusal to deliver them.

Gota love that, a "semiofficial" no name given what so ever. "I" may just be reading in to this too much though.

The Fars news agency said Wednesday that Iran has obtained two missiles from Belarus and two others from another unspecified source.

IF True, and thats a huge if, it is very interesting, given Joe's article about Saddam's possible escape destination. And since if Saddam did cut a deal to escape to Belarus, it would most definitely have been done through intelligence agencies CIA, Mossad, etc. So the unspecified source is likely to be one of these shadowy groups, that is if this piece of information is to be believed. But, lets go on.

Russia signed a contract in 2007 to sell the missiles to Iran but said in June that new UN Security Council sanctions against Tehran prevent delivery. The sale would have substantially boosted the country's defense capacities, raising Israeli fears it would tip the military balance in the Middle East.

OH, the poor Israelis, i guess the huge stockpiles of Nukes, Chemical & Biological weapons isn't being factored into the equation, but its haaretz soo what would you expect.

[...]

The senior Iranian official added that if Russia eventually refused "to deliver the systems, we are well capable of producing missile defense systems that are very much similar to Russia's S-300 apparatus."

Again, a no named "Iraninan official" their propaganda skills are tanking fast.

Source: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/iran-official-we-have-obtained-the-s-300-missile-system-1.305954

But wait, we have more:

Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavov has warned that a military strike on Iran would be a “very serious mistake” with “unpredictable consequences”, after Israel’s president Shimon Peres said that an attack was increasingly likely.

In comments published in the Israeli daily Hayom, Mr Peres said that “the possibility of a military attack against Iran is now closer to being applied than the application of a diplomatic option”.

[...]

The drumbeat of war is expected to grow louder this week when United Nations nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, issues its most detailed report to date on nuclear research in Iran.

It will provide what Western officials and experts regard as irrefutable evidence that Tehran is compiling the capacity and skills to build a bomb. It will be used as leverage for a fifth round of sanctions at the UN, but could also provide Israel, with the tacit support of Washington, to finalise plans for an air strike.

Among its findings are that Tehran was helped by nuclear experts from two countries, believed to be Russia and Pakistan. The Washington Post reported that key assistance was provided by Vyacheslav Danilenko, a former Soviet nuclear scientist, hired by Iran's Physics Research Centre.

[...]

Moscow, the closest thing Iran has to a big power ally, is deeply opposed to any military action against the Islamic republic, though Moscow has supported UN Security Council sanctions against Tehran.

"This would be a very serious mistake fraught with unpredictable consequences," said Mr Lavrov, addressing reporters in Moscow. "Military intervention only leads to a multiple rise in casualties and human suffering."

[...]

The issue has been debated in the Israeli cabinet, where Mr Netanyahu has argued that only a muscular response will keep the Iranians in check. He has often spoken of the “existential threat” posed by Iran, whose president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for Israel’s annihilation.

[...]

The Iranians, who insist that their nuclear programme is designed for peaceful purposes, have dismissed the IAEA report as “counterfeit”.

Western officials have admitted that the report, due to be circulated to its 35 member states on Tuesday or Wednesday, will not reveal a “smoking gun” of Iranian nuclear weapon-making.

But it will contain new details of particular activities and add flesh to previous reports that make no other conclusion possible, they have said

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/8874073/Russia-warns-against-Israeli-air-strike-on-Iran.html

Now, did you catch all that. The contradictions are amazing aren't they.

But wait, there is more:

Ynet reports (fuller Hebrew version) that Ephraim Halevy, a former Mossad director, said yesterday that Iran poses no “existential threat” to Israel and that attacking it must truly be a last resort. Anyone considering such a strike must realize that it would impact not just Israel, but the entire region for the next 100 years. If this was all Halevy said it would be important, but mere reinforcement of views already expressed forcefully by Meir Dagan, the most recent past Mossad chief. What renders the former’s views even more interesting is that he identifies what he considers an even greater existential threat to Israel: the Haredim (ultra-Orthodox):

Haredi radicalism has darkened our lives. It endangers us even more than Ahmadinejad.

His attack on Haredim is shorthand for an entire range of social developments within Israeli society that includes, but goes beyond merely the ultra-Orthodox. Halevy, who himself was raised in the moderate Orthodox Bnai Akiva youth movement, refers to the increasing religious and political radicalization of the entire Orthodox movement in Israel. There has always been friction between secular and religious within Israel. But in the past, there were streams within the Orthodox movement which held moderate political and halachic views.

[...]

Today’s Orthodox are increasingly extreme in their views. The moderate religious parties are long extinct. In their place are the ultra-Orthodox, who are much more socially separatist and militant. They view Israeli secular society as a world–and a state apart from them. They participate in politics because of the spoils it brings them in financial subsidies, and not for patriotic reasons. For them, the State of Israel is not an end, but a means toward a successor regime that fulfills the tenets of Judaism as they see it.

