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Subscribe to RSSJERUSALEM - Israel told visiting Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Wednesday that time was running out for a peaceful settlement to the nuclear dispute with Iran because sanctions and tough talk over possible military action were failing to sway Tehran.
Speculation is rampant over whether Israel will make a military strike against Iran to halt a nuclear program that the West suspects is aimed at building an atomic bomb but which Tehran says is entirely peaceful.
Panetta assured Israel that the United States would not allow Iran to develop a nuclear bomb. Using a tough tone, he suggested military action was possible after all other options were exhausted.
"This is not about containment. This is about making very clear that they are never to be able to get an atomic weapon," Panetta said in Jerusalem.
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"If they make the decision to proceed with a nuclear weapon...we have options that we are prepared to implement to ensure that that does not happen," said Panetta, whose visit to the close U.S. ally included a tour of an anti-rocket battery known as "Iron Dome."
Time 'is running out'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled that such declarations were of little comfort and said "neither sanctions nor diplomacy have had any impact on Iran's nuclear weapons program."
"You said yourself a few months ago when all else fails America will act. Yet these declarations also have not convinced the Iranians to stop their program," Netanyahu said, standing next to Panetta at the prime minister's residence in Jerusalem.
"Right now the Iranian regime believes that the international community does not have the will to stop its nuclear program. This must change and it must change quickly because time to resolve this issue peacefully is running out," Netanyahu added.
Any conflict could easily draw in the United States, where debate over Israel and Iran figures in campaigning for the presidential election in November. Republican candidate Mitt Romney visited Israel this week.
The Jewish state -- which declines to confirm its own suspected nuclear arsenal -- says little time remains before Iran achieves a "zone of immunity" in which Israeli bombs would be unable to penetrate deeply buried uranium enrichment facilities.
Mitt Romney visits Western Wall, one of holiest sites in Judaism
The United States has more potent weapons that would allow more time for the sanctions push to work.
Defenses bolstered
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, speaking at a news conference with Panetta, said the chances that sanctions would ultimately force Tehran's hand were extremely low.
In Jerusalem on Sunday, Mitt Romney said the U.S. should "employ any and all measures to dissuade the Iranian regime from its nuclear course." NBC's Peter Alexander reports.
"We have clearly something to lose by this stretched time (during) which sanctions and diplomacy takes place because the Iranians are moving forward, not just in enrichment," Barak said, possibly referring to missile development.
Panetta's trip to Israel showcased the strong security ties between the two countries. Barak said those relations had never been better despite Israel's misgivings over the Iran strategy pursued by Washington and other world powers.
Full international coverage on NBCNews.com
Romney, on a visit to Israel that ended on Monday, said "any and all measures" must be used to keep Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Boosting Israel defenses
Even as it strengthens sanctions, Washington is bolstering Israeli defenses.
Obama last week announced he was releasing $70 million in approved funding for Iron Dome, a protection against Palestinian rockets that is backed by the powerful U.S. pro-Israel lobby. On Tuesday, he laid out new U.S. sanctions against foreign banks that help Iran sell its oil.
More Middle East and North Africa coverage from NBCNews.com
Obama received 78 percent of the Jewish vote in the 2008 election but a nationwide Gallup poll in June showed him down to 64 percent backing versus Romney's 29 percent.
Romney: US has duty to protect Israel
The political jousting on the U.S. campaign trail is mirrored in Israel, whose media have reported misgivings among the military top brass about going it alone against Iran. Speculation is rife that Netanyahu wants to take action ahead of a possible Obama reelection in November.
"The struggle behind the scenes over attacking Iran is reaching a boiling point," the liberal Israeli daily Haaretz wrote in a front-page analysis.
NBC News staff and Reuters contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
Leave it to Israel to start another war.
Leave it to the USA to jump right in!!
OK, Israel has nukes though they won't admit it, they have received more in foreign aid (both domestic and military) from the US than any other nation for decades on end leaving them to use their far more of their own resources for building up their military defenses, for decades we've been selling them arms (more advanced than those we sell any other nation) and warfare technology at bargain basement prices. In addition we share far more intelligence with Israel than with any other nation except perhaps Great Britain.
The Israelis have shown via their many military successes in the region that they are fully capable of defending themselves (using us as a crutch) so if Israel feels that they are so threatened by Iran and that attacking Iran is the only viable option to defend themselves then let them have at it in spite of the fact that virtually all their own former intelligence people and high ranking military personnel think it ill advised and just leave the United States out of it and STOP trying to drag the US into yet another war that DOES NOT NEED TO BE FOUGHT, at least not yet!!
Leave it to Israel to finish what they start. They playhardball and Iran will get a nasty taste if they don't get new leadership.
You all want to stay out of the Middle East.
Yet you all don't want to pay $2 per gallon more in gas, at least.
Funny, that.
Israel will defend it's borders and it's own citizens against the Iranian nuclear threat, just as any decent country would do. Of course Syria is killing their own citizens. There is the difference for you.
Just leaving it to Israel should be sufficient.
The idea of forward defence is one of the most stupid ideas since WWll. Starting a war then saying "but we had to for our defence" would be laughable were it not for all the bodies.
Theocracy is the most dangerous form of government. With Iran and Israel, you have two Theocracies that will always be antagonistic toward each other at best. Any other country participating in a conflict between the two can only lose.
@farideh - Israel has a long standing policy of not only defending it's own borders, but expanding it's own borders. And you're correct, the people Israel is killing are not it's own citizens. They're just unfortunate Palestinians that have the misfortune of living on land that the Jews want for Eretz Israel. So is Israel a decent country? Hardly.
