The Countdown To An Iran Strike Has Begun In Jerusalem and Washington
At the end of last week the adjusted intelligence estimates for Iranian nuclearization moved the timeline up from 2015 to 2010. At the beginning of this week, Israel and the US are starting to lock in their options:
The moment the information was received the US and Israel closed ranks. Both countries doubt that international sanctions would suffice in halting the Iranian bomb. Bush knows that in the event he decides to go to war with Iran, even the Democrats would support him. Olmert also knows that it would not be difficult for him to secure a similar coalition at home. The Pentagon expects Israel to do the job itself by use of the aircraft and arms it received from the US. However, either way, both Washington and Jerusalem know that the countdown has begun.
We're not so sure that the Democrats would support Bush if he launched a preemptive strike against Iran. If the Democratic debates are any indication, there are a whole lot of people against any sort of military action, a good number of people paying lip service to military force "as a last resort", and no one advocating a preemptive attack any time soon. But in Israel that's not going to be the debate. Israelis across the political spectrum - well aware that Iran is planning a second Holocaust, are genuinely united in seeing Iran as a threat.
We're also a little wary of the suggestion that the Pentagon expects Israel to do the job itself. As far as we know, the US has never budged from Bush I policy of denying Israel the "Identify Friend or Foe" (IFF) codes that it would need to cross Iraqi airspace without getting intercepted by Coalition fighters. Then there's the problem of crossing Jordanian airspace. And refueling on the way. And engaging Iranian forces. And having enough payload to destroy the hardened Iranian targets. It's all well and good for the Pentagon to say that they've given Israel the tools to do the job themselves - except the Pentagon has actually been undermining the Israeli defense industry and has been denying them critical technology.
But nonetheless, someone is going to have to take care of this. There are a bunch of lunatics who have declared their intention to eradicate six million Jews. And they're going to have nukes in three years.
References:
* Countdown has begun [YNet]
* US Pressuring South Korea to Weaken South Korean-Israeli Ties [MR]
* Tossing Stones in Heavily Armed Glass Houses [MR]
Previously:
* Mathematical Proof That Negotiating With Iran Is Stupid. Not Wrong. Stupid.
* Iran: Trying To Make Us Stop Building Nukes Will Make Us Build Nukes
* Shaul Mofaz About Iran: "All Options Are On The Table... Time Is Running Out"
