Israeli Brigadier-General Uzi Eilam denies Iran is nuclear threat and says that even if Iran had nuclear capabilities a unilateral attack would not be practical.
A general who was once in charge of Israel’s nuclear weapons has claimed that Iran is a “very, very, very long way from building a nuclear capabilityâ€.
Brigadier-General Uzi Eilam, 75, a war hero and pillar of the defence establishment, believes it will probably take Iran seven years to make nuclear weapons.
In all honesty, it is impossible for the general public to make a determination about how close Iran is to producing nuclear weapons. Most official western sources suggest Iran is mere months or at most, a year away. Other sources, like General Uzi Eilam and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin say it’s not likely. Whatever the case may be, the Israelis seem to be dead set on either getting the US involved, or going it alone:
According to well-placed defence sources, Israel is speeding up preparations for a possible attack on Iran’s nuclear sites. Last week its defence forces released footage that showed training to refuel F-15 jet fighters in mid-air. “This was a warning not to Iran but to the Americans that we’re serious,†said an Israeli defence source.
But Eilam argues “such an attack [against Iran] would be counter-productiveâ€.
“One strike is not practical. In order to delay the Iranian programme for three to four years, one needs an armada of aircraft, which only a super-power can provide. Only America can do it.â€
All signs are pointing to the likely end result here as a strike on Iran by the Israeli military. Unless of course they’re bluffing. But remember, they didn’t bluff in 1981. Back in ’81, though, the Israelis had indirect support from the United States after the strike (and probably before it).
Does Israel have the support of the USA this time? Perhaps under the Bush administration they did, but President Obama does not seem to be as close knit with our Jewish ally.
If Israel launches an attack, it’s been suggested that the only way to get to Iran is to fly over US airspace in Iraq. Is President Obama prepared to allow this to happen? And if it does happen, how will it be interpreted by Iran?
If Iran considers this an act of war not just by Israel, but the US as well, we could have military conflict on the Iran/Iraq border very quickly (as in hours).
In this particular scenario, it would seem more advantageous for the United States to join the Israeli attack and preemptively hit Iran in a bilateral action.
It seems that Mr. Obama will have a very difficult decision to make this year on how the US will respond in the event that Israel gives its military a ‘go’.
Not supporting Israel in proactively attacking their enemies is probably the only single thing Obamination has done right so far. that could change. Humbug on your war mongering. BTW your boyfriend Bushie Bush is one of the main reasons the country is where it is today.
Fred, this article is not intended to suggest we should go to war. It is intended to point out the complexities of the current state of affairs in the middle east. At no point do I suggest that the actions of Israeli are or will be justified. Nor do I suggest that I support bilateral action.
I am simply attempting to demonstrate that President Obama’s decision of whether or not to join an Isralei attack on Iran would not be as simple to make as you may believe it to be. If you interpret this as war mongering, so be it.
Nothing is as black and white, red and blue, lib and conservative as the majority of America has come to believe. These are complex scenarios, with a wide variety of potential geo-political and geo-economic outcomes no matter what decision is eventually made.
One can just as easily argue that Woodrow Wilson, or FDR, or Reagan, or Bush I, or Clinton are the main reasons this country is where it is today. And since Obama is in office, I can also go ahead and blame him for the economic calamity, and since he will be making the decision if/when Israel does attack, whatever the result is, and it won’t be pretty either way, we can blame Obama. IMHO, Bush is no more responsible for where this country is today than the aforementioned Presidents.
The president has no difficult decision to make at all ! The reason is : He and his entire adminstration detest Israel and would be very happy to see it go away . FRED you have no no idea at all , the ONLY friend we have in the middle east is Is Israel , everyone else hates us . and lastly let me leave with this : “Those who prase Israel I will prase, Those who curse Israel I will curse “…Thus says the Lord !  So watch what you say !
Comments…..If Israel is ‘our friend’ then who needs enemies? The Pres is waiting for his instructions from Tel-Aviv on when to commence bombing Iran, as any good servant awaits instruction from his master. Any blustering on Obama’s part against Israel is theater. Israel is going into panic mode because the people of Iran are starting to organize for a revolution. A take-over of the Govt. there by a more reasonable regime is the worst thing Israel can imagine. They desperately want to destroy the only remaining power in the ME that could ever block Israel’s genocide against Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian people. So, I expect war there very soon. The interest of Israel is paramount to TPTB over any consideration of harm or blowback to the US. Actually, I’m a little surprised the war hasn’t started already.