The situation for Israel is getting worse and worse --- but it is all self-inflicted wounds. Israel's "go it alone" philosophy has basically used up all Israel's alternatives.
1) Iran is effectively outside of the range of the Israel's IDF. While they do have the ability to strike Iran with nukes on missiles, that is about it. A conventional strike would mostly be a suicide mission because the IDF essentially has zero strategic bombing capability. If you look at a may, you will see that in order to strike Iran, the IDF would have to overfly Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, or other, even more circituous, routes. This is because they only have tactical fighter-bombers and not enough in-air refueling capacity (it would require two hits on a tanker to make it from Israerl to Iran and back) to do the job without active US military assistance and the cooperation of two or more Arab countries.
2) Israel has essentially broken so many agreements and self-serving "agreements" that it has no credibility on the world stage. Their constant efforts to sabotage the Camp David Accords are a good example of what not to do. Right now the CDA requires that we give foreign and military aid to both Egypt and Israel "with parity." If the US cuts aid to Egypt, they will also have to cut it to Israel.
3) Lebanon has been a tennis ball lobbed back and forth between Syria and Israel. When Assad falls, which he eventually will --- as soon as next week --- Lebanon will once again become unstable. So, the IDF will have two unstable situations on its borders --- Lebanon and Egypt.
4) One of the lessons learned from Israel's last war with Egypt is that if it lasts more than a week or so that it will become a war of attrition and Egypt will win. The issue becomes more serious if you realize that if Egypt is seen to be prevailing in a war with Israel, that the Palestinians and other Arab countries will likely side with Egypt and do what they can to tie down IDF forces and keep Israel paranoid about security elsewhere.
5) Israel has nukes --- an estimated 120 of them --- all build with plans and key components stolen from the United States. (Israel has had more spies caught in the US than all the China plus old Soviet Bloc combined.) But nukes are the weapons of losers. Any Pentagon planner will tell you that Israel can only use its nukes if it is in the terminal phase of losing a war. Most likely the IDF would nuke every Arab capital along with Iran.
6) The Iranian facilities associated with making nukes are very hardened. You can look at the one in Qom,, for example. It is in a u-shaped mountain at the end of the bowl of the mountains. This means that attackers can only come from one direction. And all along that one attack profile, there are numbers of AAA missiles and artillery to be reconed with. The Iranians traded solid rocket propellant and promises of oil for North Korean nuclear technology. But also the North Koreans have taught the Iranians how to harden sites such that they would be extremely difficult for anyone to destroy.
7) And war would likely cause Netanyahu's party to lose power because of their stance that allows both ultra-orthodox Jews and Arabs who are Israeli citizens to avoid military service.
Israel is coming into a very unstable situation in the Middle East that i virtually all of its own making. And it's too late now for them to undo the damage. It's too late for diplomacy. It's too late to make any effort to keep them from having nukes when Israel has them. And it's too late for Israel's failing economy to be able to cope without huge US financial assistance.
And what has Israel done for us in repayment? It destroyed the USS Liberty and killed or wounded most of its crew. I had friends among the wounded. And I have listened to the tapes of both the aircraft doing the bombing and the PT boats and it is very clear that the IDF knew exactly who the ship belonged to and knew that it was essentially unarmed. People need to remember that Israel is just as capable of doing the US dirty as it is of doing the Palestinians dirty.
Not only that, leave it to Israel to engage in Terrorism. Understand this, ISRAEL WAS LOSING THE SO-CALLED 6 DAY WAR. America saved their behinds, they had run out of ammunition and jet fuel and were about to go "nuclear". That is why we helped them back then. Times have changed since (read "The Sampson Option" by Seymour Hersh). Now as far as who is right and who is wrong ... The Israelis wrote the book on TERRORISM, just ask any graduate of West Point or Annapolis. The Irgun bombed the British embassy in Rome. They killed many British people in terrorist attacks even on British soil. They commtted the Deir Yassin massacre. They bombed the King David Hotel building in Jerusalem killing 91 people of various nationalities.
Israel does not have the ability to attack Iran and protect itself from the repercussions. THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO NUCLEAR and that's how World War 3 starts. Wonder why President Obama has not visited Israel? THEY THREATENED TO KILL HIM! Oh, they were "nice" about it but the Secret Service said NO-GO! Now here's what Obama told them ..."if one jet crosses over Iraq, on it's way to Iran, we will blow you out of the sky! You will not start WWIII on my watch.
This is the United States of America ... not the United States of Israel! And when are they going to pay for killing 34 American service men on the U.S.S. Liberty? Do you think we're going to forget?
Right on Marcus, all facts. Thank you
@olivia ... Israel's own defense my arse. That was the logic Israel used when it tried to rule Lebanon. That worked out pretty well, didn't it. Israel will never achieve peace by mistreating it's neighbors.
Israel has "taken" (aka stolen) the best, most productive Palestinian land and water resources, all the while with the boot of the IDF on the Palestinian's throat. So much for Robmey's vaunted "Israeli Culture". It's a culture alright, one that belongs in a petri dish.
Furthermore, Israel initiated the 1967 war. Israel attacked first. To say otherwise is a lie.
Thank you Marcus. Never forget the USS Liberty, 8 June 1967. This was a deliberate criminal attack on a US navy ship that was in international waters. 34 US sailors killed and many wounded. It was no mistake or in a fog of war, it was deliberate and yet not one of those responsible for this has ever been charged with a war crime. Not one. Shameful.
Leave it to Romney to inflame them! They have no justification for what they say, tell them to prove it first. Been there, done that in terms of unnecessary wars.......
