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US Won’t Promise Won’t Shoot Down Israeli Planes
Israel National News ^

Posted on 04/21/2010 8:51:23 AM PDT by jhpigott

In a meeting with students at West Virginia University, a young pilot asked the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Army, Mike Malen, to comment on rumors that if Israel decides to attack Iran, its fighters will need to cross Iraq's airspace to reach their targets. The U.S. military has described this airspace as ‘closed to flights’. If so, would American forces shoot down Israeli planes flying over Iraq?

Malen's reply: "We have a strong exceptional relationship with Israel. I spent much time with my colleagues in Israel. And so we have a very clear understanding of where we are. Beyond that, I just would not want to get into speculation about what might happen and who might do what. Frankly, I do not think it serves any purpose. I hope that the issue will be resolved in the way which will never have to answer a question like this. "

(Excerpt) Read more at israelnationalnews.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: americaantiisrael; americavsisrael; antisemitism; bhofascism; bhoislamism; braking; brownshirts; corruption; cowards; dncantiisrael; dnchatesisrael; hightreason; iffbcb; iran; israel; nobama; notbreakingnews; obama; obamaantiisrael; obamaforeignpolicy; obamahatesisrael; proterrorist; waronisrael
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To: mkjessup

The Liberty attack was pretty surgical - ALL antennae (including the wardroom TV antennae) destroyed with minimal loss of life. Liberty had been broadcasting in the clear and with light encryption what IDF was doing. IAF responds with “STFU” on a grand scale.


61 posted on 04/21/2010 9:21:15 AM PDT by cqnc (Don't Blame ME, I voted for the American!)
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To: Ben Mugged
*golf clap*

Thank you.

62 posted on 04/21/2010 9:21:38 AM PDT by Michael Barnes (Call me when the bullets start flying.)
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To: jhpigott

That headline is a really deceptive spin on the answer the General gave. Just because he wouldn’t say it at a public forum doesn’t mean such a promise hasn’t already been given or won’t be winked at in the future.


63 posted on 04/21/2010 9:21:55 AM PDT by ElkGroveDan (Now can we forget about that old rum-runner Joe Kennedy and his progeny of philandering drunks?)
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To: jhpigott
but would require going over hostile or non-allied skies

The last thing the Saudis want is for Iran to possess a nuke arsenal, so it wouldn't surprise me if they gave Israel their blessing to fly over their airspace.

64 posted on 04/21/2010 9:22:08 AM PDT by Mr. Mojo
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To: TankerKC

yep, it’s Mullen not Malen

foriegn (Israeli) reporting - mistranslated i suppose


65 posted on 04/21/2010 9:23:52 AM PDT by jhpigott
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To: jhpigott
If it was me, I'd task fighters to escort the IAF.

It's not getting directly involved.

66 posted on 04/21/2010 9:24:01 AM PDT by wastedyears (The Founders revolted for less.)
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To: jhpigott
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Army, Mike Malen

The U.S. Army Chief of Staff is General George Casey. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is Admiral Michael Mullen. Which of these was it? Or neither?

67 posted on 04/21/2010 9:24:46 AM PDT by El Gato ("The second amendment is the reset button of the US constitution"-Doug McKay)
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To: jhpigott
Have a hard time picturing the USAF shooting down IAF aircraft . . .

Yes, but would an Iraqi jete shoot one down, with a nod and a wink from the US?

68 posted on 04/21/2010 9:24:51 AM PDT by rintense
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To: mrmeyer

Flying Tigers.


69 posted on 04/21/2010 9:24:58 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: Paladin2

Yep, that was another time when the hearts of Americans were firmly behind Israel, but the government was not. OTOH, the attack on the Liberty did probably cause some people to turn against Israel, at least for the time being.


70 posted on 04/21/2010 9:25:15 AM PDT by ichabod1 (Can around 25-30% moonbat base really steal the country from us and hold it?)
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To: GeronL
You know the answer. barry is an anti-Semitic anti-American bigot.
71 posted on 04/21/2010 9:25:38 AM PDT by svcw (Habakkuk 2:3)
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To: wastedyears

WWNCD = What Would Nicholai Carpathia Do?


72 posted on 04/21/2010 9:25:43 AM PDT by Scythian
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To: Paladin2

I can think of a couple of things, e.g., spying on Israel and relaying the information to the Egyptians.