Haredim generally don’t join the IDF and receive dispensation from military service as long as they are studying in yeshivot. When Haredim do join the army they serve in military units which are among the most brutal in their treatment of the Palestinians. Which brings us to Haredi political activism. Many of them are the extreme among the settlers. Their yeshivot and settlements produce the most virulent and homicidal of the Jewish terrorists in places like Yitzhar, Tapuach, and Itamar (among others).

So when Halevy calls the Haredim an existential threat the term is shorthand for a whole set of phenomena that have developed inside Israel over the past few decades and moved Israel from a place which suffered from a divide between secular and religious; into a society in which, while the secular still existed, they had been co-opted and subsumed into a state that moved more and more in the direction of racism, intolerance, and authoritarianism. These noxious elements, while always present even among secular Israelis, became far more pronounced as Haredi culture did.

[...]

Going farther afield, the Ynet report noted Ehud Barak, while visiting London (yes, the British Parliament has removed any threat of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders possibly culpable for war crimes, thus enabling the Israeli defense minister to re-enter the global political marketplace), made some extraordinarily overblown, incendiary remarks about Iran. Among them was his likening the Islamist regime to North Korea and his claim that an Iranian bomb would undo military arms treaties (which is ironic considering Israel has refused to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty). He also posited an Iran whose hegemony ruled the region through military threat:

Which would force the local actors to bend under the influence of Iran. It would spread terror–they already finance terror–throughout the region. This would bring them a form of immunity of the sort from which North Korea benefits. In fact, they’re not producing Barbie dolls, but rather nuclear weapons and heavy missiles capable not just of hitting Israel but central Europe.

Oh, i just had to chuckle when i read that part

What Barak neglects to mention that Israel isn’t producing many Barbie dolls either and that it is rolling out far more nuclear weapons and heavy missiles than Iran. That little fact seems to have slipped his mind though I hope it hasn’t slipped the minds of his listeners.

The above quotation is a perfect example of the near pathological language of jihad, which Israeli commentators have attributed to Barak and Bibi lately (in numberous posts I’ve published here referring to them). I’ve truly come to believe that this is no longer mere political rhetoric and jawboning to get Iran to stand down from its nuclear program, or to get the U.S. to supply its most advanced weapons system. This sort of language goes beyond the rational. It’s the rhetoric of a Caesar dreaming of his next conquest. Though this Caesar hasn’t nearly as decisive and effective a fighting machine as a Roman legion at his disposal (though of course the IDF can wreak far more havoc on the world than any Roman army).

Though U.S. officials have been studiously nonchalant in commenting on any chance of an Israeli attack on Iran, this report by CNN’s Pentagon correspondent shows that the U.S. military is taking this possibility quite seriously:

The United States has become increasingly concerned Israel could be preparing to strike Iran’s nuclear program, a senior U.S. military official told CNN on Friday.

The U.S. military and intelligence community in recent weeks have stepped up “watchfulness” of both Iran and Israel, according to the senior U.S. military official and a second military official familiar with the U.S. actions. Asked if the Pentagon was concerned about an attack, the senior military official replied “absolutely.” Both officials declined to be identified because of the extreme sensitivity of the matter.

Both the U.S. Central Command, which watches developments in Iran, and the U.S. European Command, which watches developments in Israel, are “increasingly vigilant” in watching potential military movement in both countries. U.S. satellites are a crucial method of gathering intelligence in both arenas, though the official did not specify that was the method being used.

…The military official told CNN that the United States is watching any Israeli military movements closely as well as those inside Iran. In the past, the U.S. officials felt they had assurances from Israel that it would give warning to the United States of any attack.

“Now that doesn’t seem so ironclad,” the official said.

Seems like the mad dog that is Israel is about to break loose.

Let’s return to an Israeli voice of reason and sanity, Halevy’s who said:

…No one should believe that there is an [Iranian] existential threat because this is simply not true.

The tragedy for Israel is that Dagan and Halevy, retired from active duty, cannot personally stop such an attack. They’ve left the field to the megalomaniacs like Barak and Bibi, and there’s no telling whether they can be restrained.

Source: http://www.eurasiareview.com/05112011-former-mossad-chief-halevy-iran-attack-will-impact-region-for-100-years-oped/

Well folks, there you have it. It certainly is like a slap in the face outside in the middle of winter to me, that is it is sobering me up even more than usual.

 

[Biomiast]

Attacking Iran must be the most idiotic thing Israel can do, and yet, they are doing it! I mean here is a country that has a population ten times higher than yours with an active military and developping its own technology. Never mind the fact that their religous ideology makes them more determined to crush Israel along with the years of rage. Also Syria standing right next to Israel allies with Iran as it realizes it is next in line, so it is essential to join forces and create hell in the Middle East.

