Posted on 09/08/2013 5:16:32 PM PDT by markomalley
President Barack Obama refused to let Israel strike Iran last year despite the Israeli prime minister’s willingness to sign off on such an attack, according to statements made by a former top Israeli military leader earlier this week.
Giora Eiland, a former national security adviser to the Israeli government and a retired Major General in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), told the Israeli press that Obama “vetoed” the strike, which was planned to take place at the height of the 2012 election cycle.
“Israel has the capability to destroy the Iranian nuclear program” and was prepared to do so, Eiland was quoted as saying in a private meeting earlier this month, according to the Israeli paper Mida.
However, top White House officials “pressured” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel the attack on Iranian nuclear sites, according to Eiland.
“There are many areas where Israel is free to act independently: building in Jerusalem, striking in Gaza, and other areas in our region, where we do not need an approval from the U.S.—even when they do not like it,” Eiland told the Israeli paper, confirming that Netanyahu “was about to give a go-ahead” before being told by the United States to stand down.
“But when it comes to issues that affect the broader American interests, we cannot act contrary to their considerations,” Eiland was quoted as saying.
News of the aborted strike comes as the Obama administration pushes for military action in Syria, where embattled President Bashar al-Assad stands accused of using chemical weapons.
Eiland and other insiders said that U.S. hesitance to strike Syria is a sign that an Iran strike is even less likely to take place.
“The lack of enthusiasm in the U.S. regarding the strike in Syria signals that this is not a realistic expectation,” Eiland told the paper, adding that it would be best for the United States to take the lead against Iran should it come down to that.
American Jewish leaders agreed with this assessment.
“Eiland is a very serious and well informed guy,” said Morris Amitay, a former executive director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the nation’s leading pro-Israel group.
“Also, I know that the Israeli military believes it can significantly delay any Iranian nuclear weapons capability and has some surprising tactics which have not, to my knowledge been disseminated,” Amitay said.
“What else gives credence to [Obama’s] warnings against an attack fits well with his overall reluctance to use military force,” Amitay said, referring to reports that Obama “delayed the raid on” al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Netanyahu was eager to launch a preemptive strike on Iran last year because he believed that the regime had reached a nuclear tipping point, according to Eiland.
“At that time the prime minister thought that we were at the crossroads with regard to the Iranian nuclear program”, Eiland was quoted as saying in the Aug. 19 meeting in Israel.
“Israel does not require U.S. approval for its military actions—unless the US unequivocally demands that we refrain from a particular action,” Eiland reportedly said.
However, U.S. officials “made it clear” at the time “that the planned strike was out of the question—and the strike was aborted as a result,” Mida reported.
Iran has only progressed in its nuclear know-how since last year, according to nuclear watchdog groups.
Iran is on pace to test around 1,000 new advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) most recent report.
“As time passed, we are again finding ourselves at the same crossroads—only with less time, and between a rock and a hard place”, Eiland was quoted as saying. “A lack of decision is a dramatic decision in and of itself.”
Middle East expert Jonathan Schanzer said that while Israel and the United States have been closely coordinating on Iran, it is unlikely that Netanyahu ordered a strike without first consulting the White House.
“The U.S. and Israel have been coordinating and communicating for the last several year,” said Schanzer, vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). “This is by far the top issue on the table for both countries. The idea Israel would have scrambled jets and then have that shot down by the U.S. military seems unlikely.”
However, it remains true that “the Israelis have a different timetable than the U.S.” when it comes to striking Iran.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
So, Obama has made himself prime minister of Israel. How does Bibi feel about that?
I have a hard time believing that. Netanyahu doesn't seem like he'd roll over like that.
Iran has promised to nuke Israel.
Why would Obama-the-Undocumented antiSemite
and antiChristian from Indonesia/Kenya/alQaeda
help Iran?
Why would the US Congress DO NOTHING year after year
after year after year, even as rockets
killed Israelis, Egyptians were raped and beheaded,
and Syrians beheaded and sold into sexual slavery
UNDER THEIR NAME AND SOVEREIGN KING PHAROAH?
I’m sure Netanyahu was “given permission” to stand down.
If obama fires a missile I can see Israel firing some, too. They’ll say “Our defense radar picked up missiles and we thought they were coming from Iran so we retaliated.”
Israel is a totally soversign nation--just as much so as the US is--so there ought never be an occasion for the Jewish state's needing a permission slip from Washington before it acts in its own self-interest, irrespective of the ramifications for any other nation...
However, it remains true that “the Israelis have a different timetable than the U.S.” when it comes to striking Iran.
It remains equally true that IRAN has it’s own timetable.
Ya think?
If you can call the US not having a timetable to strike Iran as differing timetables.
Hey Hassan, its your homie Barrack. Hey, I just blocked that jew boy Bibi from bombing you guys, again. Hey, I don't know how long I can keep this up, I think he's on to me. If he goes solo, I'll let you know when they are on their way.
By the way. Did you get the arms I sent you to give to our Al Qaeda friends? You did! Good, good.
Because Obama has the ability to leak and ruin any Israeli secrecy needed for a move to neutralize Iran. And this was Obama's counter threat, that Obama regime will notify Iran ahead of time of any Israeli strike against its nuclear facilities||||||| In the past the 0bama regime has leaked Intel about Israeli military intentations to f*** Israel and Netanyahu.
Obama/USA is able to know ahead of time via surveillance satellite and NSA intercepts and other ways
If the Israelis are smart, they won’t tell Obummer anything about their plans.
I believe it—Obama would stop this because he is a peace president—didn’t he win a prise or something? He is becoming what he once hated.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
..................
Yet the ironic thing is that Mr. Obama wants to bomb Syria.
Most likely they are keeping everything close to the vest.
This really has to be questioned.
Sure about that? Cite the sources please. Thank-you.
Sources??
why don’t you do the same simple google search I just did. here it is>>>>
Thank-you. :)
PS: Bookmarked.
:) have a nice day (no sarcasm)
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