Posted on 04/25/2012 11:07:03 PM PDT by Olog-hai
Israel's military chief said he does not believe Iran will decide to build an atomic bomb and called its leaders "very rational"—comments that clashed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assessment.
Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz's remarks, in an interview published on Wednesday in the left-wing Haaretz newspaper, drew little attention in Israel on its annual remembrance day for fallen soldiers, when political discourse is suspended.
But they will add fuel to an internal debate on the prospects of Iran weaponizing its uranium enrichment program and the wisdom and risks of any Israeli military strike to try to prevent Tehran from becoming a nuclear power.
"Iran is moving step-by-step towards a point where it will be able to decide if it wants to make a nuclear bomb. It has not decided yet whether to go the extra mile," Gantz said.
But, he said, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could opt to produce nuclear weapons should be believe that Iran would not face reprisal.
"In my opinion, he will be making a huge mistake if he does that and I don't think he will want to go the extra mile," Gantz said.
"I think the Iranian leadership is comprised of very rational people. But I agree that such a capability in the hands of Islamic fundamentalists, who at some moments may make different calculations, is a dangerous thing." …
Tehran denies seeking the bomb, saying it is enriching uranium only for peaceful energy purposes and that its nuclear program is a threat to no one.
Speaking on CNN on Tuesday, Netanyahu said he would not want to bet "the security of the world on Iran's rational behavior." A "militant Islamic regime", he said, "can put their ideology before their survival." …
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
The railroads will take you to a happy place where there will be jobs for everyone? Really they will.
Don’t kid yourselves. Iran already has a bomb. Maybe they didn’t make it themselves, but they’ve got one. And if we’re fool enough to send our army over there, they will use it.
They’ll use it no matter if we “send our army over there” or not. Fortune favors the bold.
This is very Chinese of the Israelis.
Exactly. Good call, IMO.
Dis-information. I don’t believe for a second that the top Israeli leadership is that dis-connected.
Israel’s own Neville Chamberlain, the British PM who cozied up to Hitler. The U.S. had one of those, Brent Scowcroft, a RINO Trilateralist friend of the Bushes who assembled Obama’s “national security team” and who was an early advocate of the current President’s policy of the U.S. “talking with” its enemies. Scowcroft would have made Neville proud.
You are probably much more informed and/or astute when it comes to Russia/Iran relationships. I've haven't follow them that closely but have a difficult time thinking that Russian leadership (whoever that is now) actually wants Iran to have the bomb. Russia doesn't think highly of Islamists after the Chechnya Beslan school massacre.
I don't see an upside for Russia even though they trade with Iran. I don't see an upside for any nation to want Iran or the Norks to have atomic weapons. I also don't think that China wants anymore competition as a wannabe world power, either. They are working too hard to be the regional power and that takes a lot of focus and resources.
Doubt that North Korea is still a China protectorate. If they were, China would have put a halt to the Nork missle/nuclear program some years back. Why? Because China is enjoying growth (GDP) we can only dream about. Why would they allow NK to kill their golden goose who buys their products? Why would they want to kill off the country that owes them so much in Bonds?
China may have long term goals to be THE world power, but they won't needlessly attack us. Plus, their citizens are getting more prosperous by the day. Big plus for the leadership.
Again, as for Russia, yes many what the Soviet Union back and all the power that projected. However, their economy is a wreck and they are not enamored with Muslims. They get it.
By the way, and slightly off topic, ever since the story broke about Hilary Clinton boozing it up in Cartagena, she and the State Department have been conspicuously absent from news coverage regarding Israel or any other ally. Someone’s issued a gag order.
The Iranians can’t find the right kind of wood.
Knowing the Israelis, that could be double entendre'.
Netanyahu, Gantz: good cop - bad cop?
Or is it kabuki?
and called its leaders "very rational"
Just like the liberals in this country fiddling with the NIE (National Intelligence Estimate). Losing the argument? Hey, just get yourself a whole new set of 'facts' from an 'accredited' source.
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