Israel weighing solo strike options
Israeli defense sources recently revealed that their nation is drawing up plans for an attack on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure that would not require America’s backing. The disclosure comes after President Bush refused to give support for an Israeli air attack in the final months of his presidency.
“It is always better to co-ordinate,” a source, described by the Jerusalem Post as a top Defense Ministry official, said.
“But we are also preparing options that do not include co-ordination.”
With U.S. support, Israeli warplanes would be able to fly through Iraq’s airspace–which is controlled by the U.S. Air Force–in order to reach Iran. But in the absence of such cooperation, Israel has a couple alternatives–should they become necessary.













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back to top9 Comments to “Israel weighing solo strike options”
Hmm. A little good news from the Middle East.
This is as it should be. If Israel perceives some manner of threat from Ahmmadinthehead, we have no moral obligation to involve ourselves.
Indeed, I would argue that we have a moral not to become entangled in Israel’s affairs. (Or rather, to start disentangling ourselves from them.)
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Should read, “If Israel perceives some manner of threat from Ahmmadinthehead, we have no moral obligation to involve ourselves in countering or neutralizing that threat.”
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There are US forces in the two nations bordering Iran. The Iranians see Israel as a US proxy anyway.
This could get very very messy.
If we have any type of mobile missile defense shield, it should be put up to block any westbound Iranian missile. A nuke aimed at Afghanistan would kill UN forces from France and Germany, ea of whom trades heavily with Iran.
The irony here is Iran champions the PLO and a nuke strike on Israel would surely spread radiation sickness among Palestinians as well.
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According to the best current estimates of Iran’s missile capabililties, the longest range one, the Ghauri, maxes out at half the distance to Israel and is plagued with accuracy problems. Afghanistan and Iraq remain the most likely targets, but complete intelligence is difficult to evaluate.
Not only are such steps by Israel prudent, they are necessary. We can always dialog, and always have, through proxies if not directly, but if Iran uses diplomacy as a cover, abetted by Russian and others’ complicity, to go full speed ahead, they must be stopped to ensure a safer and more secure world.
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Sawgunner, you have to remember that Iran, and the Arab nations care zilch about the Palestenians. They are a convenient tool. If there were no Palestinians and an Israel, they would still have a problem. If there were a Palestinean state, it would be at war with Israel. If there were no Israel, there would be this poor Palestinian nation that would be a breedin ground for terrorism. But that’s where we came in, isn’t it?
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Chas: And if there were no “holy” land, no temple mount, and no unresolvable theological claims…?
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Arcadia, there would still be conflict as long as there is an Israel. But the point is moot. The Dome of the Rock and al Aqsa mosque is the third holiest place in Islam. Both sides claim soverignty. They will not destroy that. They will fight over it, but not destroy it.
I don’t know where you get “and no unresolved theological claims”.
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#6 Arcadia, thought for a minute there you were gonna belt out that John Lennon song. I wonder if you can?
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Sawgunner; You wouldn’t want to hear it…
My mother was a concert pianist, but I can’t carry a tune.
Chas; Actually, I once read a speculation that permanent irradiation of that neighborhood, rendering it unoccupiable might be a positive step toward peace.
As for unresolved theological claims, I meant to write ‘unresolvable’.
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