Posted on 07/08/2008 4:26:56 PM PDT by mojito
The US did not give the green light for an Israeli attack on Iran, Prof. Anthony H. Cordesman, a former Pentagon official and currently the top defense analyst at the ABC TV network, said Monday.
Cordesman was speaking during a meeting with Israeli defense analysts held by the Institute of National Security Studies. He said IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi was notified of the United States' stance regarding Iran by Admiral Michael Mullen, the top uniformed US military officer, during Mullen's visit here at the end of June.
The US has opted at this point to stick to the diplomatic track in its efforts to keep Iran from going nuclear, and has made clear to Israel that it shouldn't attack Iran without White House approval, Cordesman said.
He added that the current US policy is likely to remain unchanged at least until the next US president is sworn in.
Israeli officials confirmed that Cordesman's statements indeed reflected the current tone of US policy.
Ashkenazi is slated to visit Washington DC in the coming weeks, and while the purpose of his visit remains classified, defense analysts assume that the Iranian dossier will make up a large part of his itinerary.
Cordesman?
If Obama becomes President-elect, Israel will 100% attack Iran before the end of Bush’s term.
Better options might include a gasoline bockade, freezing assets, and the like.
Either way, this isn't Israel's call. It's our call.
Game, set, match.
That's not quite the same as 'US won't allow Israel to attack Iran'.
Obviously any such attack would require extensive U.S./Israeli military cooperation.
Cordesman is a leftist who may simply be hoping to create a self-fulfilling prophecy. That said, it seems likely that the Condi Rice/Robert Gates wing is ascendant for now, especially given that they like to band together against VP Cheney. Whether they will prevail all the way to Jan. 20, or whether Israel will heed their commands if it’s decided that there’s only one way left to stop Iran’s nuclear programs (seems obvious to me) is another set of questions.
I agree. But if Iran attacks Israel all bets are off.....
Israel has to live with the results of an Iranian Nuclear attack,We won't.At least not for a little while.
BINGO!!
I’m guessing the only piece of the puzzle yet to be put in place is simply the date and time.
Pre-strike disinformation.
They will not be allowed to use Iraqi airspace. That would be seen as tantamount to mounting the attack ourselves. If the IAF can design an effective attack that does not use Iraqi airspace we cannot stop them if they are determined. But I think Cordesman’s comment means that Iraqi airspace is totally out of the question.
Wow, and all this time I really didn’t believe that Israel was just a U.S. satrapy. I guess I was wrong about that one.
Do you actually think that if a hundred miles into Iraqi airspace (which is about how far they might get before being detected) that the stuckee stationed fighter would dare fire on a group of Israeli strike fighters? By the time the confer between stuckee(s) and command would be decided, they’d be where they wanted to be in the first place. American fighters will not fire on Iraelis, period.
A wink is as good as a nod. Once this story makes the rounds, Israel is free to defend herself in any way she deems necessary, and Bush will have deniability.
Of course, the ‘rats will blame him anyhow, but what else is new?!
Are you crazy? Who do you think has been behind all the crap in the middle east since Jimmy Carter removed the Shah. Be real, Israel, has much more to worry about than double oil prices and a global depression. You go tell the Israeli's that it's not their call when Amedinutjob tells them he is going to wipe them off the face of the earth. We will be lucky when and IF, we get the call that the planes are off the ground. In 48, 56 and 67, in all cases Israel's enemies prepare to attack them but in all cases Israel jumped them... RIGHT BEFORE.
I would prefer to see the Israeli strike be a followup/second wave following an initial strike by the United States.
While we turn our aircraft for the third strike to follow on the heels of the Israeli second strike.
Take Iran’s military & nuclear assets out as completely as we can as quickly as we can.
Is this the MSM trying to spin the situation towards Obama's advantage?
-PJ
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