Israel Pushing US To Strike Iran

Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen leaves Tuesday night on an overseas trip that will take him to Israel, reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin. The trip has been scheduled for some time but U.S. officials say it comes just as the Israelis are mounting a full court press to get the Bush administration to strike Iran's nuclear complex.

CBS consultant Michael Oren says Israel doesn't want to wait for a new administration.

"The Israelis have been assured by the Bush administration that the Bush administration will not allow Iran to nuclearize," Oren said. "Israelis are uncertain about what would be the policies of the next administration vis-à-vis Iran."

Israel's message is simple: If you don't, we will. Israel held a dress rehearsal for a strike earlier this month, but military analysts say Israel can not do it alone.

Keep reading here.

Watch the video report from CBS News below.

Comments

[Raymondf]

If US don't, Israel will

[darthmaul]

Good, let them do it alone. The article says that Israel doesn't want to wait for another administration in Washington. That's because they could wait till hell freezes over before any normal administration in Washington to do something so stupid.

[lthuedk 1]

I hope commanders like Adm Mullen will not obey orders to attack Iran. Israel's mad Likudists should not set us up to be a 100 year long hot lunch. We've had more than enough unfounded preemption and provocation.

Where are the voices of the Labor Party and the Israeli majority?

[KillTheMessenger]

Nonsensical but gets the blood going, doesn't it? :-)

[lthuedk 1]

Haven't we been pushed around enough by the Likuddist war mongers? Just say NO to militant socialism.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/americas_shame.html

[TommyMcCarthy]

A:) I don't believe a word of it!

B-Z:) See A above.

More lies from George and the gang, ..........­....and more complicity from the REAL 4th branch....­..the MSM.

....Why? Because it's a "good story"....­..........­.........y­a' know....se­lls papers, draws "hits"

Remember "a good story" no longer has anything to do with being true!

DON'T BELIEVE ONE WORD OF IT........­..........­..........­..........­..........­..........­..........­..........­..........­.tm

[ErnestineBass]

I'd like to know what Israeli citizens (currently residing there) think about this?

Is the average Israeli in favor of such an action, or is this another case of government pushing an agenda counter to the will of it's people?

Anyone out there? Thank you, EB.

[blueshield]

Officially and publicly, most in the Israeli government are pushing for diplomatic sanctions, with the exception of a few extremists, who have been shouted down. Citizens don't want military action, unless it's the very last resort, but they're the ones in the crosshairs if Iran gets a warhead, so they're not playing around. Many in both govt and populace think threatening war or bombing is stupid, counterproductive. But there are neocons everywhere. Posters here should remember, when people say America is warmongering and they hate us, they are talking about YOU, even if you're for peace and hate GW. Bad idea to generalize.

[lthuedk 1]

True, the Netanyahu Nuts seem to have a moral disconnect built-in.

[Razz]

This is ridiculous. If the Israeli’s want a war, then let them fight their own war. Let them pay for their own war.
-----It looks like Israel is our government.

NO MORE WAR FOR ISRAEL. Let them protect their own country. They wanted to live there, than they should take care of their own backyard problems.

------------- NO MORE WAR FOR ISRAEL----­----------

[Krikkit]

If Israel want to fight Iran, let them do it alone. This is bs. We can't afford another war.

[chirps]

I wish we could put that nuclear bomb genie back in its bottle. This is why:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/ops/hiroshima01.htm

[blueshield]

Lots of silliness here.

First, let's say Venezuela had an extremist government, was building nuke capability, and promising to turn the US into a cinderblock. Should we say 'go ahead, no problem'? Let them make a few warheads and wait to see what happens?

Second, the problem in Iran today was caused by the US, not Israel. We armed the Shah and backed his torture, police state, and his suppression of dissent. Now we're paying the price. We've failed to address the problem since. And this Admin has made the situation even worse. So, now this is the mess we're left to deal with, due to our bungling.

The point is that the US has essentially created the current threat to Israel, and though inept policies, has thrown away nearly all other options but a bomb strike.

Does Israel want the US to fix the problem we've created? Absolutely. But people who believe Israel is running US foreign policy haven't kept up with their history. We are the elephant in the china shop.

[EspressoAtNoon]

AIPAC and Israel lobbied the U.S. to bomb Iraq. The neo-cons are all AIPAC disciples. So please spare us the spiel that Israel didn't want the U.S. to bomb Iraq and therefore WE created a mess for them. They lobbied for us to bomb Iraq: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/08/18/world/main519037.shtml

[blueshield]

Saudi Arabia lobbies the US too. We're over there now begging them for oil because they have the ability on a whim to destroy our economy.

The Saudi's asked us to defend them, free Kuwait and turn Iraq's army back at their borders.

By your calculation, does that mean they're running US foreign policy? Or are you only concerned about Israel?

The fact that neocons in Israel and neocons in the US think alike is hardly surprising.

But pretending that Israel has more leverage over the US than the oil producers, and that the US isn't the heavyweight in the ME, doing whatever we want, for our own interests, is naive.

[MajorKong]

I'd say there's a wide range of options between "Go ahead, no problem" and "Holy crap! Iran is the next Third Reich! We have to attack them now or we're all going to die!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!"

[blueshield]

Absolutely. We've created this mess with stupid policies and idiocy instead of diplomacy.

[dlbdpb]

I wish this country could get out of this love affair with Israel. What is it that keeps us so protective of them? Makes me think that some of the heads of State or top politicians are getting something for it.
Wonder what it is? Tell Israel if they are going to do it, they can do it on their own, we are through throwing our weight around as soon as this administration is gone. If Bush goes ahead with them, then we will see the truth: that it is and always has been political and is a way to keep the greedy, power hungry, mongrels in control.

[nancytheragingliberal]

Israel says, "jump" and we say, "how high?" It has been like this for decades and it will not change. U.S. young blood spattered all over the Middle-East is no cause for concern for Israel. They are blood suckers. No matter where they go, in a short period of time, they are hated. Why? Because they are like cancer, spreading anywhere and everywhere that suits their fancy. For decades, our tax dollars, by the billions, have gone to our "friends", Israel, whether they needed it or not. The American people have been and always will be puppets for Israel. When Bush 41 and Carter tried to control Israel, they got their A**es kicked in return. There are many fine, caring people in Israel, who want peace. It is the obnoxious few, who give all of the others a bad name. The Middle-Ease will be up in flames, and soon.

[white mende man]

The United States foreign policy:

Do what Israel wants
or
Steal other countries Oil Resources.

thats what this country has come to.

[Ping]

This comment is pending approval and won't be displayed until it is approved.

This is the reason crude is at $136 per barrel. Every time Israel threatens Iran the price of crude spikes. The US needs to tell Israel to STFU.

[white mende man]

the price of crude is where it's at because the oil companies want it to be there with the approval of the biggest oil men of all the two most senior leaders in the white house. wonder why no one cares what deals cheney cooked up in his secret meetings with his oil friends in the white house... remember those meetings that the media/congress/most everyone has forgotten about?

[Ping]

This comment is pending approval and won't be displayed until it is approved.

If Israel attacks Iran the price goes to $200/$400 per barrel. That's $10 to $15 per gallon for us in the US. Israel needs to STFU, they are not the only country that has security concerns.

[syllepsis]

There are a good number of people in the present US government who would like to have us, as they say, over the barrel....