Posted on 08/23/2012 7:54:50 AM PDT by xzins
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “is determined to attack Iran before the US elections,” Israel’s Channel 10 News claimed on Monday night, and Israel is now “closer than ever” to a strike designed to thwart Iran’s nuclear drive.
The TV station’s military reporter Alon Ben-David, who earlier this year was given extensive access to the Israel Air Force as it trained for a possible attack, reported that, since upgraded sanctions against Iran have failed to force a suspension of the Iranian nuclear program in the past two months, “from the prime minister’s point of view, the time for action is getting ever closer.”
Asked by the news anchor in the Hebrew-language TV report how close Israel now was to “a decision and perhaps an attack,” Ben-David said: “It appears that we are closer than ever.”
He said it seemed that Netanyahu was not waiting for a much-discussed possible meeting with US President Barack Obama, after the UN General Assembly gathering in New York late next month — indeed, “it’s not clear that there’ll be a meeting.” In any case, said Ben-David, “I doubt Obama could say anything that would convince Netanyahu to delay a possible attack.”
The report added that Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak believe Obama would have no choice but to give backing for an Israeli attack before the US presidential elections in November.
There is considerable opposition to an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the report noted — with President Shimon Peres, the army’s chief of the General Staff and top generals, the intelligence community, opposition leader Shaul Mofaz, “and of course the Americans” all lined up against Israeli action at this stage.
But, noted Ben-David, it is the Israeli government that would have to take the decision, and there Netanyahu is “almost guaranteed” a majority.
Other Hebrew media reports on Tuesday also said Netanyahu had despatched a senior official, National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror, to update the elderly spiritual leader of the Shas ultra-Orthodox coalition party, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, on the status of the Iranian nuclear program, in order to try to win over Shas government ministers’ support for an attack.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they do.
Iran might not wait around for the spineless sympathizer in the White House to be replaced ... Israel probably shouldn’t either. It is going to be a long few months for Israel. With any luck, they’ll get their biggest ally back come January.
SnakeDoc
Sure would suck a lot of media attention away from either convention if it happened one of those weeks.
Message to Channel 10, you are a traitorous snake
SHUT THE FOCK UP
It could be the government; i.e., Netanyahu, wanting this information out.
Tough to change Presidents in the midst of a war. I believe Bebe will wait until after the 6th of November. Revenge (on Obama) is best served cold! Besides who would expect or even count on Obama to keep his word, much less support Israel?
As I’ve been reading on this, I realize it isn’t about the US election with Netanyahu. It’s about a belief that Iran has passed some red flag marks that the US believes they’ve not crossed.
For example, hypothetically, perhaps Netanyahu has Mossad info that says Iran has successfully tested triggering devices, and the US says they haven’t. My reading says Israel’s concern is entirely about the stage of Iran’s program and the specific point in that process at which Israel can no longer successfully DELAY it by means of a military strike. Israel believes that day is extremely close AND prior to the US election.
As I’ve been reading on this, I realize it isn’t about the US election with Netanyahu. It’s about a belief that Iran has passed some red flag marks that the US believes they’ve not crossed.
For example, hypothetically, perhaps Netanyahu has Mossad info that says Iran has successfully tested triggering devices, and the US says they haven’t. My reading says Israel’s concern is entirely about the stage of Iran’s program and the specific point in that process at which Israel can no longer successfully DELAY it by means of a military strike. Israel believes that day is extremely close AND prior to the US election.
As I’ve been reading on this, I realize it isn’t about the US election with Netanyahu. It’s about a belief that Iran has passed some red flag marks that the US believes they’ve not crossed.
For example, hypothetically, perhaps Netanyahu has Mossad info that says Iran has successfully tested triggering devices, and the US says they haven’t. My reading says Israel’s concern is entirely about the stage of Iran’s program and the specific point in that process at which Israel can no longer successfully DELAY it by means of a military strike. Israel believes that day is extremely close AND prior to the US election.
Bibi and Romney are friends. No way, they’re not in contact. Case closed.
It should be...at least partially.Unless he has firm intelligence saying that some date before 11/6 is an absolute deadline one would think he could wait.
Can we be sure that it wasn't the PM's office who leaked this info?
That makes no sense ... would Bibi really think Obama would support Israel? Would the idea be that Obama would be cornered into support for the good of his campaign? I don’t think lip service would be of help and that’s all he could expect. I say it is more likely he would wait until AFTER the election but now you have a lame duck Obama and Lord knows what Jarrett would do. No, wait until Romney takes office and hope for a Reagan Effect II. That seems to be the prudent course.
None of your analysis takes into account Iran and it’s nuclear status. IF they are farther along that previously suspected, that would push things up for Israel.
If it happens in October, we’re screwed. Americans reflexively rally to their president in times of crisis, regardless of who he is. Obama will have an immediate and very lofty bump.
What Netanyahu means to do vis a vis Iran is not something that has been or will be made public. If he attacks there will be no warning of it. All these press speculations are either just that or they are planted stories to keep the dinnerjacket off guard and to enure him to threats or they are invented stories by the Left hoping to prevent an attack. When he says go, the most recent claim of inside knowledge will afterwards jump up and down and claim to have been right about it, stopped clocks and all that.
I think they have to wait until after the election. One of the problems they've been having is information about what they have been doing keeps getting leaked to the media. Also, any attack would reguire notifying the USA because we have so many ships in the area that would pick up their planes, or missles, and Israel does not want us shooting them down. So Israel is in a real tough spot. They can't act now because the obama admn. will leak it and if they wait it may be too late.
FWIW, I think they attack in Feb. 2013 after R&R are inaugurated.
We all know the Israelis can keep a secret when they want to. These random conversations in the Israeli media that are sparked by close media contacts with the IDF are interesting and they look like the old rubber hammer on the knee method. Ben is watching for Iran motion every time one of these stories breaks-—the Mullahs are not “cool”——they cannot avoid reacting and it is those reactions, ie troop movements, equip. tests/movements, air traffic, firing exercises etc etc. that Ben has been watching.-———————and I’m guessing Ben has about had all the mullahkrap he’s good for. He’s been somewhat jovial in the past couple months——don’t want to play poker with him.
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