Israeli Strike On Iran 'Not Prudent,' Gen. Martin Dempsey Says

WASHINGTON -- A military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities is "not prudent" at the present moment, America's top military official, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, told "CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS" in an interview set to air Sunday morning.

“It’s not prudent at this point to decide to attack Iran,” said Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in the interview.

"I think it would be premature to exclusively decide that the time for a military option was upon us," Dempsey added, according to early reports of the interview, noting that he sensed that increased sanctions were beginning to have an effect.

Dempsey's remarks come amid a rising tide of threats and speculation -- some of it media driven -- about the possibility that Israel might launch a military strike against Iran in an attempt to forestall that country's development of a nuclear weapon.

American intelligence assessments say that Iran would have the capability to build a nuclear bomb in the coming years, but it has not yet decided whether to do so.

In recent days, both Israel and Iran appear to have taken a number of steps escalating the tensions, including Iran's recent unveiling of the first domestically produced nuclear fuel rods and its decision over this weekend to move warships into the Mediterranean Sea for only the second time since 1979.

Israelis seem increasingly poised to take military action sooner rather than later, according to both Israeli and American officials, although some have indicated that the Israelis may be willing to let tough sanctions work a bit longer.

In the war of words, American officials have repeatedly signaled that they do not believe military action is in anybody's best interests at this point, something Dempsey and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta sought to drive home in several appearances on Capitol Hill over the last several days, while also trying to tamp down the rhetoric coming from Israel.

Dempsey reinforced this point during his interview on CNN.

“A strike at this time would be destabilizing and wouldn’t achieve their long-term objectives,” Dempsey said about the Israelis, according to Bloomberg. “I wouldn’t suggest, sitting here today, that we’ve persuaded them that our view is the correct view and that they are acting in an ill-advised fashion."

Dempsey also threw cold water on some of the more aggressive plans to intervene militarily in the crisis in Syria, where opposition forces have been carrying out an increasingly bloody revolt against the regime of President Bashar Assad.

"Syria is a very different challenge" from Libya, where American-led NATO forces recently helped end the reign of dictator Muammar Gadhafi, Dempsey added. "It's a different challenge, as you described it, geographically. It's a different challenge in terms of the capability the Syrian military. They are very capable."

Dempsey also called plans to simply arm the opposition "premature."

"I would challenge anyone to clearly identify for me the opposition movement in Syria at this point," Dempsey said, adding that the crisis had grown increasingly complicated over the months.

Comments

[loki]

06:25 PM on 02/22/2012

we dont need to get into another useless war that was not come out well. Name one war we have had in the last 50 years that has worked out?
North Korea? Nope.

Vietnam? Nope.. in fact, they are a Communist country today

Afghanistan? Nope.. Taliban is stronger than ever, and Al Qaeda has just moved to one of our Allied countries and set up shop there.

Iraq? Nope, that is more screwed up , in worse shape, and in more turmoil than it was.

but the MIC and a few others made trillions of dollars from it, and it was great promotional materials for politicians.

I'm for keeping our noses out of Iran. We dont need to step into every single squabble in the world. And no one yet has any factual proof that they are building nukes at all or they would use them if they had them. Many countries have nukes, no one has ever used the except for the USA. Lets not do another W and fabricate WMDs and a deadly expensive war just because someone with a name like 8Ball tells a story to get paid by the US as an informant. Lets not feed the MIC machine or the corporations who profit from wars. Lets try something different, lets try doing the what is right this time. Not what the Right wants.

[muck-raker]

04:08 AM on 02/22/2012

I need info>>>>>today on a US WORLD new channel, I think CNN came out and said that Iran was inspected yesterday and FAILED when they refused to allow inspections of an enrichment site.......TO MY Knowledge only talks were held yesterday...NO INSPECTIONS: Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast had announced on Tuesday that the International Atomic Energy Agency's team which is currently in Tehran is not due to inspect the country's nuclear facilities, adding that the result of the trip could affect the upcoming talks between Iran and the world powers
IF YOU have already heard of this apparent lie and what channel it was. Obviously to me the USA and Israel are trying to CREATE facts on the ground for the upcoming attack on IRAN.....thanx
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9010175636

COOLER HEADS MUST PREVAIL.

