Posted on 12/10/2005 6:48:44 PM PST by rhainw
ISRAEL’S armed forces have been ordered by Ariel Sharon, the prime minister, to be ready by the end of March for possible strikes on secret uranium enrichment sites in Iran, military sources have revealed. The order came after Israeli intelligence warned the government that Iran was operating enrichment facilities, believed to be small and concealed in civilian locations.
Iran’s stand-off with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over nuclear inspections and aggressive rhetoric from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, who said last week that Israel should be moved to Europe, are causing mounting concern.
The crisis is set to come to a head in early March, when Mohamed El-Baradei, the head of the IAEA, will present his next report on Iran. El-Baradei, who received the Nobel peace prize yesterday, warned that the world was “losing patience” with Iran.
A senior White House source said the threat of a nuclear Iran was moving to the top of the international agenda and the issue now was: “What next?” That question would have to be answered in the next few months, he said.
Defence sources in Israel believe the end of March to be the “point of no return” after which Iran will have the technical expertise to enrich uranium in sufficient quantities to build a nuclear warhead in two to four years.
“Israel — and not only Israel — cannot accept a nuclear Iran,” Sharon warned recently. “We have the ability to deal with this and we’re making all the necessary preparations to be ready for such a situation.”
The order to prepare for a possible attack went through the Israeli defence ministry to the chief of staff. Sources inside special forces command confirmed that “G” readiness — the highest stage — for an operation was announced last week.
Gholamreza Aghazadeah, head of the Atomic Organisation of Iran, warned yesterday that his country would produce nuclear fuel. “There is no doubt that we have to carry out uranium enrichment,” he said.
He promised it would not be done during forthcoming talks with European negotiators. But although Iran insists it wants only nuclear energy, Israeli intelligence has concluded it is deceiving the world and has no intention of giving up what it believes is its right to develop nuclear weapons.
A “massive” Israeli intelligence operation has been underway since Iran was designated the “top priority for 2005”, according to security sources.
Cross-border operations and signal intelligence from a base established by the Israelis in northern Iraq are said to have identified a number of Iranian uranium enrichment sites unknown to the the IAEA.
Since Israel destroyed the Osirak nuclear reactor in Iraq in 1981, “it has been understood that the lesson is, don’t have one site, have 50 sites”, a White House source said.
If a military operation is approved, Israel will use air and ground forces against several nuclear targets in the hope of stalling Tehran’s nuclear programme for years, according to Israeli military sources.
It is believed Israel would call on its top special forces brigade, Unit 262 — the equivalent of the SAS — and the F-15I strategic 69 Squadron, which can strike Iran and return to Israel without refuelling.
The statements are intended as a final effort to make Iran turn back from its present inclinations and to prepare world public opinion for an attack if that is necessary. Contrary to the fluff in the article, the IDF is ready at any given moment to make an attack, in the past, at present, in the future. And the Arabs know this very well.
A peace prize wielding El-Baradei is no threat to Iran. At least Israel has the onions to let Iran know that they are not placing all their eggs in the UN basket.
May I live in << Interesting times >> so my sons may know only peace!
Blessings - Brian
"Exactly so."
Shaking the tree to see what kind of nuts fall out.
There should be -- probably already IS -- a law that would shut down immediately news organizations that threaten military operations.
uh oh, too late....we are all playing rocket science...now!
Anyone have a big BIG lighter?
To see where the defensive measures are being beefed up. It will give Isreal intellegence via satellite, on where activity increases; targets.
Isreal will be fed satellite data from 'guess who'. And just for good measures, 'guess who' will supply some intelligent bombs and missles...
Of course Israel will act and rightly so.
Getting rid of Israel is an objective of Iran's.
I've read that Iran is sending arms and men into Iraq as well as agitating the Shiites. I also hear that Russia is selling the weapon systems to Iran to help make war inevitable so they can gain in economic and political power.
German subs have been sold to Israel and I read or heard, that the subs are hanging out in the Indian Ocean parked outside of Iran.
I don't think it will be a nuclear exchange. I think it will be an inevitable regional conflict. And that groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood will continue to gain power.
I agree.
He's letting Jay Rockefeller do the honors.
Good, lets go to war. Hundred bucks says something "iiiiinteeerestiiing" shows up. Uh, like OBL (if he's not dead, which is the most likely scenario, he hasn't said a damn thing in a while), Zarqawi, Zawahiri, or some other people on the most wanted list. Among other things, documents implicating iranian involvement in 9/11, possibly attack on Cole, 1993 WTC bombings, etc. I'm very interested in what the results of this war would be.
"I think the dems and MSM have lied and twisted enough to render us unable to defend ourselves."
When the day comes, that we lose a city due to a nuclear explosion, and I have the sinking feeling that we will see just that within a decade or less, they'll be screaming "Reichstag Fire" from every media outlet.
this was and is the case with whatever or whoever the leadership is ..... Israel is not the fool!!... maybe
the iranian president is? if the iranian president had
a brain he would STFU fast.
On another thread a week ago it was stated that the Irael AF had F16's with extra wing pod fuel tanks. No refueling required.
This must be a joke. LOL!
If not Israel is gonna have another little war with the Arab world.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.