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Israel Needs A Preemptive Nuclear Strike Against Iran
The Israel News Agency ^ | June 24, 2006 | Jonathan Ariel

Posted on 06/24/2006 1:32:23 PM PDT by IsraelBeach

Israel Needs A Preemptive Nuclear Strike Against Iran

By Jonathan Ariel
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem ----- June 24...... One of the best ways to ensure the world doesn’t get wobbly over Iran, is to make it understand that although Israel prefers to regard the rogue Islamic regime as an international problem, we will, if necessary, do whatever it takes to ensure our survival, including a preemptive nuclear strike.

In 1936, when Hitler marched into the Rhineland the allies appeased him, even though they could have been in Berlin in two weeks. In 1938 they once again let him off the hook, even though the allies could have been in Berlin within two months. Shortly after the appeasement of Munich, Russia signed a non-aggression treaty with Hitler, setting the stage for what it hoped would be his defeat of the West, which would pave the way for Russian domination of Eurasia, from Lisbon to Vladivostok.

Now we have Iran, a country led by Ahmadinejad, an equally deranged and evil maniac. He is driven by an ideology combining elements of Nazism and Mahdism, with a tad of Maoism as well, a lethal cocktail of three of the most evil ideologies of human political history.

By most current intelligence estimates, by 2008, exactly 70 years after Chamberlain announced on his return from Munich he had achieved “peace in our time”, the Iranian Islamo-Nazi regime will have succeeded in developing an atomic bomb. Although it seems that the international community has belatedly begun to awaken to the danger, it is still far from certain that this will actually lead to concrete and concerted steps to ensure this doesn’t happen.

Moreover, even if the West does get its act together, three is no guarantee that Russia will not revert to course, enacting a repeat performance of the Molotov-Ribbentrob pact. Putin seriously mulling double crossing the West.

This week new and highly disturbing evidence came to light that this is exactly what Russia is doing. According to a western intelligence report published earlier this week, satellite images showed large volumes of heavy Russian weaponry heading towards Iran. The weapons belonged to Russian military units evacuating Georgia, as part of the Russian-Georgian agreement signed in March, which calls for all Russian troops to be withdrawn from Georgian soil.

The Russians were evacuating their two big Soviet-era military bases in Georgia on the shores of the Black Sea – the 12th base in Batumi and the 62nd at Akhalkalaki to the north, 19 miles from the Turkish border. The mages revealed the retreating Russian units moving along not one but two routes. The first showed small groups of Russian officers and soldiers heading out of Georgia carrying only their personal kits, the second was jammed with convoys of trucks loaded with weapons and logistical systems, radar and ammo.

Freight trains were also pressed into service. This route wound out of Georgia and headed into Armenia where the vehicles halted at the Russian base near Gyumri. A Russian military spokesman explained this relocation by stating that “the property of the 62nd (Akhalkalaki), Georgia, would be reassigned to replenish Russia’s 102nd base in Gyumri, Armenia.” He added: “The transfer of this property to any other party is not envisioned.”

However Armenia was not the “the property’s” last stop. The close watch on the Russian supplies convoys continued and, lo and behold, a third route surfaced, this one heading out of the 102nd base in Armenia and into Iran.

Western military sources have traced the route these weapons took. From Gyumri, the trucks and trains rolled on to the Armenian capital of Yerevan. There, they were offloaded onto Armenian and Iranian trucks and trains, which turned south to the Iranian border. The freight crossed the border and halted at the Iranian town of Sadarak. Its next stop was the Iranian-Azeri town of Naxcivan and then on to Tabriz. Subsequent shipments by truck and rail followed the same route, They included APCs, heavy artillery, Grad rockets, BM-21mm missiles and anti-aircraft systems.

