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Key General: White House Briefed on Iran Target Options
U.S. News and World Report ^ | 2/29/2012 | John T. Bennett

Posted on 02/29/2012 6:38:38 PM PST by U-238

The Air Force has provided the White House with options for a strike against Iran's nuclear weapons sites, but a former top Pentagon official is warning America and Israel lack the weaponry to halt Tehran's atomic arms program.

Iran's defiant pursuit of nuclear weapons "has the attention of the [Joint] Chiefs and other national security officials," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz told reporters Wednesday. "Our obligation is to provide options" to the defense secretary and the president, Schwartz said, "and we have done that."

President Obama and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta have said for months they will continue with a plan based on increasingly severe sanctions aimed at weakening the regime in Tehran. But the U.S. leaders contend a military strike is very much on the table.

[Iran Flexes Military Muscle in Persian Gulf.]

The strike options apparently include dropping the Air Force's 30,000-pound "bunker buster" bomb. That weapon is designed to penetrate deep into the ground and take out deeply burried enemy targets.

Schwartz's revelation that strike options have been sent to the military's civilian bosses in the Pentagon's E-Ring and the White House came less than a week before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet with Obama in Washington. And it came six days after the former second-ranking U.S. general said flatly that the Air Force and Israel lack the firepower to bring Iran's nuclear arms program to a halt.

(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: centralcommand; iran; persiangulf; usaf
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1 posted on 02/29/2012 6:38:49 PM PST by U-238
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To: U-238
the Air Force and Israel lack the firepower to bring Iran's nuclear arms program to a halt.

Well then wipe out the regime

2 posted on 02/29/2012 6:50:36 PM PST by paul51 (11 September 2001 - Never forget)
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To: paul51

I am sure command and control facilities are a key objective. Destroy that, the IRGC command will be in disarray.


3 posted on 02/29/2012 6:54:34 PM PST by U-238
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To: paul51

Falschen Truppen


4 posted on 02/29/2012 6:56:32 PM PST by ZULU (LIBERATE HAGIA SOPHIA!!!!!)
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To: U-238

Imagine this headline in late 1943. “Gen Spaatz briefed on ball bearing targets in the German city of Schweinfurt.” I guess military security is so old fashioned these days.


5 posted on 02/29/2012 6:56:46 PM PST by gusty
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To: gusty

I agree. The problem is there too many people who have access to classified information.


6 posted on 02/29/2012 6:58:25 PM PST by U-238
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To: gusty

Technology is not helping. All you need is a USB flash drive and you can download information.


7 posted on 02/29/2012 6:59:37 PM PST by U-238
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To: paul51

If there is a shooting war in the Persian Gulf, there is a risk that the strategic results will not be achieved, the US will suffer serious casualties or that capital ships may be severely damaged or even sunk in the narrow confines of the Persian Gulf. If that were to happen Obama would never be reelected. Obama is simply not going to take that chance. The Administration is already trying to defuse the situation by repeating the mantra that “there is no evidence that Iran has actually decided to build a nuclear weapon.” Shortly after Natanyahu completes his visit to the US, look for the major elements of the 5th Fleet to depart the Persian Gulf. Unless Israel has a creative amazing plan, Iran will get its nuclear weapons,


8 posted on 02/29/2012 7:06:21 PM PST by allendale
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To: U-238
The 0bama regime discloses things that should be kept secret and keeps secret the things Americans should know.

America is being murdered from the inside and wants to take Israel down with it.

9 posted on 02/29/2012 7:11:14 PM PST by FedsRStealingOurCountryFromUs
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To: U-238
The 0bama regime discloses things that should be kept secret and keeps secret the things Americans should know.

America is being murdered from the inside and the evildoers want to take Israel down with it.

10 posted on 02/29/2012 7:12:28 PM PST by FedsRStealingOurCountryFromUs
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To: U-238

Just 0bama’s access alone to classified information is enough to get us all killed. Panetta, Hillary & Abedin (Spy for MB), Biden, Jarrett.. They just add more nails to our coffin. We’ve been screwed for many years now.


11 posted on 02/29/2012 7:18:24 PM PST by FedsRStealingOurCountryFromUs
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To: FedsRStealingOurCountryFromUs

Welcome to FreeRepublic!...

‘America is being murdered from the inside’

With help from the likes of our current leaders I’d have to agree with you.


12 posted on 02/29/2012 7:20:48 PM PST by Carthego delenda est
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To: U-238
...but a former top Pentagon official is warning America and Israel lack the weaponry to halt Tehran's atomic arms program...

Obviously a falsehood. I'm so sick of this. If I were president and a "top Pentagon official" came to me with that bit of idiocy, he would soon find himself headed to the food stamp office (only to find when he got there that I had closed that down, too).

We DO NOT "lack the weaponry" to stop Iran developing nukes. We lack the will to use them. And we're going to pay dearly for it. God, for another LeMay...

"I'll tell you what war is about. You've got to kill people, and when you've killed enough, they stop fighting." --General Curtis E. LeMay

13 posted on 02/29/2012 7:24:52 PM PST by LibWhacker
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...

Thanks U-238.
...a former top Pentagon official is warning America and Israel lack the weaponry to halt Tehran's atomic arms program... the former second-ranking U.S. general said flatly that the Air Force and Israel lack the firepower to bring Iran's nuclear arms program to a halt.

14 posted on 02/29/2012 7:31:50 PM PST by SunkenCiv (FReep this FReepathon!)
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To: LibWhacker
We DO NOT "lack the weaponry" to stop Iran developing nukes.

You may put a dent in it so big, it would take them years to recooperate. If you noticed, the Syrians had to start from scratch after Operation:Orchard.
15 posted on 02/29/2012 7:39:46 PM PST by U-238
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To: U-238
The Iraqis completely slowed up considerably when their nuclear program was attack in Operation Opera.
16 posted on 02/29/2012 7:43:18 PM PST by U-238
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To: paul51
I agree. Stop fighting with one hand tied behind our backs. Either (a) paint targets on the top leaders and take them out one by one, or (b) target SLBM MIRVs from the Indian Ocean to deliver the bunker buster punch on buried sites using weapons with capability measured by the mega-ton. Prepare a decisive salvo in the event they do not stay down for the ten-count.
17 posted on 02/29/2012 8:33:42 PM PST by sefarkas (Why vote Democrat Lite?)
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To: sefarkas
America and Israel lack the weaponry to halt Tehran’s atomic arms program..
But I bet collectively we could make ‘em wish they never even uttered the word “ Nuclear” !!!!
18 posted on 02/29/2012 10:01:38 PM PST by Robe (Rome did not create a great empire by talking, they did it by killing all those who opposed them)
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To: U-238
"And it came six days after the former second-ranking U.S. general..."

And looky there at who he is. ...no surprise at all. ;-)


19 posted on 02/29/2012 11:22:41 PM PST by familyop (We Baby Boomers are croaking in an avalanche of rotten politics smelled around the planet.)
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To: familyop

He is probably a two or three star general.They still count.


20 posted on 02/29/2012 11:24:23 PM PST by U-238
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