Israel considering strike on Iran despite US intelligence report

[Bozita]

Source: Guardian Unlimited

5pm GMT / 12pm ET
Israel considering strike on Iran despite US intelligence report


Rory McCarthy in Jerusalem
Friday December 7, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

Senior Israeli officials warned today they were still considering the option of a military strike against Iran, despite a fresh US intelligence report that concluded Tehran was no longer developing nuclear weapons.

Although Israel argues that it wants to see strong diplomatic pressure put on Iran, it is reluctant to rule out the threat of a unilateral military attack. Matan Vilnai, Israel's deputy defence minister, told Army Radio today: "No option needs to be off the table."


Avigdor Lieberman, the hard-right deputy prime minister, said Israel should be ready to act if sanctions did not work. "If they don't, we will sit and decide whatever we have to decide," he told the Jerusalem Post in an interview today.

Several of Israel's Iran experts say the American rethink on the threat posed by Iran had ruled out a US military strike and probably an Israeli strike too, at least for now. However, Israel's political hawks continue to keep the threat of action alive.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,2224052,00.html

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I'm shaking with anger.

[rockymountaindem]

1. I wouldn't expect an attack

It's just the usual game of keeping all options on the table.

[Benhurst]

2. To do so would be a war crime. If they go through with their threats,

they should be left to their own devices and their leadership hauled up before the Hague on war crimes charges.

[99th_Monkey]

5. This wouldn't be Israel's first war crime, so I wouldn't hold your breath

waiting for war crime charges if they attack Iran .. they already commit war crimes on a daily basis in Palistine, invaded Lebanon and remember the air strikes on Syria?

[Critters2]

17. Israel committing a war crime.

That would never happen :sarcasm:

[VWolf]

3. Did I read this right?

The deputy prime minister is named Avigdor LIEBERMAN???

That would explain a lot.

[Bozita]

4. "He is Israel's David Duke ..."

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=11627

Israel's most notorious anti-Arab politician and provocateur, Avigdor Lieberman, spoke at Brookings' Saban Center Forum in Washington, DC this past weekend. It will probably come as a surprise to most Americans that such a man could rise to the position of Israel's deputy prime minister and the minister for strategic affairs. He is Israel's David Duke and yet he was feted in New York and Washington during his visit here.

Initial reporting indicated that Henry Kissinger would chair Lieberman's session. No surprise there. Both men are advocates of a "land swap" between Israelis and Palestinians, a euphemism for the ethnic cleansing of Arabs from Israel. Kissinger's office, however, claims to have sent its regrets to the exclusive gathering.

Lieberman far outstrips Kissinger in the force of his rhetoric with his calls to drown Palestinian prisoners in the Dead Sea, as reported in Ha'aretz, and his declaration that 90 percent of Arabs have no place in Israel but should "take their packages and go to hell." Clearly, or so one would think, it is racist to strip a minority population of citizenship without that being the wish of the affected group. Indeed, there is no indication Arabs desire to leave Israel for a rump Palestinian state consigned to continual subjugation by Israel.

more...

[LeftishBrit]

8. Avigdor Lieberman is a nut

He is probably more like an Israeli Pat Buchanan/ LePen type than Joe Lieberman. Anyway, having him in the government is one of the negative aspects of a Proportional Representation system, where no party gets a majority and several parties need to be accommodated.

[sarcasmo]

6. I have been saying it would be Israel for at least two years now.

IMHO, the reason they blew up the Syrian Nuke site was in prelude to an Iran attack. That Syrian Nuke site must have scared Israel enough to take it out. I also feel this Israel is where those Nuclear Warheads were headed.

[Bonhomme Richard]

7. I would love to know if this Lieberman is any relation......

to our beloved Joe.

[LeftishBrit]

11. Nope.

'Lieberman' is a common name among East Europaean Jews.

[Megahurtz]

20. Still...

that doesn't mean that they may not be related.

[rodeodance]

9. Avigdor Lieberman, the hard-right deputy prime minister, ?? related to Joe??

[FMArouet]

10. Israelis Not Capable of Doing it Solo

Here is an interesting piece today from Haaretz online. Amongst several thoughtful reflections on the abrupt U.S. turnaround toward Iran is this obvious one: any Israeli air strike on Iran would require close coordination of flight paths with U.S. forces in the region--i.e., U.S. approval in advance.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/932092.html

[LeftishBrit]

12. It won't happen

Most Israelis do NOT want a military strike, and the government are already unpopular enough without that. Most of it is just 'tough talk', and Avigdor Lieberman is known to be a right-wing nut in any case.

[rockybelt]

13. Given the fact

that little georgie is going to Israel next week it makes sense to me that the israelis would ratchet up the rhetoric and I am sure that they will let little georgie know when the surprise attack will begin.

[Javaman]

14. Why would they still do this? Just. because. they. can. nt

[dipsydoodle]

15. I suppose they could infact do that

just to assert themsleves aka prove how stupid they really are. On the upside it could likely precipitate the overdue demise of the country whose name cannot generally be mentioned with getting a post moved to the * and * Forum.

[formercia]

16. What's next, they invade Poland?

They say "Never forget."

Some people just never remember.

[Megahurtz]

18. If Israel Is Truely That Stupid

then they better be prepared for the consequences of their actions. :nuke:

[annabanana]

19. Will this happen?... Would the resulting media blitz be enough to

drag us into active engagement?

There's a damn determined bunch of warmongers roaming the halls of power in this Country.

[focusfan]

21. I think Isreal is a dictatorship

i think if the U.S.was smart they would tell Isreal if you
strike Iran your on your own.