So far this year, Iran has purchased over $7 billion for arms from Russia, including anti-air, nuclear-capable Tor-M1 cruise missiles, considered by experts the most advanced of its kind in the world. Iran has purchased these missiles to secure the Bushehr atomic reactor and other nuclear sites. These sources say that Teheran is using the Georgian weapons deal as bait, to get Moscow to part with weapons and technologies it has so far refrained from passing over to the ayatollahs, specifically technology transfers enabling Iran to begin domestic production of the sophisticated Russian X-5518 nuclear cruise missiles, known also as Kh-55 or AS-15s.

Tehran already has a dozen of these missiles, which have a 3,000km range and are capable of carrying a 200-kiloton nuclear warhead. They were purchased on the black market of Ukraine in 2005. Teheran has reportedly promised to significantly increase its purchase of conventional weapons from Russia, if it agrees to the missile technology transfer.

Despite the uncertainty as to whether Russia (and possibly China as well) would cooperate with the West regarding Iran, the conventional wisdom has remained unchanged, namely that Iran is an international problem, being dealt with accordingly by the international community, and that Israel should therefore take a back seat.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The world needs to understand very clearly that Israel cannot and will not allow a Holocaust –denying regime that openly calls for its destruction to wield a nuclear bomb. Israel needs to make it very clear that the consequence of it having to face a nuclear Iran by itself will be a preemptive strike against Iran.

The more the international community gets the message that the consequences of appeasement will be worse than those of action, the better the chances of action. The growing evidence of Russian perfidy makes it even more important that there be no room for misunderstandings in this regard. The best way to get that message across is to make it very clear that if Israel is faced between an Iran nuclear bomb, or having to launch a preemptive nuclear strike to prevent that eventuality, it will opt for the latter.

The world must be told loud and clear by Israel that the only way to avoid the first nuclear strike by a nation since Nagasaki is to take whatever actions are required to ensure Iran doesn’t get the bomb, and to prevent an Iranian conventional weapons build up to the point where a preemptive nuclear strike becomes the only option for dealing with the rogue ayatollah regime.

Jonathan Ariel, was an advisor to the South African government and is a former editor-in-chief of the Israel on-line Maariv International. He has filled numerous positions with well known Israel and international media organizations such as Maariv, Makor Rishon, Jerusalem Post, Ha'aretz, The International Herald Tribune, Israel Radio, SABC and the Independent Foreign Service. These include Managing-Editor of Makor Rishon and Editor-in-Chief of Maariv International. He has been interviewed and quoted by leading media organizations such as the LA Times, The Economist, The Guardian, The New York Sun, Times of India, The Australian, Sunday Times and the BBC. His articles have been translated into over a dozen major languages, including German, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, French, Arabic, Japanese, Korean and Chinese. He has degrees in Political Science and Journalism. He speaks English and Hebrew at mother tongue level, French, Dutch (Afrikaans) fluently.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; Israel; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: defense; iran; islam; israel; mondalewouldapprove; neveragain; nuclear; terror; terrorism
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To: Sic Luceat Lux

I agree.


101 posted on 06/24/2006 3:29:13 PM PDT by garbageseeker (Gentleman, you can't fight in here, this is the War Room - Dr. Strangelove)
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To: mysterio
And by striking first, they virtually guarantee their own destruction.

Mystero, since we have plenty of time here, let's go one by one and firstly I ask now - - how Israel would be destroyed by striking first/protecting themselves?

(I'll get to your other queries as we proceed)

102 posted on 06/24/2006 3:34:03 PM PDT by Sic Luceat Lux
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To: garbageseeker
There's something oddly fascinating, in a kind of morbid way, about listening to a guy that's got a nuclear conflagration all figured out, so rational, so sanitized

Is it wrong though to "think about the unthinkable"? Is is wrong to learn about the beast so you can underderstand it? My answer is no. There is nothing wrong to think and learn about nuclear combat and to improve the chances of success.
103 posted on 06/24/2006 3:38:41 PM PDT by garbageseeker (Gentleman, you can't fight in here, this is the War Room - Dr. Strangelove)
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To: garbageseeker
It was no attack on you. Please read your private e-mail. And much, many thanks for your support. Thanks to Jonathan for writing this important article now on Google News.
Thanks to the many wise, kind and warm supporters of Israel and democracy who participate in this forum. Thank you to the owners of FreeRepublic.

