Posted on 08/06/2012 8:03:47 PM PDT by LSUfan
New intelligence information obtained by Israel and four Western countries indicates that Iran has made greater progress on developing nuclear weapons than the West had previously realized, according to Western diplomats and Israeli officials who are closely involved in efforts to prevent Iran from building a nuclear bomb.
A Western diplomat who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to discuss intelligence information said the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Israel agree on that assessment.
According to the source, this assessment began to take shape in February, when Iran refused to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to visit the base at Parchin, where it is believed Iran is carrying out part of the research and development of its military nuclear program. Visits of IAEA inspectors in Iran, and especially revelations of information the Iranians had been trying to hide, intensified suspicions that Tehran was developing nuclear weapons at a faster pace than it had previously seemed.
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...
Mr. Netanyahu’s term may end in early 2013. He will not leave office without addressing this matter in a definitive manner. He fully understands his responsibilities as the secular leader and defender of the Jewish people. He would consider himself a failure and would be forever haunted by his brother if he failed to act. Only question is will it happen shortly before or shortly after the US election. IMHO it will be devastating and imaginative.
Probably before. Then Zero will have a reason to cancel our elections.
I have that fear also. If the Mid East busts out in war Obozo will pull out the TOTUS and say we need to keep a stable govt in place while this world emergency is dealt with.
The danger here from Obama and Co is not that they would start a war to stay in office or win re-election. The danger from Obama is that he might pull a Chamberlain. He is the type who would fly to Tehran and come back waving a piece of paper in triumph and make all the lemmings think he has averted war...when all he has done is enabled madmen to get nuclear weapons.
All this talk about wag the dog and starting a war to cancel the election is simple intellectual laziness.
The reality is quite the opposite and more dangerous because it results in a nuclear Iran.
The caliphate ~that Obama is working towards~ will not allow those kinds of thinkers nor that kind of thought, as allah is supreme. That kid of thinking will be met with a not so swift and cruel islamic death.
Bingo, LSUfan. I agree.
I’m annoyed at some of us Freepers who make the oft-repeated claim that Obama will refuse to stand for another election, suspend the government, etc., and just toss that assertion around as lightly as a comment about the weather.
It is intellectual laziness. We can do better.
If a war breaks out in the Middle East between Israel and Iran, the threat is that the USA will not resupply Israel, or that the resupply will be done (shall we say?) VERY SLOWLY, often with the wrong parts, missing or delayed shipments of critical components needed by the Israeli Air Force, etc.
That way, Obama can still claim to the cameras that “America stands behind its ally, Israel” while at the same time strangling her of needed materiel.
Worse, he may even order our regional assets to attempt to interdict the Israelis (this far-fetched, granted).
But I think we all could agree, given his antipathy to the Jews, that Obama would do what he could to undermine their success, even their survival.
It is our duty to WATCH HIM, keep track of his actions. Watch whom he appoints to key positions in the military. Watch to see if he is attempting to erode our military as he has eroded NASA and our other institutions.
He is a hater of Israel, of that, there can be no doubt.
hell, he could even use to US to ratchet up the mullahs to strike out at Israel and work for a twofer...
And that my good sir is why he will support Israel if Israel attacks Iran's nuclear infrastructure before the election. If Israel attacks before the election, his support of Israel will almost guarantee his re-election. After the election he can go about business as usual which is destroying Israel and the United States.
Netenyaho is no fool. The attack will be after the election unless Iran could achieve deliverable nuclear weapons before the election.
I’d like to stack all these expert analysese, projections and estimates together, and after making a detailed graph of their timetables, take the whole thing into the bathroom and whipe my a@#$ with it.
That ain’t gonna work for about 170 million of us including most military folks.
Why can't Iran just hook one to the bottom of a drone and aim it at Tel Aviv?
They could sail through Suez and launch from the bow of a ship.
In fact, they could launch 3 or 4 and annihilate every major Israeli city.
The fact that they don't do something like that makes me believe Iran has no intention to launch the First Strike.
Most likely because they fear a massive Israeli nuclear counter strike.
So true, I used to think how could the world let someone like Hitler rise to power, well, now I know!
>>The danger from Obama is that he might pull a Chamberlain.
Chamberlain wasn't waste deep, head first, up the backside of the Muslim Brotherhood like Obumble and his mentor are -- and have been since the reign of the Wabbit fisherman.
ZBig is the POS whose policy funded and instigated the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
I’m thinking the same. The IDF attack will be after the election... perhaps prior to the (re)inauguration. It’s always about keeping your options open.
Probably true if you aren't also looking at delivery systems at the same time.
Why can't Iran just hook one to the bottom of a drone and aim it at Tel Aviv?
Fat Man & Little Boy were heavy bombs requiring the most advanced bomber of the day, the B-29, to handle them. Iran will have to develop a weapon small enough to fit onto their ballistic missiles to have an effective weapons system.
They could sail through Suez and launch from the bow of a ship.
The Israelis have been stopping suspicious ships. I think they've thought of this. Plus Iran would be risking a lot of military capital to put a weapon on a cargo vessel that might get stopped or "have an accident" before reaching the target area. A lot of money has been spent on detection systems since 9/11.
In fact, they could launch 3 or 4 and annihilate every major Israeli city.
True enough.
The fact that they don't do something like that makes me believe Iran has no intention to launch the First Strike.
This gets into the murkier area of assessing your enemies intentions. Intentions can change rapidly. Political unrest with Iran could, for instance, change the dynamic. Better to focus on capabilities.
Most likely because they fear a massive Israeli nuclear counter strike.
The Israelis are building a submarine deterence force. So they're covering that base. Their national character is still to pre-empt. They've got the best regional intel, so if Iran gets close there will most likely be a strike.
True. But in the early 80's there was a surplus of Iranian teenagers with revolutionary fervor. They lost huge numbers replaying WW1-style campaigns. Not sure that the Iranian citizenry would be as enthusiastic to absorb huge casualties like that again.
They have no worry of internal or world opinion about what they do or who they loose to accomplish their ends.
Iran has been dealing with a fair number of internal problems. It just doesn't get reported much in the US Media. There have been riots and the regime has had to put there bully-boys in the streets on numerous occaisions.
Your focus is too narrow.
The Iranian goal is to capture the Arabian peninsula and all the wealth and Holy sites. Israel is but a trivial side issue.
The GCC states and Turkey are currently hard at work containing Iran by removing the Assad regime in Syria. The import of that accomplishment can not be over estimated. Iran does not act. Iran has surrogates do it’s actual dirty work.
With Syria beyond it’s reach, Iran will also lose Hezbollah and Hamas. The very foundation of Iranian power will be eroded away. Syria as it has been is no more.
Imanutjob is going to Saudi Arabia to see the King. The King is not going to Iran. That shows who holds the power. That shows imanutjob sees the end of Syria and is intent on mitigating the damage. We will likely not know the conversation but I don’t think he will return with what he wants.
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