Posted on 04/16/2010 7:35:08 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The United States envisions a limited Israeli air strike on Iran. A conference by U.S. Central Command and the Washington Institute for Near East Policy concluded that Israel was preparing a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. In a report on the January 2010 conference, senior U.S. officers and strategists were said to have identified key Iranian targets in any Israeli strike.
"If Israel were to take unilateral military action, it would be focused and short-lived, conducted via long-range bombing runs or missile strikes," the report, titled "The Perfect Handshake With Iran," said. "The most likely targets would be the plutonium-producing heavy water reactor under construction in Arak, the centrifuge enrichment facility at Natanz, and the uranium conversion plant in Isfahan." Natanz was said to contain nearly 10,000 centrifuges for the production of nuclear fuel. Arak was expected to be completed around 2011.
The report, released on April 9, said Israel would examine several routes for its F-15 and F-16 fighters for the 1,000-kilometer flight to Iran. The most likely route was along the border of Syria and Turkey, similar to that used in Israel's attack on Syria's nuclear facility in 2007.
"Israeli aircraft would likely fly along the Syrian-Turkish border or similar lines, confusing the issue of which countries were being overflown," the report said. "Though it is possible that Israel would ask for tacit permission to fly through Saudi air space."
Israeli military preparations reflected a lack of trust in the administration of President Barack Obama, the report said. Author Patrick Clawson said Israel believes the United States has become resigned to a nuclear Iran without understanding the consequences for the Middle East.
Still, the report said Israel would not rush to attack Iran. The officers and strategists agreed that the Jewish state "will
(Excerpt) Read more at geostrategy-direct.com ...
Target list inclusion for the 27th sortie. :-)
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