Posted on 01/20/2005 1:01:34 PM PST by anotherview
Jan. 20, 2005 22:25
Cheney voices concern that Israel may attack Iran
By JPOST.COM STAFF
Vice President Dick Cheney voiced concern Thursday that Israel may decide to act first against Iran to eliminate the possibility of a nuclear threat.
"If, in fact, the Israelis became convinced the Iranians had significant nuclear capability, given the fact that Iran has a stated policy that their objective is the destruction of Israel, the Israelis might well decide to act first, and let the rest of the world worry about cleaning up the diplomatic mess afterwards," Cheney said in an interview aired on MSNBC on the day that George W. Bush was sworn into office for his second term as president.
"You look around the world at potential trouble spots, Iran is right at the top of the list," Cheney said
I just heard Cheney's words on Imus:
Israel "might do it without being asked."
Note: He had a big smile on. Deniability in place.
Must be the current BOLO for the Chinese Terrorists affecting my brain, but how might China react to action in Iran? Read a Freep on how China is building a 'string of pearls' to ensure the continued flow of ME oil to their manufacturing base. So, would China see action as a threat to themselves? Seems I was reading that China and Iran are pretty tight.
China would be a war of another sort - might be winable, but it would take a while.
Thanks for the information .
Attacking Iran is the right thing to do, though I have trepidations. Russia backs Iran, and we back Israel.
A bit of entangling alliances. Getting oil out of the region is going to take a couple of carrier battle groups I would think.
Not just the purposeful leak, but the US saying that the story was "wildly inaccurate", but not that it was untrue. I'm not a master of diplo-speak, but this sounds to me like what is known in the biz as "sabre-rattling."
Wow...Cheney actually put this plan into words. I believe most of us that have been following the developments in Iran were aware this was the preferred strategy. Allow Israel to take out the nuclear facilities, we'd "act" distressed, behind the scenes play cleanup and security.
If Cheney is being so bold as to verbally acknowledge this avenue, I wonder what they have recently learned.
Interesting that this was on Imus. Sort of an informal chuckly show that goes under the radar in the US, and Cheney is fairly dull to the domestic audience. But I'm sure foreign analysts would be very interested in any available MSNBC feeds of Cheney in person.
Sure thing. He waited, what was it two... three days after the election before he flattened Fallujah?
Shouldn't be shedding tears over the crying diplomats. In '81 Israel took care of business bombing Iraq's nuclear reactor. Boohoo cried the world: UN resolution passed condemning Israel (supported by the U.S. and the subsequent suspension of F-16 deliveries). Retrospectively it was one helluva smart move. If we always wrung our hands over what the diplomats might say we'd do exactly nothing and the world would be a more dangerous place.
israel did a good job on saddam's reactor.
Perhaps as it will turn out, in Iraq we were only playing Little Casino Pre-emption, and now we're going to play Big Casino Pre-emption or, Pre-emption II: The Nucular Option.
Heh Heh. So if this comes off we can say "OK Israel, no more bunker-busting smart bumbs for you! Cut off! Bad Israel."
I hope Israel does. It sure would give us cover.
Israel's tankers are conversions of the 707, which due to its 4-inch-wider cabin, is differentiated from the -135 family by Boeing (indeed, Boeing briefly used the 717 designation before adopting the USAF designation of C/KC-135). The only countries to actually buy -135s off the line are the US and France (-F models); the US later sold some surplus aircraft to Turkey and Singapore.
Also, 707s that were used for transport by the USAF/USN (as opposed to radar and C3 duty) were termed C-137s (the most famous of which were the former Air Force Ones).
Re Cheney's gift to David Ivry: I bet Ivry really cherishes that. Very thoughtfully done by VP Cheney.
Since this administration carries its chess board everywhere, I have to believe all of the veep's statements on this were carefully prepared and are part of a strategy to put the squeeze on Iran. I'm guessing we and the Israelis have some pretty damning facts that suggest or point to Iran planning to do more than talk about its intent to do serious bodily harm to the nation of Israel.
It's a huge departure from our previous high-level administration statements regarding Israel.
I'm sure you're right. Considering the fact that it was ten years after the fact, and a sentiment misaligned with American policy, I'm sure Cheney's words were heartfelt.
The harm could be that Iraqi airspace would be used to get the Israeli Air Force to Iran- both ways. And that would require the consent of both the Iraqi govt. and the U.S.
I'd worry about a million whacked out Iranian soldiers streaming into Iraq in the aftermath- they've done it before. And don't think the "world" wouldn't be on their side given the situation.
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