Screw Israel. I want a President with a US policy that is best for the US, not one that caters to a very radical Israeli govt. and the radical evangelicals of this country. Israel's interests and our often lie together but not always. This is not an equal relationship. Israel needs the US a lot more than the US needs Israel.
It needs to be made clear to Isreal that if they start another war, that they are on their own. Cut off all funding for military purpose.
Panetta, get right on to business now! Your superior has spoken!
No better business than war! profits from oil soared since the Irak war
Army suppliers have thrived fantastically!
I just can´t see any downside!!
Unless of course you dont belong to the benefitted participants
Israel to US: Time is running out for peaceful end to Iran nuclear dispute.
US to Israel: Don't tell us, tell Iran.
They can start and stop anything they want to...just leave us the hell out of it!
You remind me of that national embarrassment Dick Cheney stating how oil revenues from Iraq would pay for our invasion. So how did that work out for us?
Sanction the annual $3 billion for Israel until they give up their nukes! Plus with budget cuts at least half of their annuals should be axed. How much of the $3 bill do they use for their universal health care? Why should we pay for that when Republicans b1tch so much about it here?
And to say that is recent history is also a lie. By the way, Egypt, Syria and Jordan did not invade from Palestine. To say so is a lie.
USS Liberty ... just say'in.
How about we leave Israel to fight Israel's war. Since when is it acceptable for us to go to war because another country declared war on another?
I see a lot of intelligent posts here. Why can't the state department see it this way. Israel is practicing EXSPANIONISM. Talk about war crimes. Also, when they attack Iran, doesn't Iran have the right to strike back? Also, isn't against international law to build settlements on occupied land? The US should go in and make this right. The US can back Irael's security, but they will have to give the land back. About 10 to 15 years ago, I was telling people that the Middle East Conflict is going to be the start of WW111.
Japan attacked us, and we beat Japan, we occupied Japan, is Tokyo the capitol of the US?
Not only that, Israel has nukes, and didn't sign any treaty, and told the world to mind their own buisness.
This is just like gun control. Who is any nation to tell another nation they can't have what we have? Also, the pre-empted striking. They call it self defense because they think the other country might attack them!! This is crazy. All at the same time, they want the Isreali spy (Pollen) back.. Never did compensate for the US Liberty..
So Israel eagerly takes advantage of the presidential elections and uses Romney the Panderer to goad the U.S. into another Endless War. These wars have nearly bankrupt the country not to mention all the injured soldiers that will need lifetime disability benefits for which there are few treatment resources. Very few people in this country will support another war. Anywhere.
But if Israel wants to suit up and fight Iran, more power to them. We can give them some guns and a few helicopters, perhaps some drones.
TruthBeTold, the reason the state department doesn't see it this way is because every president and presidential candidate feels like they need to kiss Israel's ass in order to get elected. I guess they feel that the Jews in this country are more concerned about Israel than the U.S. and vote accordingly. On the other side of the coin you have the religious right that feels that there is some biblical/religious reason to support the so called holy land. There certainly isn't any logical reason for the unconditional support of israel, a country that has only one friend in the world. Pretty much a one sided friendship at that!
Chris, Marcus,
I was beginning to wonder if the history you described had been expunged from the records. So few people know.
The palestinians learned the art of terrorism from the Israelis. Israel became a nation due, in no small part to terrorism. The Palestinians have tried to emulate their success.
I think you will find that the total # of Israeli nukes excedes 400.
As far as access to the Iranian site is concerned, I am worried that if Romney gets in, a "surplus" B2 will be sold to Israel and then they could hit all suspected Iranian nuclear facilities in 1 night without the need to refuel.
Realist:
It isn't the Jews they're pandering to. It's the fundamentalist Christians who believe that Israeli belligerence will hasten the Second Coming.
ROFLMAO - Hot damn, I was wondering when someone would bring that up! Absolutely right! The only way these fools think they will be vacuum sucked into heaven is for Israel to be on the very edge of destruction...from all quarters. Suddenly the warlike prince of peace...or his invisible, omnipotent daddy will ride to the rescue, convert all the Jews and suck'em all into heaven.
Hello folks, F#@% Israel, if they want to start a war they can do it on their own with no help from us. Talk about total and complete hypocrisy. Israel doesn't admit to owning nuclear weapons but anyone with half a brain knows they do. Israel is the world's sixth most powerful nuclear state, with a stockpile of more than 100 nuclear weapons and with the components and ability to build atomic, neutron and hydrogen bombs through their Dimona nuclear facility with the assistance of the United States. Israel's nuclear program began and still operates under tight secrecy and does not allow unbiased international inspectors into their Dimona facility or are they a member of the Nuclear Non-proliferation treaty.
I know our country has removed all ethics and morals on how we treat the world but I say it's time we took a stand in not supporting other countries lack of ethics and morals. We are bankrupt literally and figuratively. I nor my family will be complicit in supporting these middle eastern terrorists.
Israel is a sovereign state. If they want to go to war with Iran that is their prerogative. We have lost enough people and money and equipment and world status over the last ten years. We need to get out of the Middle East. To all those who say we can't survive without their oil: We have more than enough resources here to not even worry about it. We are the "Saudi Arabia" of natural gas. We also have more oil in the ground than you can shake a stick at.
Going forward we should worry about the Western Hemisphere and leave the "Old World" to thir own demise. The only thing we should do with over-seas countries is trade goods and resources.
Great comments! Well done, Gentlemen and Women! I'm grateful to see the truth of our great hypocrisy getting out through the reasonable and rational assessment of the facts. Time to straighten out this Rothschild and NAZI rooted mess that our Congress has become! President Obama is reasonable and careful, yet exceedingly fierce when required. A good choice for us.
