Israel Tells the U.S. It Will Retaliate if Attacked by Iraq

The New York Times ^ | 9/21/2002 | Michael R. Gordon

[ex-Texan]

Israel Tells the U.S. It Will Retaliate if Attacked by Iraq

By MICHAEL R. GORDON

JERUSALEM, Sept. 21 — Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has informed the Bush administration that he plans to strike back if Iraq attacks Israel, according to Israeli and Western officials.

Mr. Sharon's statements, made privately to senior American officials in recent weeks, represent a major shift in Israeli thinking since the 1991 Persian Gulf war, when 39 Iraqi Scud missiles struck without any Israeli response.

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The prime minister's position reflects a widespread belief among Israeli politicians and generals that Arab leaders perceived Israel's restraint in 1991 as weakness. Throughout his military and political career, Mr. Sharon has always held that any attack on Israel must be promptly and powerfully punished.

"I don't think there is a scenario in which Israel will get hit and not strike back," a senior Western official said. "I think the evolving strategy will be commensurate response."

Mr. Sharon's position has significant implications for the Pentagon, which fears that an Israeli entry would stir up Arab public opinion and make it harder for the Pentagon to maintain cooperation from the Arab states where Washington hopes to base American forces

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[Scott from the Left Coast]

Great!

Join the party...there's plenty for everyone.

[Robert_Paulson2]

"I draw boundaries on what is a US fight and what is an Israeli fight."

there is NO such boundary to anyone who is informed... and YOU don't draw the boundaries.

[bonesmccoy]

It's not wrong at all, until you realize that the entry of Israel into a fight against Iraq is totally needless. The point of the entire Hussein-Attack-Israel strategy is to specifically rally other middle eastern nations against supporting UN resolutions to handcuff Hussein's developmental programs.

I doubt that there is the level of cooperation you describe. Frankly, if that were the case, why would Jonathan Pollard be necessary? I have no objection to working with the very capable IDF. I do have huge objections when Israeli operatives begin spying on MY NATION and MY GOVERNMENT and MY MILITARY.

While WMD use is horrible, the Israeli's have little to worry about the use of the bomb. Frankly, Israel would be leveled by one device because Israel is so geographically challenged.

Regarding IDF incursions during US operations, the President needs to make damn clear to Sharon that any IDF incursion or interference during a US-led operation would not be welcome.

The United States DOES NOT FOLLOW Israel's lead.

If some people in Israel have some problem with that, they should go back to 1947 and review which nation put Israel on the map!

[RnMomof7]

Well if Israel gets into it at least we know it will get finished this time..

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

The prime minister's position reflects a widespread belief among Israeli politicians and generals that Arab leaders perceived Israel's restraint in 1991 as weakness.

He is of course correct. Mad dogs are not to be reasoned with. Only killed.

[bonesmccoy]

If the US moves against Iraq, the IDF should stay in a defensive role. The reason is clear. Unified US-coalition forces will eliminate Iraqi opposition in short order. This means that other arab nations will eliminate the threat against Israel. If the IDF goes offensive against Iraq, it would be fairly easy to turn the coalition towards Jerusalem and end this thing in Armageddon.

[bonesmccoy]

Why don't you move to Israel and renounce your American citizenship?

[Robert_Paulson2]

"The USA KNEW they were going to do this."

...refers NOT to 911... but to the action today against arafat...

[The Great Satan]

This complicates Saddam's thinking quite a bit. Would the United States really nuke Baghdad in the event of an anthrax attack on US cities? -- especially, say, if the attack caused only "intermediate-scale" casualties, say in the tens of thousands. Saddam might gamble that we are too soft and PC to strike back. But now he has to think about Sharon, too. Is he going to strike the US, but not Israel? I seriously doubt it: his whole personality cult is that he is the leader who will bring the Arabs victory over the Jews. But he knows we can absorb a few tens or hundreds of thousands dead: Israel can't. If he tries anything, Baghdad is a radioactive hole in the ground.

[bonesmccoy]

You don't see a boundary between when Israel is involved in a war and when the United States is involved in a war?

What kind of screwed up politic are you believing?

American interests are NOT Israeli interests. Neither are vice versa.

[Melas]

Maybe it's me, but I find something terribly troubling that a nation has to announce that it will respond to an attack. It should be a given that a nation will respond to attack. We did Israel no favors when we encouraged them not to respond in '91.

[RWG]

and for good measure egypt, syria, saudi arabia, and jordan should be struck on the way to baggedead to make sure there is no surprise from these monsters.

[bonesmccoy]

Who cares about Arafat?

I'm an American dammit!

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Their statement has nothing to do with loyalty. It is a statement of their resolve to do what must be done to survive. I wish OUR politicians expressed similar reslove.

[bonesmccoy]

Yes, the Palestinians have a violent streak running. However, real political solutions occur when people have hope and ideals. Neither appear to exist for any individual in the Middle East. The Jews and Palestinians have such poor leadership. Really feel sorry for any individuals living around there.

[Robert_Paulson2]

I think Israel is preparing to strike pre emptively.

I think we know it. I think our arab allies are jake with it privately...

Iraq is going to try and pull something... and Israel will retaliate BEFORE we get a resolution out of congress. Diplomacy, sanctions, negotiations and inspectors... this stuff does not work. The only time to come to the table is when one side is humiliated and defeated into submission... then talking works.

It is time for the humiliation part now.

[Aric2000]

If Iraq strikes Israel, the war is over, along with a number of middle eastern countries. As soon as iraq arracks Israel, she goes into full bore press. I say LET HER DO IT!!

Israel has as much right to defend herself as we do. If she is attacked, she should attack BACK. If she is attacked with WMD's, let her FRY Iraq. End of story, and if she is attacked by the rest, let her FRY them too.

End of problem, we will have a bit of radioactive wasteland above, but we will have NO terrorists, no Religious regimes, and we can always drill horizontally for the oil if we really need it.

Iraq attacks Israel, it is ALL over!!

[SEGUET]

"baloney... bring it on. WE DO understand it. "

Good then you have obviously done a bit of research on the weather in that part of the world - direction of prevailing winds might give you a giggle, rainfall is also a laugher -

Your right - munitions are relevant - so is dispersal and fallout - I would remind you that it took less than 72 hours for the United States to begin enjoying the fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster -

Oh one other thing I'm sure you DO UNDERSTAND - decontamination from biological and chemical weapons of our troops and equipment - all it takes is water- lots of it - mixes with chemicals -

I'm sure you know how plentiful that little resource is even in downtown Baghdad - we can carry it with us though - give everybody an extra conteen -

The cleanup ought to be a ball - our troops, our equipment, their civilians their, infrastructure - don't forget to put out the fires - oops more water needed here -

Sorry charlie - for this one water is going to be as equaly important as diesel fuel and plasma -

But you know all about munitions and the little asides -

It's really going to be fun to tell all our troops who have doned their chemical protection equipment and who have been zapped and then tell them they can't take them off until they are decontaminated - oops swater won't be here for another 3 weeks - but they all look like they could lose a little weight anyway - how do they eat and drink in the suits - the answer is they don't.

But you knew all this about munitions -

WE are so good at coming up with better mousetraps - but we don;t know a damn thing about planning for what to do with all those dead mice.

But you knew all that.