Tashah

Israel has publicly told everyone very plainly that Iran will not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. History indicates quite clearly that Israel is not at all bluffing. Either diplomatically or by other means, Iran's nuclear-weapon ambitions will be terminated.

__________________

mikhail

I dont think America will back them it could destroy all the progress made in Iraq.

__________________
The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.

Tashah

The US didn't bless the IAF strike on the Syrian nuclear facility either. From an Israeli pov, US progress in Iraq is hardly an incentive to accept nuclear-tipped Iranian Shahab-3b missiles.

rathi

The tactical considerations are different this time. Israel will have an extremely difficult time hitting Iran without access to Iraqi airspace. It might be possible to bypass it, but it would take considerable effort and lower the effectiveness of the operation. Israel might be better off waiting for regime change in the U.S. presidential election or even a withdrawal of U.S. air power from Iraq before performing the strike. Alternatives would likely be extremely expensive, namely purchasing long range strategic bombers, cruise missiles, naval launched air strike capability, or even something wild like bribing one of ex-soviet border states to act as a airbase.

__________________
He'd be right at home on some ancient battlefield, swinging an axe into somebody's face.

Tashah

Israel can hit Iran from the troika of land, sea, or air. The method of engagement is to some degree dependent on the political landscape.

I don't see the US minimizing its air power in Iraq or the Persian Gulf anytime soon. I personally think the Israeli government believes that Barack Obama will be the next US president. In this regard, the prevailing pov is that an Obama administration would be less inclined to offer Israel any preemptive support. Under this political landscape, banking on US regime change would seem counter-productive and perhaps prohibitive.

Israeli submarines are already cruise-missile capable. The IAF has demonstrated the flying range to strike Iran and return home. Iran is well within range of Israel based Jericho missiles. In addition, Israel has a UAV fleet with the range and capability to strike Iran and return to IAF air-bases.

DivineComedy

If Israel does not care about progress in Iraq that could be incentive not to care if the next administration abstains instead of Vetoes at the Security Council.

__________________
“[59.14] They will not fight against you in a body save in fortified towns or from behind walls; their fighting between them is severe, you may think them as one body, and their hearts are disunited; that is because they are a people who have no sense.”

Yeah, a wall and a border patrol will protect us. {sound of laughter}

Tashah

Oh yes, Iraq. Let's do that one Comedy. The US government had no problem invading Iraq to destroy its mighty arsenal of “nuclear weapons”. What a joke. Iraq didn't even have a functioning nuclear reactor. The old “Do as I say and not as I do” routine. Right Comedy?

DivineComedy

What part of "Gun control does not float my boat for war" have you missed since 2005? Saddam's support for terrorism in violation of H32 of United Nations (of tyrants too) resolution 687 did float by boat to end the lukewarm "liberal" arts of war. {period}

Tashah

What a load of crappola. Perhaps you missed Rice's dire “mushroom cloud” warnings or Sec. Powell's flamboyant dissertation at the UN?

DivineComedy

I did not miss anything about that, and I can prove that in a court of law, as I was talking about Hamlet, Saddam, and liberal lungs turning to puss in September 2001. Please, I have had another hard drive problem, do not make me download a new package so I can access the CD-R and quote what I said in September 2001.

The only part of the great psychic Powell's "flamboyant dissertation" I have ever quoted on this message board had to do with Saddam's support for terrorism and the Al Quacka bug he said was in Iraq and was later killed in Iraq.

Israel cannot claim the Iraq war was "defacto illegal," and stab us in the back, considering the wording of all the laws, and then claim Israel attacking Iran "preemptively" is legal.

Israel has nukes and is considered by many to be the second biggest terrorist nation on earth. Why not do away with your nukes first like Saddam said when he was talking about helping the magical "they" on October 31, 2001?