I know psychopaths can't see that they are going to lose and things like that. But this is just simple math for God's sake! If Israel government attacks Iran, I highly doubt they receive support from their people(well at least normal people), they are already at war with their neighbours for years without any success. Doesn't anybody out there think: "Well boy, this Iran is well above our league. He doesn't seem to bother us when we do not do something stupid, so lets not do something stupid."

If psychopaths want to destroy Israel, attacking Iran is the best method of destruction they can do. Reminds me of Hitler attacking Russia and paying the consequences.

 

[bngenoh]

Israels message to the world "we can reach anyone"

Israeli military men conducted a successful launch of Jericho-3 intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday. The test was carried out at the Palmahim air base, the Irish Times said. At the same time, officials with Israel Defense Forces said that they had conducted the tests of a new missile engine in the morning of November 2. The launch of the missile could be seen from Ashkelon to Tel Aviv, Newsru Israel said.

According to publications in the media, the three-stage missile is capable of delivering a 750-kilo warhead to a distance of more than 10,000 kilometers. If the reports about the range of Jericho-3 are true to fact, then it means that the missile can reach such cities as Tokyo and New York. The distance between these two cities and Tel Aviv makes up a bit more than 9,000 kilometers

[...]

According to the publication, the takeoff weight of the missile makes up 29 tons. The missile is 15.5 meters long. The website says that in addition to the 750-kilo nuclear warhead, a Jericho-3 is capable of carrying multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles.

Even though the Jericho-3 is designed for deep underground basing, it will be possible to launch the missile from mobile platforms, including railway platforms. The high speed of the missile makes it practically invincible for interception.

The Palmahim airbase is a range ground for testing various missile systems including Hetz and Jericho. Palmahim is the base for the Hetz-2 missile defense system. In addition, Israel uses the base as a spaceport.

Source: http://english.pravda.ru/news/world/03-11-2011/119521-israel_jericho-0/

 

[dannybananny]

Doesn't anybody out there think: "Well boy, this Iran is well above our league. He doesn't seem to bother us when we do not do something stupid, so lets not do something stupid."

They have US and UK behind them that can balance things when comes to numbers and conventional warfare but nuclear weapons gives them also advantage, and I think that using them they have only chances to give Iran serious stroke, they now it probably and are testing missiles for it. But the thing could get out of control on world stage if Russia and China react but like C's said they are all under same control which is evident through actions of Russia and China that didn't do nothing while NATO went into rampage mod in last decade. Set up to eliminate as much of possible of Semitic genetic code and depopulate, and then give solution for new order when people had enough of war, just like on Denver airport murals.

 

[Biomiast]

They have US and UK behind them that can balance things when comes to numbers and conventional warfare but nuclear weapons gives them also advantage, and I think that using them they have only chances to give Iran serious stroke, they now it probably and are testing missiles for it.

Even though they may balance the odds, I get the feeling that there will be a time where these powers would say Israel, "Alright mate, we have come this far, now you are on your own." This is not necessarily because of Israel's crimes or anything, just a way pathologicals operate, they cooporate until they do not need each other anymore. Nukes can change many things during the warfare, including public opinion, so it is a very dangerous weapon to use.

But the thing could get out of control on world stage if Russia and China react but like C's said they are all under same control which is evident through actions of Russia and China that didn't do nothing while NATO went into rampage mod in last decade.

C's also said there are groups with different conflicting purposes among PTB, so this may only be a show, but also as things get ugly between people and governments, some of these groups may fight with each other to secure their position. Russia and China are important factors in this case, but I wouldn't underestimate Iran. If we look at Afghanistan, coalition forces may win the appearent battle, but since they do not have people's support or even compliance, they didn't actually win. This is also the case for Iraq war, and Iran is much more resilient than those two with its technology and religious ideology. Also it is speculated that Syria and Lebanon or Palestine(I don't remember which one) is forming some kind of coalition among themselves to attack their enemies jointly. I don't know how it is presented in Western media, but in Turkey, there is an anti-Syria campaign further escalating each day. Syria is afraid of the fate of Libya and with each day, it is presented as such.

It is almost as if somebody pushed a button to work against Iran and Syria, trying to eliminate both. For what reason, I don't know.

 

[dannybananny]

If we look at Afghanistan, coalition forces may win the appearent battle, but since they do not have people's support or even compliance, they didn't actually win.

But their intention was not to win but to have constant war I think because it's profitable which has also been shown by their financing and helping tali ban groups (or mercenaries or special ops disguised as tali bans), this also cause great financial pressure and worsening of economic standard in U.S. Killing innocent civilians is probably order from high above so to create new resistance from victim families and prolong war. It's not about winning, that's an old concept and hard to achieve in today's world, it's all part of a bigger picture even if it looks from lesser plane as failure.