I have nothing against Jews,...actually I feel bad for their stupdness...but it seems they still can not understand the real reason as why the rest of the world question thier CHOSEN ONE STATUS.
Keep up telling the rest of this planet being the chosen one & the rest will back you up in your dreams.
We have lost the desire to be chosen somewhere between genocide and Gulag.
Now we just want to be like any other nation, getting on with our lives in our own country, but since you still wont let us, we are not asking for permission.
You try to wipe us out - we fight back, by any means necessary, be that financial political or military.
You can make up all kinds of crazy accusations against us, all you will accomplish is making fools of yourselves.
""Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled that such declarations were of little comfort and said "neither sanctions nor diplomacy have had any impact on Iran's nuclear weapons program.""
Netanyahu and other extremist Jews are nuts like the mullahs of Iran, Saudi Arabia and others.
These people prepared the grounds like these for the US and NATO forces 1991 and 2003 Iraqi wars.
Where were the chemical weapons and WMDs in Iraq?
Moderate Jews should have patience and not take sides in the Shiites vs Sunni battles going on.
They should kick out the mullah Netanyahos for their own good.
Wait for dramas to unfold in Egypt with Morsi as front end for the Sunni Islamic extremist MB, Salaffi and others.
With Iraqi wars, Saudis and co became stronger and we including Jews lost most!
Let us not repeat blunders of Iraq in Syria, Iran and other places.
Israel isn't practicing expansionism,they just want "lebensraum", something they learned from the Nazis and before you scumbags try your idiot crap about anyone that uses and reference to Hitler or Nazis has failed that is an idiot argument started by the right wing filth because their behavior so closely resembled that of the Third Reich. If Israel engages in a preemptive first strike we should cut off all their funds and supply weapons and intelligence to their enemies.
I know people have a reason to support any nation that want to live in peace , But from almost the first page of the bible Israels God has had them at war with someone .
And don't tell me they have changed because they haven't , 3000 yrs of history where the Jews have fought dam near the whole known world and have commited genocide in their GODS name .
No one ever speaks of why God allowed the Jews to ever be defeated , God has allowed Isreal to be destroyed over and over again and for whatever reasons , And why didn't Israel ever have all the land they say GOD promised , Maybe he was waiting for them to get some Nukes
One thing I know for certain is that IF Mexico had SWORN PUBLICLY to erradicate the United States from the face of the earth and then started developing a nuclear program of any kind, we would not wait for world opinion to sway in our favor. We would not wait for sanctions to work, and we would not wait for proof of the existence of a bomb/missle. We would strike immediately and forcefuly to destroy their capabilities, and I would not blame Isreal for doing the same to Iran.
onlyyou:
But Iran never swore to eradicate Israel from the face of the earth; they merely want to change the Israeli government. When we make such statements, we call it "regime change" and think it's a good thing. And the Iranian statement wasn't made in court, under oath, so whatever it was can't be called a "sworn" statement, just fyi.
I'm not sure if our president can be fierce or not, he is cautious maybe to cautious, we should have dealt with Iran back in Jimmy Carters day, but that is past and not worth worrying about now, the fact is (regrettably) that this is not going to go away, and I don't care who the next president is we will get sucked into this the question is do people want to deal with this on a conventional level or wait a little longer and deal with it on a nuclear level? either way its going to happen, every one posting today are pro Palestine anti Israel, well it is Iraq that is on center stage lets not forget that the ball is in their court, their government is the most ideological, radical and fanatical government in the ME, and its not just Israel that they want to bring down its everything western, with or without Israel these people will still want their Jihad, Israel is just a excuse for them, you all know that! if Israel did not exist then they would be picking on someone like Saudi Arabia because the Wahhabi think different then the ayatollah, allot of good post here today by some very intelligent people but this problem is not going to go away, let me ask a couple of questions #1 if Iran's program is peaceful then why the underground bunkers? #2 Why did they promise us a Jihad thirty years ago? #3 Who is in the best situation to calm this potential disaster? #4 what countries are alining themselves with Iran? #5 how many countries are standing against Iran? no end to the questions. This bubble will burst and we will get sucked in if we want to or not even if we don't back Israel, even if Israel did not exist today. the ayatollah has his agenda and its world domination of his brand of Islam, there will never be real and lasting peace with that agenda, why did Thomas Jefferson keep a copy of the Koran? he said because you have to know your enemy, not all of Islam is our enemy but the ones that want to dominate the world is. sorry people but we are stuck with this mess, we should have stopped it 30 years ago but that would not have been politicaly correct and we must be PC. so it goes if you don't do it your son will have to do it, if your son does not do it then your grandson will have to do it, eventually some one will have to do it, the longer its put off the worse it will be. president Carter could have dealt with this by throwing a bucket of water on it, now its going to be a hell of a mess. now the whole ME today is a pile of failed foreign policy.
There is a line that Obama will never let Iran cross. It's just this his redline is different from Israel's. Theirs is nuclear weapons capability, which Iran already has which is why Israel is so nervous, and ours is any sign of Iran manufacturing that capability into an actual weapon, of which there is no indication. If we did have any evidence of a weapon being built, Iran would be hit. Our President is slow and steady when it comes to going to War, and thank God for that, but he will never allow any country or any one person to threaten our security. Bin Laden. He will never let Iran build a bomb, not because they will use it, which they won't because of the MAD doctrine, but because they will give it to their terrorist proxies, which they will in a New York second. So no bomb for Iran. And no matter how much the Congress and the President may be divided on almost every issue, they are united about deterring Iran from making a nuclear weapon. So think about this instead. Imagine (if you can) Romney as our President. A neocon warhawk in America matched with a neocon warhawk in Israel. Now that scares me a lot more than the current crisis with Iran.
