Are the Israelis Ready to Use Force Against Iranian Nuclear Program?

Anyone else watching this situation and wondering … I don’t think there’s an ally of Israel in the world who could talk them out of it if they decide to try to blow some or all of Iran’s nuclear program to smithereens.

I’m reading The Inheritance by David E. Sanger.  It’s made me realize that knocking out Iran’s nuclear program is not going to be like Osirak in 1981.  Sanger’s narrative describes an Iranian nuclear program that is not in one place.  International inspectors discovered some equipment and activity behind a false wall at a civilian factory.  Other parts of the project are buried deep beneath the earth.  Neither the U.S. nor the Israelis may know where all of the nuclear sites lie.  If the U.S. were to go about knocking out the sites we know about, Sanger’s military sources tell him it could take two weeks or more of constant aerial sorties.  As Sanger puts it, it wouldn’t be an attack it would be war.

If you want to follow the issue from the perspective of the Jerusalem Post, this is their Iranian Threat page.

Bush Administration Got One Right with Rebuff of Israeli Requests for Aid to Attack Iran

The New York Times is reporting that Israel asked the U.S. for special munitions and overflight privileges over Iraq last year in either an effort to launch its own raid against Iranian nuclear sites or to goad the Bush Administration in taking an offensive action against Iran before the expiration of George W. Bush’s term.  According to the Times report, the Israelis were refused on both accounts, but an increase in intelligence has begun with respect to Iran.

At some point, perhaps in the near future, a U.S. president will have to make the decision on whether or not to take out Iranian nuclear sites.  Let’s say it’s a given that a nuclear-armed Iran is untenable.  If the U.S. is to be involved at all in removing such a capability were it to exist, the worst thing we could do is to aid any Israeli effort to take out Iranian nuclear sites.  If and when action is taken it needs to be either the Americans or the Israelis, preferably the Americans who make the move.

The Middle East is enflamed enough with anti-Israeli and anti-American sentiments that we don’t need to tie ourselves any more than necessary to the Israeli millstone.

Read more

Transcript: President George W. Bush Radio Address | Gaza Crisis Fault of Hamas | January 2-3, 2009

(Source: White House Press Office, Radio Address to be Broadcast Saturday, January 3)

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Over the past week, I have been monitoring the situation in the Middle East closely with the members of my national security team. Secretary Rice is actively engaged in diplomacy. And I’ve been in contact with leaders throughout the region — including the King of Saudi Arabia, the King of Jordan, the President of Egypt, the President and Prime Minister of the Palestinian Territories, and the Prime Minister of Israel.

This recent outburst of violence was instigated by Hamas — a Palestinian terrorist group supported by Iran and Syria that calls for Israel’s destruction. Eighteen months ago, Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in a coup, and since then has imported thousands of guns and rockets and mortars. Egypt brokered a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, but Hamas routinely violated that ceasefire by launching rockets into Israel. On December 19th, Hamas announced an end to the ceasefire and soon unleashed a barrage of rockets and mortars that deliberately targeted innocent Israelis — an act of terror that is opposed by the legitimate leader of the Palestinian people, President Abbas.

Read more

WTF? 21st Century Pirates – Opportunity for Bush or Obama

Ahoy!

There be pirates about the seven seas and they are the real deal.

A couple of months ago I remember a story about pirates taking control of a Ukranian ship laden with arms.  It seemed silly that there are pirates capable of doing such things in the 21st century – and getting away with it – and I didn’t write about it. 

In the last two days however there have been more spectacular pirate attacks.  The Sirius Star, a 1000 foot-long oil supertanker carrying $100 million worth of Saudi crude oil lies at anchor off the Somali coast after being hijacked.  There are reports that the pirates are negotiating with U.K.-based lawyers on a ransom.  A Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship was seized by pirates off the coast of Yemen this morning.  It’s carrying thousands of tons of wheat to Iran.

The problem is Somalia.  The country has been without a legitimate government since 1991.  It’s essentially lawless.  A review of news reports shows most contemporary pirates are considered to be Somali.  The problem is also the governments and businesses who own the ships.  I was pretty surprised to find out that it is de rigeur to negotiate with pirates and essentially pay ransoms to secure the crews and cargoes taken. It pays to be a Somali pirate.

Political Opportunity?

If you think about it, it’s just ridiculous in 2008, with all of the resources, large navies and technology in the world that we have pirates.  Aaargh!

The opportunity for George W. Bush is apparent.  He is the black and white thinking president of modern times.  This pirate stuff is just that: good versus evil – black and white.  Bush is unpopular at home and abroad.  What a great way for him to go out than by declaring a war on pirates!  This one would actually be a winner.  We’re not pissing on anyone’s sovereignty, we’re going after those who are already doing that.  And, what could be a more true-blue American move than to rid the world of an evil menace.

