The British newspaper
the Sunday Times reports that Israel’s security cabinet has
approved an airborne operation against Iran’s nuclear facilities
if all else fails to block the ayatollahs from acquiring nuclear
weapons. PM Ariel Sharon was said to have convened the secret
session at his Negev farm last month. The newspaper also reported
that the US approved the Israeli strike. David Essing says although
there is no confirmation on the report, it may be part of a
'carrot and stick' policy now being coordinated by the Bush
administration to prevent the Iranians from producing 'the bomb'.
David Essing reports:
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Iranian
Reactor
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An Israeli air strike to knock out Iran's nuclear weapons drive
– this is not the first time such a report has surfaced recently.
Several weeks ago, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney spoke of
how Israel might go solo and destroy the Iranian nuclear facilities
before they pass 'the point of no return'. The Israeli intelligence
assessment is Iran is just months away from that point; the
independent capability to enrich uranium to weapons grade for
nuclear weapons. This is the final missing link in the Ayatollahs'
drive for acquiring the 'bomb'. IDF intelligence says the Iranians
would then be able to produce nuclear weapons within a couple
of years. Their Shihab 3 ground-to-ground missiles, with a range
of over thirteen hundred kilometers can be armed with nuclear
warheads with the capability to hit Israel, most Middle East
countries and a number of European capitals. The Iranians are
known to be developing longer-range rockets and even intercontinental
missiles capable of reaching the U.S. But now to the veracity
of the London Times story which is not being confirmed by any
Israeli source.
First - the whole report is a 'cock and bull' story fabricated
by the newspaper – highly improbable
Second - an unauthorized Israeli or foreign source leaked the
story – highly improbable
Third - an authorized Israeli source deliberately leaked the
story through one source or another to the newspaper- most probable.
So if Israel has leaked the story WHY and WHY NOW? Despite the
diplomatic efforts by Britain, France and Germany, Teheran is
as defiant as ever in rejecting international monitoring of
its nuclear program. The offer by U.S. President George W. Bush
to join the Europeans in trying the diplomatic route also appears
to have hit a dead end. The American offer to throw in some
economic incentives has also been rejected by an Iranian spokesman
who declares 'no pressure, incentive or threat can force Iran
to give up its rights!' The Iranians apparently believe they
can win the race before the U.S. and Europeans get around to
imposing sanctions at the U.N. Security Council.
The Israeli Stick - The question is sometimes raised about why
so much pressure is put on Iran and not on Israel, which has
a nuclear reactor at Dimona and is thought to have a nuclear
arsenal of its own. Aside from the technical aspect of Iran's
commitment as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,
Teheran is on record declaring that Israel must be wiped off
the face of the earth. Moreover, Ayatollah Rafsanjani once spoke
publicly about how one Muslim nuclear bomb could annihilate
the entire state of Israel. The Iranians back up these threats
by arming, training and bankrolling Hizbullah terrorists in
south Lebanon who pose a constant threat to Israel, even though
the U.N. has confirmed that IDF forces have withdrawn from all
of Lebanese territory. Teheran and Damascus have also supplied
Hizbullah with some 13,000 rockets, which can hit Israeli population
centers in northern Israel down the Coastal Plain to Hedera.
In addition, Iran and its Hizbullah proxies are also inciting
Palestinian terror organizations to resume attacks on Israel.
The tentacles of Iranian terror are also suspected of playing
a key role in the horrendous bombings of Jewish centers in Buenos
Aires, Argentina.
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Eitan Ben Eliyahu
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So, the Iranians can be counted upon to back up their threats
with deeds.
General (ret.) Eitan Ben Eliyahu, a former commander of the
Israel Air Force, says obviously Israel must take the Iranian
nuclear threat seriously. Interviewed on Israel Radio, he refused
to relate to the ‘London Times’ story but he did make several
observations. Ben Eliyahu noted that several years ago, the
Israel Air Force opted for buying a 'mix' of longer range F-15
fighter bombers together with F-16s which would enable the IAF
to conduct long range operations. He explained that an air strike
on Iran's nuclear facilities would be more 'complicated' that
the Osiraq raid in Iraq because of the greater distances and
the fact that the Iranian facilities were spread over the country.
However, Ben Eliyahu was confident that the IAF could carry
out such a mission.
The Timing: The U.S. has agreed to soften its stance on Iran
and to back the European 'dialogue' with the Ayatollahs. The
Bush administration is ready to join the Europeans in dangling
some 'carrots' to the Iranians for halting their nuclear weapons
drive. But 'The Great Satan', as the Iranians brand the Americans,
has not backed off its declared stance that the Iranian regime
must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. Israel, ' The
Little Satan' is apparently being cast in the role of 'the big
stick'; a warning to the Iranians that they may have to cope
with an 'Israeli point of no return' before they reach their
own 'nuclear point of no return!'