Is that possible? If not, then the Israelis are monsters, the Jews control the US government, etc., etc., etc., right?


73 posted on 04/21/2010 9:26:00 AM PDT by avoth
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To: Ben Mugged
Israelis are good but you give them far too much credit.

I disagree, but let's hope we never have to find out.
74 posted on 04/21/2010 9:26:03 AM PDT by Filo (Darwin was right!)
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To: jhpigott
Have a hard time picturing the USAF shooting down IAF aircraft . .

I would like to see the boy king even try it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
75 posted on 04/21/2010 9:26:22 AM PDT by Cheerio (Barack Hussein 0bama=The Complete Destruction of American Capitalism)
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To: Paladin2
Don't forget tht Israel attacked the ship b/c they din't want the world to know THEY initiated the Six-Day War, and not the Egyptians like they claimed. Additionally, the Israelis were using tank main guns against civilians.

Also, Amerian troops aboard the ship waved at the IDF pilots, when the pilots banked and opened fire. Thinking that the Israelis didn't recognize the ship as American, the American troops lowered the flag on the ship and put up a bigger one..... the Israelis banked and opened fire again.

The ship released the lifeboats and on the third strafe, the Israelis blew the lifeboats out of the water. The ship drifted into water that was too shallow to deploy the ditch bags (containg Top Secret radio intercepts and other classified) and were in danger of floating into water too shallow to scuttle the ships.

The ship's captain requsted F-16 support from American stationed in Saudi Arabia; the response was the jets were en-route. The Israelis left the area to avid air to air conflict with American pilots. Fortunately, the Israelis never realized that the F-16s did not receive runway/tower/air space clearance from the Saudis.

The USS Liberty was able limp to port. And since it was no longer under threat, the classified information was not ditched and that is how we came to know of thecircumstances regarding the Six-Day War.

A gag order was placed against the entire crew of the USS Liberty. The Israelis claimed they mistook the ship for an Egyptian one.......that was not comparable in size or appearnce to the USS Liberty. US servicemen that were wounded, blinded, maimed, and the families of those killed, filed a lawsuit against the Israeli government but could not proceed because of the offical gag order...... the captain of the USS Liberty broke his silence on his deathbed something like 20 years after the incident.

All of that said, yes the US and Israel have a strong binding history of friendship; however, they look after and protect Israel's nterests first and foremost. They cannot be faulted for this, every country does this and should do this as a sovereing nation.... including the United States.

While the US was on the receiving end of this attack, Israel obviously felt it was in protection of their interests to destroy an American spy ship (which is what it was). Likewise, Israel cannot expect the US to put the interests of Israel above our own. The US has a duty first and foremost to US inteests..... including the tens of tousands of US troops in th region. Now, the powers that be may allow Israel use of US controlled airspace if it wil not hinder US interests.... but no one should just assue it so.

FYI.... source of info for this post is Body of Secrets: Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency by James Bamford.

It is a very well researched and informative book concerning some of the US' intelligence successes and failures.

76 posted on 04/21/2010 9:26:38 AM PDT by Repeat Offender (While the wicked stand confounded, call me with Thy Saints surrounded)
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To: Paladin2

“there are alternative routes”
Israel could work over Hezbollah and Syria on the way to or from the real work.

With the move Bashir Assad just pulled providing SCUDs to Hezbollah, I would say that’s a very real possibility


77 posted on 04/21/2010 9:26:56 AM PDT by jhpigott
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To: Paladin2

“Speculation is always so much more fun than a factual review.”

But you can’t review the facts because you don’t have all of them, do you? Instead, let’s just waive the Liberty around without asking and getting answers to the tough questions.


78 posted on 04/21/2010 9:27:50 AM PDT by avoth
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To: avoth

That’s not necessarily wrong. It could have been in the best interests of the US.


79 posted on 04/21/2010 9:28:20 AM PDT by Paladin2
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To: mad_as_he$$
They came to mind just after I posted. My wife's grandfather was in the Army Air Corps in Burma and China during WW2 and we'd talk alot about the Flying Tigers, Claire Chennault, and Merrill's Marauders.


80 posted on 04/21/2010 9:28:32 AM PDT by mrmeyer ("When brute force is on the march, compromise is the red carpet." Ayn Rand)
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