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.

First BS of Obama Presidency: Won’t ‘Speculate’ on Who in Mideast Has Nukes

I think Helen Thomas just put herself back into the wilderness with another White House Press Office.  She asked the one tough question at tonight’s press conference that had President Barack Obama bullshitting us all from here to Jerusalem.

Her question (emphasis mine):

Mr. President, do you think that Pakistan and — are maintaining the safe havens in Afghanistan for these so-called terrorists? And, also, do you know of any country in the Middle East that has nuclear weapons?

His Answer:

With respect to nuclear weapons, you know, I don’t want to speculate. What I know is this: that if we see a nuclear arms race in a region as volatile as the Middle East, everybody will be in danger.

Thomas tried to follow-up, but Obama was too quick.  Well, readers, if you didn’t know, Israel has nuclear weapons.  I know, it’s hard to believe.  When the Israelis aren’t treating the native Palestinian population like a modern version of Wounded Knee, they’re stockpiling nukes.  President Obama knows darn well they’ve got nukes.  An otherwise brilliant man looked silly tonight saying, “I don’t want to speculate.”

Here’s some speculation early on for the latest president who pledges to bring peace to the Mideast:  Nobody’s getting anywhere over there as an honest broker if they continue to pretend Israel does no wrong.  If, as a nation, we can’t even admit that our friend has nukes, how do you expect to overcome the Arab sense that the game is forever rigged in favor of the Israelis?

Here’s hoping this wasn’t a foretaste of more half-assed U.S. diplomacy.

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.

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