Let's all keep our eyes on Iran - not Dimona, Kiryat Shamona, Ashdod, Kfar Sava, Yehud, Eilat or Metulla.

Pray for Israel for whatever defensive actions we may be forced to take in the days ahead.
Forgive us if any innocents are killed. As Golda Meir said in Jerusalem to Anwar Sadat: "I can forgive you for killing our boys, but can never forgive you for making our boys kill yours.

104 posted on 06/24/2006 3:39:07 PM PDT by IsraelBeach
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To: Sic Luceat Lux

" I don't believe it is in Israel's best interests to be lobbing nukes at Iran, unless Israel is responding to an Iranian nuclear attack."


"By waiting and then responding - means Israel is gone.

Israel will not let this happen.

Remember - - - - - - - "NEVER AGAIN"

I agree - - - - - - "NEVER AGAIN"

I should like to point out however, Iran is not a nuclear power. Secondly, as long as W is POTUS, Iran will not become a nuclear power. I favor a strong stick as opposed to using any carrots to entice Iran into the community of nations. I say that because I don't believe that this noxious regime can be trusted to treat any agreement differently than hitler treated the papered over agreements at Munich. I also believe that this diplomatic four-step (UK,France,Germany, and Iran) will only end in failure, and military action against the above-ground and hidden nuclear Iranian facilities will have to ensue.

If we (Israel and/or the USA) preemptively nuke Iran, we have essentially snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Not only will we have world public opinion mobilized against us (the correlation of forces) we will probably lose our majorities in the House and Senate, and quite likely lose the Presidency. If you liked the mantra about "Bush lied us into war" in 2004, you'll absolutley love the leftist moonbat media monotone about preemptivley nuking the "peaceful" Iranians. This would be devastating for us in the 2006 Congressional and 2008 Presidential elections.

A preemptive nuclear attack on Iran would be the epitome of wrongheadedness, and could possiblly lead to the very thing that makes us recoil and say NEVER AGAIN.


105 posted on 06/24/2006 3:40:13 PM PDT by AdvisorB
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To: mysterio
The problem is Israel's size - even two small nukes would destroy it. They can't absorb a WMD strike like most nations.


Do you really think that China is going to suffer the casualties of fighting the US over Iran?? Taiwan maybe, Iran, no way. Besides, we don't get 70% of our oil from Iran and the Middle East. Our oil comes from Venezuela, Mexico and Nigeria. The price would go up, but if necessary, the US is quite capable of taking those country's oilfields if they join the Iranians. China, on the other hand, would be in big trouble. Go to war with us, they'd lose their oil, their food and their main customer. Which means that there'd be a few hundred million Chinese without jobs, food or energy. How long would the Chicom's last if their people began to suffer for the glory of Iran?


And Russia is corrupt, it'll sell anything -- but it's only option against us is nukes. It's not going to die for the Muslims. Putin's own people would kill him.

106 posted on 06/24/2006 3:40:16 PM PDT by LenS
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To: mysterio
"If Israel is attacked, we should come to its defense. But they should not start throwing nukes around unless they are anxious for the apocalypse."

WHAT! Are you a fool! What would be left of Israel after a Iranian nuclear attack? Is Israel to just sit there and take it ... watch its people once again be obliterated!

The other mid-east oil producers would love to see Iran get taken out so their little kingdoms will not be threatened by Iran.
And this "60%-70% or Iranians are against the Mullahs" is a crock of $hit. They all are a bunch of fanatics with a few exceptions here and there protesting the Mullahs.

Do you think most of the people in Nazi Germany were against Hitler, the people in the cities we bombed. And when we did bomb the German cities, did the rest of the world turn on the US and Briton. No.

And what is the big deal about using a nuclear weapon to obtain your objective of eliminating Iran as a nuclear threat? Would you rather have the US send in 500 B52's and B1s with conventional ordnance? The effect would be the same.