Ayatollah Khamenei, President Ahmadinejad, and other ranking Iranian decision-makers, continue to deny that Iran has, or intends to create, a nuclear weapons program. At the same time, they advocate advocating the destruction of Israel and its supporters. Radical Muslims with Nukes is not a joking matter, they are already creating long range missles guess which country they are making them for
Precisely, the only thing worse than Radical Muslims with no nukes is Radical Jews with 300 nukes, 3,000 F-16s, 30,000 assassins, and three nuclear armed submarines. I advocate advocating for people to stop lying about Ahmadinidinijad's alleged statement advocating for the "destruction of Israel and it's supporters". First, the allegations are demonstrably false and therefore "Bearing False Witness" ... punishable by nuking. Second, since Israel owns Washington D.C. lock, stock & barrel, you can't really consider the US a supporter, it's more like Israel's client state.
Implacable Patriot there are so many holes and errors in your arguement that it becomes worthless.
And just exactly how will we know when Iran goes from "capability" to "oh yeah, we got da bomb"? You think they'll send out a press release? Or maybe you think our intelligence assets in Iran will be able to tell us? Yeah, right. Once Iran has a bomb, there will be no way to get the genie back in the bottle. OK then, let's say they build a bomb. You think they are containable? Iran is a pariah state. Their behavior is beyond anything that can be considered rationable and predictable. Add to that their public stance that Israel must be wiped off the face of the earth. The Israelis are right. Pre-emptive military action must be taken if all else fails and all else is rapidly failing. Can the Israelis succeed alone using conventional weapons? Maybe, maybe not. Frankly, if we don't assist them in the conventional military action, they are going to be tempted to use their nukes to up the certainty of success. Ready for the first nuclear attack since WWII?
@deerslayer
Iran has the inalienable right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes. Just like Israel.
To say otherwise is just plain hypocritical.
Iran does not have the right to develop nuclear weapons. But neither does Israel.
To say otherwise is just plain hypocritical.
Iran has no nukes. Israel has roughly 300 nukes.
So who is the problem here? Hypocrites.
I don't know where you get this stuff. What exactly is "inalienable" about Iran's "right" to enrich uranium to bomb-grade?
How do you know how many nukes Iran or Israel really have?
Even if I accept your premise that Iran has none and Isreal has 300... I can sleep at night. Iran with even 3...? Not so much sleeping going on.
Deerslayer-2559262 - Middle East countries want to nuke each other till they're flat black and crispy...fine with me. We need to let them know we have no interest in intervening. Then we'll see how ballsy they are fry each other. And if they do...pour asphalt while the ground's still warm and we have a great oil drilling platform plus super highway to the oil export ports.
@deerslayer
The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) does not restrict ANY county from enriching uranium. Furthermore there is NO evidence that the Iranians have enriched beyond 20%. Weapons grade is 85% enrichment. Lastly, the world does not revolve around you or the United States. You can try to have one set of rules for your sleeping habits and another for everyone else, but that's the definition of a hypocrite. We lived from the 1950 until now will thousands of nukes pointed at us by Russia & China (and visa versa). The fact that few remaining nuclear powers haven't agreed to banish these weapons from the face is the Earth shows just how insane we are.
Implacable, you answered your own question Israel has nukes and has had them for quite some time. They have not used them. Iran's leadership has indicated that their goal is to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. They would be fools not to take this threat seriously.
Duval: the Iranian statement was that they wanted to wipe the Israeli government off the face of the eart, not Israel itself.
Fair enough. Still think it should be taken seriously.
Duval: I do too. I just don't think we should tacitly approve Israeli belligerence.
I suspect any country would get a little jumpy when the leader of another country calls them "a cancer that should be removed".
Israel is not demanding that US attacks Iran, they are actually asking USA for a permission to do it themselves. They did not have to ask, you know.
First of all, it is difficult to predict what mad Iranian mullahs, Saudis rulers & co and nut cases like Netanyahus will do?
Some are ignoring that Iran can get nuclear weapons from Pakis or N. Korea?
Any how Pakis nukes will fall into hands of Islamic militants hands. So Shiites getting some into their hands are there.
Why repeat Iraqi jokes, dances and screams?
At least please remember this time.
Please don't scream, jump and dance as some have been doing during Iraq, Afghanistan and other place wars that US should withdraw right away.
Iran is in a desert- wonder why they don't want to go solar?
That technology is expensive and they would have to get it all mostly from abroad. Nuclear Energy technology is something they can largely do in house keeping the costs somewhat down. They also have the ore as well. Also that technology still needs to be enhanced from all the threats, i.e. vandals and desert conditions, etc. , it would have to endure.
70mil for a few mil votes...sound like a bargain for Obama...for the American people...not so much
Funny, I could have sworn it was Willard Romney who vowed all of our lives in the defense of Israel.
Old dock...Blowbama bows down to every leader in this world and has to apologize for America. No wonder they want his head on a platter in Israel (and they are welcome to it...)
Libtard Blowhard.
So basically Israel wants to bomb Iran but they clearly will not do so without back up from the USA.
So I must ponder, would they be LESS likely to bomb Iran if Obama was president and more likely if Romney was? Even if we are presented with evidence that they are trying to make nuclear weaponry, can we be sure it's real evidence and not something created for pushing a political motive?
If Israel goes to war, it's inevitable that in some way we'll be dragged in. What if other countries come to back up Iran? Are we going to see that start of Word War Three?
