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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Israel refuses to tell US its Iran intentions
2011-11-12
Israel has refused to reassure President Barack Obama that it would warn him in advance of any pre-emptive strike on Iran's nuclear capabilities, raising fears that it may be planning a go-it-alone attack as early as next summer.
See? That's why B.O. gets so frustrated having to deal with Netanyahu every day...
The US leader was rebuffed last month when he demanded private guarantees that no strike would go ahead without White House notification, suggesting Israel no longer plans to "seek Washington's permission", sources said. The disclosure, made by insiders briefed on a top-secret meeting between America's most senior defence chief and Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's hawkish prime minister, comes amid concerns that Iran's continuing progress towards nuclear weapons capability means the Jewish state has all but lost hope for a diplomatic solution.

On Tuesday, UN weapons inspectors released their most damning report to date into Iran's nuclear activities, saying for the first time that the Islamic republic appeared to be building a nuclear weapon. It was with that grave possiblity in mind that Leon Panetta, the US defence secretary, flew into Israel last month on what was ostensibly a routine trip.

Officially, his brief was restricted to the Middle East peace process, but the most important part of his mission was a private meeting with Mr Netanyahu and the defence minister, Ehud Barak. Once all but a handful of trusted staff had left the room, Mr Panetta conveyed an urgent message from Barack Obama. The president, Mr Panetta said, wanted an unshakable guarantee that Israel would not carry out a unilateral military strike against Iran's nuclear installations without first seeking Washington's clearance.
Posted by:tipper

#11  Besides, knowing Obumbles, he might have them turned over to the U.N. for war crimes (1).

(1) war crimes being defined as resisting or defending yourself against Islam....
Posted by: CrazyFool   2011-11-12 23:44  

#10  "Why not dogleg out, splash and be picked up by the US carrier group?"

That's fine if you have an air force of disposable aircraft.
Posted by: crosspatch   2011-11-12 23:21  

#9  Jordan is a pushover. Just sayin'
Posted by: rammer   2011-11-12 22:29  

#8  Any challenge or low flying and the Israeli jets will run out of fuel on the return leg.

Why not dogleg out, splash and be picked up by the US carrier group?
Posted by: Skidmark   2011-11-12 21:57  

#7  Without tacit permission of the Arabs or Turks
Posted by: Eohippus Phater7165   2011-11-12 20:41  

#6  Israel has the means to fly through Jordan and Iran without anyone being any the wiser.

Jordan isn't a pushover. They fly MLUed F-16s and while most of GBAD is Soviet they also have US radars and some Patriots that would have to be avoided. Any challenge or low flying and the Israeli jets will run out of fuel on the return leg.

Without tacit permission of the Arabs, an Israeli fighter/bomber attack isn't really feasible. Sub, UAV or even an armed B707 tanker attack is another matter.
Posted by: Eohippus Phater7165   2011-11-12 20:37  

#5  This story is hokey on so many different levels. It doesn't pass a basic smell test.

Why would all but most trusted staff leave the room if the result of the meeting is simply going to be published in the newspaper anyway? Why are we reading the result of a "secret" meeting in the paper?

All this story does is gives Washington cover when all hell breaks loose after Israel attacks Iran. It just establishes that Israel won't have Washington's "clearance" when it engages in the attack. It basically keeps Russia from declaring war on the US as part of their mutual defense treaty with Iran.

This story doesn't smell right to me.
Posted by: crosspatch   2011-11-12 19:59  

#4  Israel has the means to fly through Jordan and Iran without anyone being any the wiser. Only in Iraqi airspace can the Americans detect or deter them. So to tell 0 that they are coming would be to doom those brave Israeli pilots as the U.S Air Force followed Presidential orders to defend Iraqi airspace.

No, far better to punch through, do the deed, egress rapidly, and then notify 0 and the world that Israeli ballistic missiles are on alert and will be launched at the first sign of any counter-strike.

Essentially, U.S. forces leaving Iraq, gives permission to Israel to attack Iran.

Posted by: rammer   2011-11-12 19:44  

#3  Hillary would let the Iranians know - in the interest of "stability"
Posted by: Frank G   2011-11-12 19:29  

#2  Doesn't that come under the O'ster's policy of leading from behind? The Iraeli's would prefer that he stay far behind and out of their way.
Posted by: OCCD   2011-11-12 19:27  

#1  Don't tell O'bumble. He and his corrupt cronies would try to foul things up, which would result in a lot more dead Israelis.

Instead, make a few select phone calls to some US fleet admirals a few minutes before it goes down. "Oh, by the way, a large number of Iranian missiles may soon be coming your way."

Give one of our aircraft carrier groups fifteen minutes warning and they would be ready to face the devil himself. And any Iranian ship or boat within 200 miles would be toast.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2011-11-12 18:20  

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