Posted on 12/10/2005 6:48:44 PM PST by rhainw
ISRAEL’S armed forces have been ordered by Ariel Sharon, the prime minister, to be ready by the end of March for possible strikes on secret uranium enrichment sites in Iran, military sources have revealed. The order came after Israeli intelligence warned the government that Iran was operating enrichment facilities, believed to be small and concealed in civilian locations.
Iran’s stand-off with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over nuclear inspections and aggressive rhetoric from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, who said last week that Israel should be moved to Europe, are causing mounting concern.
The crisis is set to come to a head in early March, when Mohamed El-Baradei, the head of the IAEA, will present his next report on Iran. El-Baradei, who received the Nobel peace prize yesterday, warned that the world was “losing patience” with Iran.
A senior White House source said the threat of a nuclear Iran was moving to the top of the international agenda and the issue now was: “What next?” That question would have to be answered in the next few months, he said.
Defence sources in Israel believe the end of March to be the “point of no return” after which Iran will have the technical expertise to enrich uranium in sufficient quantities to build a nuclear warhead in two to four years.
“Israel — and not only Israel — cannot accept a nuclear Iran,” Sharon warned recently. “We have the ability to deal with this and we’re making all the necessary preparations to be ready for such a situation.”
The order to prepare for a possible attack went through the Israeli defence ministry to the chief of staff. Sources inside special forces command confirmed that “G” readiness — the highest stage — for an operation was announced last week.
Gholamreza Aghazadeah, head of the Atomic Organisation of Iran, warned yesterday that his country would produce nuclear fuel. “There is no doubt that we have to carry out uranium enrichment,” he said.
He promised it would not be done during forthcoming talks with European negotiators. But although Iran insists it wants only nuclear energy, Israeli intelligence has concluded it is deceiving the world and has no intention of giving up what it believes is its right to develop nuclear weapons.
A “massive” Israeli intelligence operation has been underway since Iran was designated the “top priority for 2005”, according to security sources.
Cross-border operations and signal intelligence from a base established by the Israelis in northern Iraq are said to have identified a number of Iranian uranium enrichment sites unknown to the the IAEA.
Since Israel destroyed the Osirak nuclear reactor in Iraq in 1981, “it has been understood that the lesson is, don’t have one site, have 50 sites”, a White House source said.
If a military operation is approved, Israel will use air and ground forces against several nuclear targets in the hope of stalling Tehran’s nuclear programme for years, according to Israeli military sources.
It is believed Israel would call on its top special forces brigade, Unit 262 — the equivalent of the SAS — and the F-15I strategic 69 Squadron, which can strike Iran and return to Israel without refuelling.
"3) the people of Iran will rise up and overthrow the tyranny of the mullahs (my personal favorite choice) "
My favorite choice to, but it won't happen unless the US moves out of its famous "ostrich" defense posture and provides these people with some weapons and military leadership in the form of a small number of the appropriate special forces.
"im wiling to bet US forces would be used in a passive role in such a strike, air cover, jamming, refueling, surveilance."
not willing to bet, but I agree it is a real possibility. sure hope so.
Despite the Iranian President's evil insane rhetoric to the contrary, it is hard for me to imagine that they would be so insane as to actually launch a nuclear attack against Israel. To do so would mean near instant national extinction. Unless we believe that it's religious extremism would take them so far, it seems an irrational act to me.
Giving the weapons to a terrorist is more possible, I suppose. But if a bomb goes off in Israel, it won't take much deduction to narrow it down to two suspects - Al Qaeda or Iran. So Iran wouldn't be safe even then.
It'll be WWIII, I doubt have any doubt in my mind.
this one is being held close to the vest ...IMO
and I do not know whether or not anything is up.
Well, lets just hope Sharon doesn't show his hand, and that he has all aces.
Does it really take that long to build one nuclear weapon?
Many years ago my Father had always said that someday a "Kook" would start a Nuclear War, and imo if it ever does happen, the Terrorist Iranian President is the "Kook".
"It'll be WWIII, I doubt have any doubt in my mind."
Woahh! How is that going to happen? You think Russia and or China will jump in on Iran's side? What are you talking about?
Let the games begin.
" Does it really take that long to build one nuclear weapon?"
The first one could take that long if you don't know how to do it.
Exactly so.
The idea that the west would leave it's dirty laundry to Israel, is disgusting to say the least.
Well Jimmy Carter, almost thirty years later and your magic is still bearing fruit, you disgusting POS.
what gave him away...is when he mentioned wiping Israel from the face of the earth.....those word certainly caused
Israel's attention to perk / peak.
Is Sharon's nom de plume Uzi Mahnaimi or Sarah Baxter?
I hope this is true. I also hope the U.S., not Israel, will take the lead in any attack. And I hope it includes the decapitation of the Iranian dictatorship.
Hopefully it doesn't turn out to be rocket science.
The Sunday Times, the working Israeli earphone of truth. /sarc
We're already fighting WWIV.
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