Iran Next Target, Warns Israeli Diplomat

WA Today ^ | February 13, 2009 | Jason Koutsoukis, Jerusalem

[Strategy]

A SENIOR Israeli diplomat has warned that Israel is ready to launch a military offensive against Iran to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons.

In an interview with The Age, Dan Gillerman, who was Israel's permanent representative at the United Nations from 2003 until last September, said time for diplomatic efforts to stop Iran acquiring a nuclear capability might have already expired.

"The world cannot afford to live with a nuclear Iran," Mr Gillerman said. "I hope diplomacy will work, but I'm not sure we have the time for diplomacy to work.

"Israel has made it very clear that it will not live with a nuclear Iran and I believe that Israel has the ability and the capacity to make sure it will not happen."

Mr Gillerman, who will visit Australia later this month, said two clocks were running with respect to Iran: "There is the technological clock of Iran and there is the diplomatic clock, and I think the Iranian clock is running much faster."

[He Rides A White Horse]

So we’re really just waiting to see which one gets trigger-happy first?

We already know the trigger-happy guy is. He's been telling us for quite some time now, and I think he lives in Tehran.

[republicansforever]

numbers arent everything my friend. They help but the Israeli military is one of the best in the world i would take them over some army full of mussies any day.

[hinckley buzzard]

I've always wondered why Israel is so willing to rattle the sabers when they are vastly outnumbered by Iran.

Look at the geography. What is Iran going to do with a few hundred thousand landlocked troops, largely infantry, when Israel gains air superiority and advantages of maneuver? Iran fought Iraq only to a draw using human wave tactics on their own border. I don't think Israel is going to engage that way.

[GladesGuru]

WHatever gave you the idea Russia was all that enamored of Muslims? Remember the Chechens? Muslims to a man (animal might be more accurate), if I remember correctly.

Given that the Chechens bombed Moscow, and have been a thorn in the side, if not a knife hacking at the neck, of teh Russians for centuries, why do you think Putin would not like to see Muslims nuked?

Russia, for all that it has never really emerged from the Middle Ages in many ways, IS a Western people, based on Christian core concepts.

Muslims are antithetical to Russian culture and are irreconcilable with it. While Russia needs and wants resources controlled by the Muslim “stans”, they have long standing reservations about the Muslims living there.