And you think China is going to go to war against the US because Israel or the US takes out Iran? Are you nuts! Everything China has today is virtually because of trade with the US.

So grow a pair and realize the threat before the world. If Hitler was taken out in '36 or at least '38 the world would be a lot different now.
107 posted on 06/24/2006 3:40:40 PM PDT by MaDeuce (Do it to them, before they do it to you! (MaDuce = M2HB .50 BMG))
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To: IsraelBeach

I agree with you. The IDF has proven herself in battle that she is a force to be reckoned with. And she will have continued military success.


108 posted on 06/24/2006 3:42:03 PM PDT by garbageseeker (Gentleman, you can't fight in here, this is the War Room - Dr. Strangelove)
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To: Sic Luceat Lux
Mystero, since we have plenty of time here, let's go one by one and firstly I ask now - - how Israel would be destroyed by striking first/protecting themselves?

It would unite the Middle East against them, and the world would not come to their defense, as it would put Iran in the role of the victim and Israel in the role of the aggressor. We would come to their defense, giving our enemies a perfect excuse to brand us a rougue nation and unite against us. Israel's enemies might not have nukes yet, but ours do. We might be able to hold off the entire Middle East alone, but we certainly cannot hold off the entire Middle East, China, and possibly Russia without help from the rest of the world. And I'm unconvinced that our allies would rush to our aid if someone was chucking pre-emptive nukes around.
109 posted on 06/24/2006 3:44:18 PM PDT by mysterio
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To: MaDuce

"So grow a pair and realize the threat before the world. If Hitler was taken out in '36 or at least '38 the world would be a lot different now."

What if we had possessed the ability to completely destroy Germany in 1936 and had done so, I wonder what the World would look like then?


110 posted on 06/24/2006 3:45:22 PM PDT by Canard
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To: garbageseeker

"Ironically, I do have a picture of Dr. Strangelove on the desktop wallpaper of my computer."

I Knew It!!


111 posted on 06/24/2006 3:46:46 PM PDT by AdvisorB
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To: Mr.Smorch

You hit it right it on the dot.


112 posted on 06/24/2006 3:47:45 PM PDT by garbageseeker (Gentleman, you can't fight in here, this is the War Room - Dr. Strangelove)
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To: Canard

Rational thought would tellus that if Israel taks out Iran with a Nuke. the middle east will rise up as one to attack israel. There fore if they take out Iran they may as well take out Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Egypt and perhaps a big part of Turkey.


113 posted on 06/24/2006 3:48:40 PM PDT by sgtbono2002 (The fourth estate is a fifth column.)
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To: Mr.Smorch
If we (Israel and/or the USA) preemptively nuke Iran, we have essentially snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Not only will we have world public opinion mobilized against us

Let's leave out us/USA.
I've not stated that we (USA) should hit Iran with anything - in this discussion. And we (USA) should not - in as far as using nukes to protect Israel - do that.
Israel, when threatened with incineration - will not care what anyone anywhere thinks - their bottom line is - is that they - will be here still. Period!

114 posted on 06/24/2006 3:52:53 PM PDT by Sic Luceat Lux
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To: LenS
Do you really think that China is going to suffer the casualties of fighting the US over Iran??

Certainly. The Chinese would love nothing more than to see us embargoed and crippled. It's their straight shot to becoming the world's foremost superpower. What exactly do you think they are doing right now, if not positioning themselves and trying to change the world order?

Our oil comes from Venezuela, Mexico and Nigeria.

Yes, I'm sure Chavez and the other third world dictators will certainly come to our aid when the Middle East refuses to sell us oil. After all, he's such a good pal.

the US is quite capable of taking those country's oilfields if they join the Iranians.

So we're going to globetrot around and seize oilfields? And that's not a world war? I'm sure other nations will stand idly by and just watch as we seize oilfields.

Go to war with us, they'd lose their oil, their food and their main customer.

