Posted on 02/01/2006 10:45:07 AM PST by GeneD
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Reuters) - President George W. Bush vowed on Wednesday the United States will rise to Israel's defense if needed against Iran and denounced Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for "menacing talk" against Israel.
In a Reuters interview aboard Air Force One en route to Nashville, Bush also said he saw a "very good chance" that the governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency will refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.
"I am concerned about a person that, one, tries to rewrite the history of the Holocaust, and two, has made it clear that his intentions are to destroy Israel," Bush said.
"Israel is a solid ally of the United States, we will rise to Israel's defense if need be. So this kind of menacing talk is disturbing. It's not only disturbing to the United States, it's disturbing for other countries in the world as well," he added.
Asked if he meant the United States would rise to Israel's defense militarily, Bush said: "You bet, we'll defend Israel."
Ahmadinejad has prompted international condemnation for anti-Israel rhetoric in recent weeks, including saying it should be wiped off the map, and also calling into question the Holocaust.
Iran is engaged in a stand-off over its nuclear program. Tehran insists its program is aimed at developing nuclear power and the United States and other international powers charge it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
Asked if he thought the IAEA will refer Iran to the Security Council, Bush said: "The IAEA must take a look at the facts, and listen carefully to the arguments, and there's a very good chance it will."
The council's five permanent members, including a reluctant Russia and China, this week agreed to ask the U.N. nuclear watchdog to report Iran to New York immediately.
Bush also said he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin about Iran and would not say how Putin feels about a Security Council referral. "He understands the threat, and we share the same goal," he said.
The IAEA's governing board will decide at an emergency meeting in Vienna on Thursday whether to report Iran to the Security Council.
Won't need to. Israel can handle Iran. But a carrier force in the Persian Gulf would be helpful, nonetheless.
"Any atomic attack on Isreal will be seen as an attack on the US by Iran requiring a full reltalitory strike".
Amen. This is something that needed to be said, to be made unambiguous. Israel is our canary in the coal mine and as she goes, so goes the West.
It opens up the possibility of joint action, something that has not been discussed previously.
Iran does alot of sabre rattling. But I guarantee you they are afraid of Israel.
They should be afraid, very afraid
There is always a carrier in the gulf...
CVN-71 Theodore Roosevelt is there now.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/gonavy/atsugi/gonavy604.html
Their bid to unite the muslim world is going nowhere. Though they do have mighty Venezuela as an ally now. LOL
God is with Israel.
Satan is with Iran, and everyone knows it.
My advice is that everyone continue to pray about this very intense situation.
"President George W. Bush vowed on Wednesday the United States will rise to Israel's defense if needed against Iran and denounced Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for "menacing talk" against Israel."
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Thank you United States of America President!!!!!Amen
He didn't beat around the bush. He sent a clear and strong signal. This is great.
"President George W. Bush vowed on Wednesday the United States will rise to Israel's defense if needed against Iran and denounced Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for "menacing talk" against Israel."
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Thank you United States of America President!!!!!Amen
All these muslims remind me of Wylie Coyote trying to drop an even BIGGER safe on the RoadRunner. All of them got together in '67 and got their asses kicked in 6 freakin' days. And now they've ordered their Acme Nuclear Weapon, but nobody told them that it's not like the cartoons where the bad guy gets back up.
BTTT
Anyone pickup on when he spoke "directly to the people of Iran" last night in his State of the Union address?
The last time he spoke directly to the people of a country they were liberated shortly thereafter...
I told my wife that this was a shot across the bow.
Very good analogy.
And that's a good thing. And B2s can be there shortly.
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