How are we going to pay for another war? Are we going to initiate a Draft if things get bad?
What will happen if Israel is not successful? What would happen if Israel is successful? Would this cause anti-American terrorists to up their game and try to attack America for our involvement? Or would we be giving them exactly what they want with this war?
So many questions, so few answers.
It's a no win scenario for America. If Israel uses it's nukes, America is implicated by technology transfer. Most of their other weapons can trace their origin to America as well. In the minds of most of the world, If Israel attacks Iran, it will be as if America had done it.
Israel is simply demanding the performance that was promised when they bought and paid for these treacherous politicians to do their bidding.
This is all just posturing, news reports of WMD's in Syria, the drawdown of troop in other regions, the Pentagon's decision to delay M-1 overhauls to save money, continued economic sluggishness, massive unemployment... all the signs point directly to the need for another war and the stimulus it provides to our economy.
We are the United States of America, our primary industry is weaponry and entertainment, or primary export is the destruction of culture and infrastructure. Not quite the legacy we were taught in school, but the facts are undeniable.
The "facts" you mention are not only easily deniable but they are a bunch of absurd, made-up nonsense. If you want to preach this "I hate America" thing I hope you don't actually live here. You'd be surrounded by many more like minded individuals in Iran. After all, they think of us as the "Great Satan".
@deerslayer
The USA has worked overtime to achieve "Great Satan" status. You should wear it with pride!
Bite me. Where do you get off using "patriot" in your online ID? Nothing much patriotic about considering your own country to be the "Great Satan" although I guess you'd be considered pretty patriotic in Tehran.
@deerslayer
There is NOTHING patriotic about being a shill for Israel. So forgive me when I call out Mitt Robmey & half of the US Congress as traitors to the Constitution. They elevate Israel's interests over the country's interests, often based on some biblical end-times third-coming Soloman's temple theological voodoo smack. And yes, the US has been engaging in some pretty nasty un-patriotic scheiss around the world. So if the Great Satan shoe fits, wear it, with pride!
Do you even know why the Iranians became so upset with America Deerlayer?
Started right after WWll for US corporate interests, then installation of the Shah's brutal regime. They Kicked the Shah and America out took some hostages and America has been out to get them ever since.
Deerslayer, you're just the sort of blindly loyal drone that you were designed to be, congratulations.
I would explain the facts to you in greater detail but no amount of logical demonstration is capable of convincing the willfully ignorant.
Patriots love their country, but continue to hold it to the high ideals it was founded under. Only easily manipulated, bile-spewing fools will defend it no matter the crimes committed by it.
Why must people try and state their opinions as facts? Mjolnir, you are entitled to your opinion but I hope you don't think just because it is your view, it is fact.
Traitors to the Constitution, Implacable A$$triot??? You are a true hypocrite in every sense of the word. Your man Blowbama has a roll of the Constitution he uses in the sh*tter every time he craps out a new bill, so don't even start lecturing us, and the only "Great Satan" is the POS in the White House who is 'supoposedly' running this country (into the ground). Typical DUMBocrat feckless rabble.
Libtard Blowhard.
Iran also says that it has no gays. Do you believe that too?
Iran does not have gays. They have all been murdered.
They also have one of the highest rates of sex changes in the world. A man becoming a woman isn't a problem to them. So a lot of gay men opt for sex changes sot hey don't get hung for getting it on with guys.
A hard right winger who is concerned about gays? Why don't I believe this?
I believe that Isreal has no choice. Iran is certain to at least threaten Isreal with a nuclear attack in a 'best case' scenario. More likely, they will actually use the bomb because they are commited to destroying Isreal. Their faith dictates this course.
Therefore, I believe Isreal will attack before the end of this year. The US will be pledged to back up the Israli's.
This will not be a 'troop' war it will be a 'pushbutton' affair. Over quickly and decisively.
Israel has been threatening Iran for a long time, and they have a record of attacking first.
If you think it would be over quickly, you don't understand the situation at all.
An American backed Iraeli attack or Iran may be the straw that pushes Pakistan to release a nuke or two for the use of terrorists against America. They have lots and they are not very happy with America anyway.
Chuck, your posts are "interesting". So, as far as you are concerned, to merely threaten Israel would justify war? And pulling the US into war with them is reasonable? Let's not even get into the "what a religion dictates". Based on previous actions that would mean that somewhere in the New Testament, it dictated that Christians invade and force convert Europe and Latin America through rape and murder (oh...and burn witches, pagans and scientists).
Over quickly & decisively? No, it will be the start of something uncontrollable & unknowable. The world will not abide by Israel starting another war, much less a nuclear war. It will get very interesting very quickly. And stay that way.
Ol_Doc, The problem is that Iran has called for the destruction of Israel or some say their government. Israel has taken this as reason to be concerned. They seem to be worried that Iran may do what they said.
Also if you say leave religion out of it you should not follow with statements about you religious views.
Foolish statements. Iran is the major oil supplier to China. They have treaties including a mutual defense treaty. It would take Chinese forces about a two-three day force march through Kirghistan to get into Iran. Chinese Air Born troops and Chinese Special Forces would be Air Dropped in the first day. It would take them another two days to march into Israel. The Israelis do not have enough nuclear weapons to stop the Chinese hoards. It would be like stepping on Army Ants. They'll kill a few, maybe many, but eventually the Chinese will devour Israel. The United States was only able to fight them into a standstill in Korea, before they had nuclear weapons
How the United States could possibly "pressure" China which owns us financially is beyond me.