They would not lose their oil. Their oil prices would drop through the floor. And I expect they can grow some food there. They did for thousands of years in an isolationist economy. And their main customer? I'm sure they can replace some of the proceeds from cheap plastic junk with the war machine they will be building. And they own much of our debt, if you have forgotten.

Think about what you are suggesting. This is the surest path to all out nuclear world war.
115 posted on 06/24/2006 3:55:16 PM PDT by mysterio
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To: Canard

There certainly is a consequence, and people seem to be blind to it.

The preemptive use of nuclear weapons is not in the best interest of any nation. A nuclear strike on Iran by Israel would likely lead to a world war. Any such nuclear strike could escalate into a conflict where millions of innocent people on both sides would die.

I think that the typical person has a difficult time comprehending the extent at which a nuclear weapon destroys. The Iranian people are not our enemies, but the Iranian government is. And yes, there is a big difference between the two.

If force is required to resolve the situation (which it likely will be), then it would be much better to use conventional weapons on strategic government targets than just obliterating Tehran with nuclear weapons.

If any nuclear action is taken by Israel, then it should be a formal acknowledgement of the existence of their alleged nuclear arsenal. This would clear up any doubt from their neighbors as to whether or not Israel had nuclear weapons, and it would immediately deter Iran and Israel's hostile neighbors from an attack (not that the prowess of the IDF doesn't already do that).


116 posted on 06/24/2006 3:55:16 PM PDT by mazack
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To: LenS
Our oil comes from Venezuela, Mexico and Nigeria. The price would go up, but if necessary, the US is quite capable of taking those country's oilfields if they join the Iranians. China, on the other hand, would be in big trouble. Go to war with us, they'd lose their oil, their food and their main customer. Which means that there'd be a few hundred million Chinese without jobs, food or energy. How long would the Chicom's last if their people began to suffer for the glory of Iran?

Good points. Another way to look at it is this way: No. Country GDP $US billions

1 USA 10,208

2 Japan 4,149

3 Germany 1,847

4 United Kingdom 1,424

5 France 1,307

6 China (exc.HK) 1,159

7 Italy 1,089

8 Canada 700

9 Mexico 618

10 Spain 582

11 Brazil 504

12 India 481

13 Korea 422

14 Netherlands 380

15 Australia 357

16 Russian Federation 310

17 Taiwan 282

18 Argentina 269

19 Switzerland 247

20 Belgium 227

We have been in the habit, in the USA, of fighting wars as if we are swatting flies. All this talk about how we don't have the power to take on several nations at once is nuts. We haven't been serious about war for sixty years. Mobilize our economy to a war stance, and no nation or axis of enemies could withstand our might.

When you add in the fact that virtually all of the largest economic powers are our allies, it becomes apparent that countries like China, Russia, Iran, etc, need us more than we need them.

117 posted on 06/24/2006 3:55:26 PM PDT by DC Bound
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To: mysterio
It would unite the Middle East against them, and the world would not come to their defense, as it would put Iran in the role of the victim and Israel in the role of the aggressor.

"unite the Middle East"

No, those who you are referring to here - would then think twice about attacking Israel - - for fear of also getting popped. And they would (finally) - -- - stfu and perhaps there would be no more bombings (by arabs) in Israel. (my opinion of course)

118 posted on 06/24/2006 3:59:08 PM PDT by Sic Luceat Lux
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To: MaDuce
Do you think most of the people in Nazi Germany were against Hitler, the people in the cities we bombed. And when we did bomb the German cities, did the rest of the world turn on the US and Briton. No.

We entered WWII after an unprovoked attack from Japan. If you think the world will react the same way if the US or Israel hits Iran with a pre-emptive nuke, than you are completely mistaken.

So grow a pair and realize the threat before the world.

Perhaps you should concentrate more on logical, realistic cause and effect models than on testosterone.
119 posted on 06/24/2006 3:59:28 PM PDT by mysterio
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To: DC Bound

That GDP information seems really old.


120 posted on 06/24/2006 4:00:20 PM PDT by mazack
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