C's also said there are groups with different conflicting purposes among PTB, so this may only be a show, but also as things get ugly between people and governments, some of these groups may fight with each other to secure their position. Russia and China are important factors in this case, but I wouldn't underestimate Iran

Yes, but when it comes to controlling masses I see them united in their goal like medieval nobility - fighting each other but united against peasants and people, they know what's coming and every side is jeopardy no matter how much are they in conflict, but it has many levels so is probably complicated. And when it comes to Israel I find it funny that some people write Zionists control US, etc.., in the reality they are led to believe they are in control or are influenced to take certain actions, or that "Zionists" are acting for Israel, nothing would be allowed if it doesn't serve their agenda, those articles that say it's about oil, Geo-politics miss the deeper insight.

It is almost as if somebody pushed a button to work against Iran and Syria, trying to eliminate both. For what reason, I don't know.

In what Nazi Germany failed they hope they'll succeed, actually they did so far, it's all repeating. Elimination before transformation. That's my perception so far.

 

[PopHistorian]

Gotta love that, "might be forced to launch a military strike." We just can't help it! We have no choice! Same thing that came out of the GW Bush administration.

 

[bngenoh]

Since they would only go to Iran by going through Syria, this:

Senior European sources said that Arab jet fighters, and possibly Turkish warplanes, backed by American logistic support will implement a no fly zone in Syria's skies, after the Arab League will issue a decision, under its Charter, calling for the protection of Syrian civilians.

The sources told Kuwait's al Rai daily that the no fly ban will include a ban on the movement of Syrian military vehicles, including tanks, personnel carriers and artillery, adding that this move would aim at curbing the movement of Assad forces, and cripple their ability to bomb cities. The European sources said the no fly ban might lead to the paralysis of the Syrian regime forces "in less than 24 hours."

Meanwhile, it is reported that the leadership of the Turkish General Staff informed all the concerned parties with the Syrian issue its rejection of the idea that the Turkish army would launch any invasion to the Syrian territory including the area adjacent to the Turkish border to establish a "buffer zone" to protect civilians fleeing the violence.

Source: http://www.albawaba.com/en/node/402102

Is alarming if true. But they didn't name who the "senior European sources" were. So it might just be fear mongering, you know, "you will hear of wars, and rumors of wars." But, something to keep an eye on.

 

[bngenoh]

Looks like Iran is beefing up its defenses:

Domestically manufactured coast-to-sea missile systems were delivered to the Iranian Navy during a ceremony held on Wednesday with the participation of Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi and Navy Commander Habibollah Sayyari.

"Today with the delivery of a considerable number of coast-to-sea missile systems to the Navy, naval forces are able to carry out their defense missions on the coasts more powerfully," Vahidi said at the ceremony.

He also said that strengthening the Navy is one of the main strategies of the Defense Ministry.

On the features of coast-to-sea missile systems, Brigadier General Vahidi said that rotating launchers of the systems enable naval forces to control a wider range, and the fact that the systems are connected through an integrated communications network makes it possible for defense units to simultaneously track and intercept several targets.

[...]

Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said, "We proudly announce that in view of the systems that are in our possession and the systems that were delivered today, the Islamic Republic of Iran's Navy, through reliance on God, is able to give a firm response to any threat in the sea and on the coast."

Source: http://www.payvand.com/news/11/nov/1245.html

Don't know if the blast that was just reported at Isfahan will decrease their defense capabilities.

 

[Ðekel]

you guys.. this post was started on November 10, 2006...

it might be relevant due to current affairs, but notice that the original post was made years ago and is not straightforwardly about current unfolding events.

 

[Nienna]

you guys.. this post was started on November 10, 2006...

it might be relevant due to current affairs, but notice that the original post was made years ago and is not straightforwardly about current unfolding events.

It is an ongoing theme so is in the right thread. No sense in starting a new thread for the same subject, which this is. It's still Israel wanting to attack Iran and, as you mentioned, has been going on for some time now. Just see it as an "update".

 

[Ðekel]

i understand.

i'm still getting the hang of coalescing threads in the forum. :)

is there a specific marker that shows when threads are joined ?

 

[Lindenlea]

Could be Iran has got the jump on Israel, or is goading them.

Tonight's 7pm news showed the Iranians (supposedly students) had broken into the British Consulate and trashed it, there was the usual flag burning of British and American flags with the star of David on each of the flags. The British Prime Minister said there would be consequences. I guess it's wait and see.

 

[Nienna]

i understand.

i'm still getting the hang of coalescing threads in the forum. :)

is there a specific marker that shows when threads are joined ?

If by joining, you mean merging one thread with another one on the same topic, whichever mod/admin did the merge, usually lets it be known that this was done.