Chinese also has a economic weapon to use against The United States. They can call in the debt That President Bush incurred. Instant paralysis
Also there is a Russian component
There are Russian technicians working in the Iranian nuclear plants. An air strike by Israel could provoke a Russian response. American involvement would certainly provoke Russian involvement. The Russians still have plenty of nuclear weapons and a large military
It would be WWIII with no sure winner, but plenty of death all to ensure the Religious Right their "Rapture".
Oh, don't worry. The liberals are certain that Obama can just talk to the Iranians and get them to see reason. By the way, I have to wonder if they believe in the tooth fairy too.
And If that fails and Field Marshal Romney takes office, he can simply redeploy the same soldiers who have deployed over 6-7 times for another useless Republican Middle East war. Gee, they can sew a cross to the front of their uniforms and just redeploy. Perhaps Romney's 5 strapping boys will join them in a holy war...no probably not. After all, they are serving the cause of freedom by fighting those dangerous liberals (well, not really fighting, more like giving them aggressive looks).
Ol Doc..I am sure Blowbama is just licking his chops over intervening in this little 'skirmish'. It will be the ONLY way he can stay in office, apparently, because EVERYTHING else has FAILED....
He will bow down to them like he's done to every other leader of the world. What a POS we have for a Prez....
Tell that to the newest member of the "I've been droned" club.
Lesson: If you are in the Middle East ask the person whom you are riding with about his affiliations before you get in the car. You just might want to walk home
Dear Israel;
After being driven out of every other place you've attempted to settle since you were first nothing more than a group of vagabonds, you've finally wedged yourselves between a group of countries that hate you and the American Wallet.
Please note how thin the American Wallet has become. Soon something is going to have to give way.
Since you provide the world with nothing else of value, and have never returned a single cent we have loaned you, I fear we must ask that you somehow manage to solve the problems you have created for yourselves by yourselves, and without our checkbook.
Iran;
We understand the need to be able to supply low-cost electric power to your citizens. However, your behavior over the past 2000 years has clearly demonstrated that you are not yet mature enough for nuclear power. I would suggest you refocus your energies on a more productive source of power. Geothermal, Solar, and Wind are all viable options.
Additionally, I have it on good authority that every time a muslim splits an atom Allah creates 10 jews. Think about what you're doing.
Signed,
The Normal People of Earth
Maybe they can try calling Solyndra back, Indigo...Hmmm? Or how about turning Kryptonite into Nuclear Reactors? I heard Blowbama has that already in the works...
Well, Israel has already working on perfecting electric cars. I am sure will be happy to share.
Indigo-Rage. lol now that was funny
U.S. is one of the members of the U.N. Security Council. Israel needs to appeal to the U.N. Security Council. U.S., alone, is not going to invade Iran. It is the decision from the U.N. Security Council.
The U.N. is a joke. Russia and China will veto anything as long as they can continue to sell weapons to Iran and get discount oil.
The same way the US vetoes anything critical of Israel. Wait, what does America get? Oh yea, beligerance, insults, and a bullseye for terrorists.
It's all a joke slick. Do you think we don't sell weapons to anyone who will buy them, to kill anyone they want to kill? Hell one administration even sold weapons to Iran after the Congress passed a weapons embargo against them. Killing is business and business is good...and we are damn good at business. Why do you think we've never met a dictator we didn't like...and support! Hell man, the US Army just told Congress they don't want any more M1 Abrams, they want to design a new tank. Know what the Congress told the US Army? You're going to buy them and you're going to like them because my district makes money off them...and I get political contributions from them so screw you and the American people.
Wow, Ol Doc..I wasn't aware that the Blowbama administration sold weapons to Iran, even after the Congress passed a weapons embargo against them...You learn something new every day. Thanks!
Get a history book, please!! They are free if you get a library card or you can even use some of the time you waste typing this bs. Remember Iran-Contra? Your hero/God Ronald Reagan and his involvement in selling arms to the Iranian Government illegally?? After Congress voted to deny him permission? Arms for Hostages ring a bell??
"Since you provide the world with nothing else of value,"
That was an interesting comment since you are typing away on a computer with "intel" chips developed in Israel, so is your cell phone. Read the list of Noble Prize scientists lately? Not the "peace" prize.
actually, my computer runs on AMD chips and my cell phone runs on a Korean chip.
farideh kashanian - Did Israel actually give us the chips...or do we buy them? That's what I thought ...NEXT?
They invented those chips (Intel is much better than AMD, by the way), without Israel they would not be available at all, either for sale or for free. Nor would you have printers, cell phones or camera phones.
That is just a few of their many inventions, without Israel your lifestyle would be much less luxurious.
actually, Eli100, most of the tech in cell phones and camera phones came from spinoffs due to the Apollo program that if I recall correctly, was a NASA program in the US. If you recall, this program and a lot of the programs of that time were largely aided and directed by ex-Nazi scientists whose old country helped create Israel.
I always thought that they were designed in all those facilities just down the street from me in Sunnyvale, CA. (I live in Silicon Valley). I guess the massive expansion that they are doing is a mirage
It does sound like Israel's patience is running out. This does not surprise me, I had expected it to run out a long time ago.
I just don't think that means we should be calling for war with Iran. We will most likely get drug into it if Israel does decide to go to war, but I would like us to hold off as long as possible and let someone else do some of the heavy lifting for awhile.
It will all come down to what preemptive strike Israel decides to go with and how Iran chooses to respond. If they simply drop a few bombs and Iran decides to send in the terrorists we can probably stay out of it. If Iran decides to shut down the straight, then we will be forced to send in at least a battle group to open up the flow of oil again.