I think if Bush captures or kills pirates on his way out, he moves the old legacy bar up a notch.  This shouldn’t be a hard sell for the president.  Pirates bad!

How about the Obama play?  If Bush demurs, there’s still a winner – the next president. 

Can you imagine the political and public relations capital Barack Obama will gain with the public and media if he goes after pirates?  Obama hasn’t taken his first steps as president and the media have already annointed him Franklin Delano Obama.  Can you imagine if this guy goes out and kicks some pirate ass?  The sky’s the limit for him then.

Somebody needs to do something about these pirates.  The whole notion of pirates who are so well resourced, trained, and lawyered up that they can ransom a supertanker is just incongruous with a civil world society.

Transcript: President-Elect Barack Obama First Press Conference, Chicago, IL

(Source: CNN)
CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) — Sen. Barack Obama spoke at a his first news conference as president-elect Friday afternoon. The following is a transcript of the conference:

Obama: Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you very much.

This morning, we woke up to more sobering news about the state of our economy. The 240,000 jobs lost in October marks the 10th consecutive month that our economy has shed jobs. In total, we’ve lost nearly 1.2 million jobs this year, and more than 10 million Americans are now unemployed. Read more

Why I’m Voting for Obama – Reason 2 of 3 – Our Standing in the World

Where you can blame about half of our economic woes on Congress and Clinton-era policies, there is no doubt that our poor standing within the family of nations lies squarely at the feet of Bush and Cheney. Around the world we are either derisively snickered at for being brutish or boorish, or, worse, feared or hated. The tragedy is that sometimes the fear and hate are born of events and rational analysis due to our seeming irrational actions in places like Iraq. Read more

Saturday Clips — Gustav, Palin, Tubbs Jones, Georgia and Russia, Israel and Iran

Gustav

• Gustav, more dangerous, will threaten West Bank – The Times Picayune
• Latest Gustave Public Advisory – National Hurricane Center, NWS
• Nagin urges residents, tourists to go – The Times Picayune
• Four potential scenarios for Gustav – Houston Chronicle
• McCain, Palin, Convention monitor storm — Washington Post

Ohio News

• Obama, Biden breakfast in Boardman – Youngstown Vindicator
• Mourners pay respects to Tubbs Jones – Associated Press
• Viewing brings peace, tears to Tubbs Jones fans
  -- Columbus Dispatch
• Politicians, friends pay respects to Tubbs Jones – Cleveland Plain Dealer
• AG Rogers fires Dann’s friend – Columbus Dispatch
• A ‘game changer’ – Columbus Dispatch
• Palin could draw fundie women
  –
  Columbus Dispatch
• McCain’s VP pick wows local crowds – Dayton Daily News

National/International

• Report: Israel will not allow nuclear Iran – Jerusalem Post
• Kremlin says South Ossetia to become part of Russia – The Times of London
• Campaigns shift as pick changes race — New York Times
• Drug violence alters the flow of life in Mexico — New York Times
• Georgia, Russia cut diplomatic ties — New York Times
• Sarah Heath Palin: An outsider who charms — New York Times

Monday Brown Bag – Iran: Rice & Brown, Drudge reporting on NYT & McCain, Obama in Iraq, Ohio villages feel cuts & high fuel cost

More Iran Ballyhoo …

• U.S. Warns Iran on nuke deadline - BBC
• Iran may face further sanctions, Brown tells Knesset – Bloomberg

Drudge Report making news …

Apparently NYT has spiked a rebuttal piece from Johnny Mac regarding Obama’s op-ed from last week.  Drudge has the story.

• Obama arrives in Baghdad to discuss strategy - Washington Post

• Village Governments feel squeeze of fuel prices, state cuts – Athens News

Israeli attack on Iran a foregone conclusion?

• Benny Morris: Using bombs to stave off war – New York Times

Wednesday A.M. – Obama, McCain, Cordray, U.S. Economy, Iraq War, Iran

• Consumer prices surge – New York Times
• Obama has 7 point edge on McCain – Reuters
• Mallory: Options open on becoming Ohio State Treasurer – Cleveland Plain Dealer
• Keno set to hit venues soon – Lancaster Eagle Gazette
• State schools superintendent must be ‘wooed’ – Cleveland Plain Dealer
• What are Ohio’s elected leaders driving – NewsChannel 5 (Cleveland)
• Cordray, Fed want your take on credit cards – Columbus Dispatch
• Suburbs brace for impact – Columbus Dispatch
• Ohio kicks off ad campaign to forestall foreclosures – Columbus Dispatch
• McCain, Obama battle over war policies – Philadelphia Enquirer (from Plain Dealer)
• Editorial: Fears about banks are overblown – Cleveland Plain Dealer
• Editorial: San Francisco gets opposite of tech support – Cleveland Plain Dealer
• Another poll: Obama not closing divide – New York Times
• Policy Shift seen in U.S./Iran Talks – New York Times