The "infadels" (Iran, Syria, etc) arent worthy of having a bomb. Only the US with its crumbling economy & infrastructure should have a bomb to prptect whats left of our crumbling existance!
Seem like Israel already have they mind made up, why are they waiting on us for? Time is running out.....lol, for who?
I fail to understand about this "dragging" comments. We have not been "dragged" into any war that was waged on Israel in the past. Israel fought their own war, and won, in 1948, 1953, 1967 and 1973. We have never sent a single soldier to set foot on their soil.
On the contrary, we fought to protect arabs and muslims with our soldiers blood. Consider Kuwait and Serbia. Leave Israel alone, unless you have another motive to degrade them on this vine.
Seems to be something different this time. Why are they telling us time is running out? Tell the Iranians, not us. Do you see my point? They are planning something "big" in my opinion and want to make sure "sugar daddy" is on board. Maybe a little per-emptive nuclear strike?
If they pop that nuke, prepare for MW3...ooops WW3.
They did tell Iranians. And they are not asking USA to do the fighting, they are asking for an approval for them to do the fighting.
The Question is:
Will Israel attempt to manipulate the US election by attacking Iran before November?
Ed... good question. Who do you think it would benefit the most?
Israel
It can only benefit Blowbama beacause that is the only way the Vacationer-in-Chief can get re-elected, since evrything else he has tried has been a complete and utter FAILURE!!! Just wait, little sheeples...the Red Storm is on the horizon and it's name is SOCIALISM....
It won't benefit Obama at all, it's obvious he is not a war time president. If anything, it would get Romney the win. Obama's sanctions Vs. Romney's big mouth, tough talk, send your kids to war and not mine.
If Israel wants to start a WAR its there problem. What's its going to be like in 10 - 20 years when all the Middle East has Nuclear Capabilities ? Are the Jews going to stop them all. How foolish to think you can stop the natural progression of technology. Then there is Russia. The Muslims converted 25% of the population. In 10 years or less it will be over 50%. Then the Muslims will have all the Nuclear weapons they want.
Issue is, everyone thinks if the United States gets involved its going to be boots on the ground, but everyone fails to remember it was like 10 years that we created a bubble around Iraq with constant tomahawks and no fly zones. I'm sure this is what will be planned for Iran if we are heading in that direction. But like Iowa-Guy said Russia will not stand for us attacking one of there allies. Funny how all the Shi countries are so friendly with Russia but they hate the fact of another Sunni country being developed. i.e. didn't see them complain when we took a Sunni out of power in Iraq and replaced it with a shi leader.
So Iowa-guy is Russian top Military general? BTW- NO where has the US said it would attack Iran, the Navy is there to keep the Straight open and has threatened to use military might to prevent Iran from closing it; this is not the only time either. The US sunk a few Iranian boats in the 80s when they attempted to to close the straight, I think they managed to close it for maybe 4, hrs Russia didn't like it then either but stayed out of it, and they will again. As for an attack, it will be Israel's doing, they will get logistical help from the US but there will be no need for "boots on the ground". An invasion is not what the intention is, only a good old fashion ass-kicking.
Let time run out. Iran should be bombed back into the Stone Age further than what they currently are. Better yet send them a nuke that they so desperately want.
Thank you. That's what we need...intelligent discourse...duuuuh...nuke'em
Romney's move here would be, at Israel's say-so, get armed planes in the air! Bomb Bomb Bomb, Bomb Bomb Iran! (That McCain was SO FUNNY!!!) The classic Repub gambit - shoot first, ask questions later, deny there are any unintended or bad consequences of your hasty, fear-fueled, try-to-look-tough panic reaction.
The
kingPrime Minister called up his jet fightersHe said you better earn your pay
Drop your bombs between the minarets
Down the Casbah way...
...Netanyahu don't like it...rock the Casbah, rock the Casbah.
I wish Israel would just STFU and start their stupid war if that's what they want. Just leave the US out of it.
I was going to basically say the same thing. Quit talking & back you threats up or quit complaining & deal with it. Why worry about what the US wants, I guess they have right to destroy their part of the world. In the end just don't look to the US to rebuild or fight your battles, we have our own to deal with.
They can bring Revelation to a head, doesn't it say their world would be destroyed by fire, well nukes will do it. Then all the religions of the world should be happy, their so call prophecy becomes reality.
So, you want the world destroyed? Very nice.
Israel and the US are tied at the hip, Israel exists because of America when it was formed in 1948. You can consider then Israel sort of an illegitimate son and will always get the protection from the US because of it, and rightfully so. Your comment blaming Israel for spouting off is extremely prejudiced considering the only time you hear from Israel is when a US Government official is over there questioning them about it. If you don't want to hear about it then why did you click on it? Sounds rather moronic to me...
That's nonsense I hear it all the freaking time whether a US diplomat their or not. And while I'm at it, prejudiced against whom, warmongers? Yeah that's right I am. The USA should just cut ties and let Israel survive or die on it's own. They have 3+ million subclass of people living under their roof and have no wish to so anything about it. Of course they have terrorism. Now they want to start another war. Go for it but do it on your own. Attacking Iran will just justify their need for nukes.
Funny, an ultimatum just days after Romney visits and advocates a strike. Thanks Mitt you f'n moron.
If Israel chooses to attack Iran they should not count on support from the US. We have no, and I repeat NO, defense pact with them!
Both Israel & the US have already attacked Iran numerous times. Stuxnet & other admitted acts of cyber warfare, economic sanctions, assassinations; these are all acts of war. Hell, the US has been at war with the Iranian people since before the CIA's coup d'etat again Mosaddegh in 1953. IF the Iranians are seeking to develop nuclear weapons, I can sure see why.