[not2 good]

01:50 PM on 02/22/2012

If President Obama wants to be defeated in November he has to allow the warmongers to succeed. It will destroy the recovering economy and gas prices will go through the roof. He is Commander in Chief. The ball is in his court. Congress needs to declare war and I douubt that they will and the President should wait them out. If war comes you can kiss any gains your 401K has made goodbye.

[swimmer249]

04:01 AM on 02/22/2012

Warmongering Israel.

[Captai]

11:44 AM on 02/22/2012

Warmongering capitalists.

[Captai]

11:44 AM on 02/22/2012

Warmongering banksters.

[Dosadi]

10:25 PM on 02/21/2012

This is a no brainer. All we have to do is to tell Israel that if they do it they are on their own.

This will enrage their lobbyists but so what? The People of the United States do not want another war.

If Israel wants a war they have the right to start one BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO FORCE US INTO IT.

This is the message we MUST give to our politicians. This is the only way to allow our world to make it past December 21, 2012.

We cannot allow Israel to force us into defending them from Iran. There is no way to stop any country from mastering the nuclear cycle. Israel must do as we did back in the 60's, They must use diplomacy not weapons.

[loki]

06:30 PM on 02/22/2012

Just curios, we are told that Israel is a friend to the USA. But what have they done for the US? The US gives them Billions every year, and protects them even when they stir the pot. But what have they dont for us that they deserve all this attention from the US. No other country gets the kind of attention and protection from the US as they do, and they give us nothing in return but headaches and enemies? Where is the quid pro quo??

[Dosadi]

07:04 PM on 02/22/2012

This is not a quid pro quo arrangement. Israel has been our friend since their inception. The creation of their country was dependent on the US and others swearing to always back them up. That was a grand and noble gesture. The Israelis must consider the situation here in America before they force the 'big brother protector" role on us. We lived through thousands of Soviet warheads aimed at us by a Soviet leader who vowed to "bury" us. Israel must find a way to live with a nuclear Iran for there is just no way on earth to prevent them from mastering the nuclear cycle. This is about knowledge and that cannot be held back forever. Iran will figure it out and Israel and Iran will work out their differences.

[Sam Bark]

01:42 AM on 02/23/2012

loki - friendship is not measured by giving and taking of goods and services or money!

It measured by support and trust, Israel and Canada were the most supporting countries of US and its policies over the years and the US can always trust Israel support......

Get the $ out of your measuring and calibrating standards.

[bad spelling grammar]

06:55 PM on 02/21/2012

America is financially and physically tired of supporting Israel! China, India and Russia (the three rising powers) support Iran since she supply them with oil. Since America is in debt to China and has massive outsourcing to India by American corporations and any impact to oil could potentially hurt China, Russia, or India which would ultimately affect America’s interests. If there is one thing for sure most of the Middle East has beef with Israel and only dislikes America for supporting Israel. If Israel held a full blown attack against Iran it may unite the most of the ME who will then send everything they got at Israel and then in a final attempt to destroy the ME/world Israel would use nuclear weapons. The radiation/ environmental impacts caused by nuclear weapons would cause a global catastrophe. There is no winner in this situation and everyone knows it, if either side attacks each other you’re looking at massive retaliation and potential WW3. Something America is determined to avoid. Israel knows she can’t survive without American support and thus will be forced to not attack. If she acts on her own and attacks then she just scarified her own people because the Iranian and ME retaliation will be long and bloody. So to avoid all bloodshed both sides need to stand down and push for diplomacy and respect sovereignty, it’s the only way we can avoid a lose/ lose situation

[Sam Bark]

01:43 AM on 02/23/2012

B S G -- since when you represent all US population....... aren;t you a bit over the top?

[batguano]

04:08 PM on 02/21/2012

What's "not prudent" is remaining blind to Israeli mossad false-flag ops designed to keep America in thrall to Israeli hegemony & domination. From the USS Liberty (Never forget!), to the Marine Barracks bombing in Beirut Lebanon, to 9-11, mossad/Israeli/PNAC/NeoCon agents worked to maintain a state of war to benefit Israeli extremism destructive to American & world interests!

Expect a new mossad false-flag op, a "Gulf of Tonkin" incident; a supposed Iranian "attack" on US to start war with Iran; the US (as usual) doing Israeli right-wing (not all Jews or Israelis!) bidding, abetted by our sycophant Congress & "end-times" psychopaths; even a “Sum of All fears” potential nuclear false-flag op.

This pathological plan must be carried out now, that’s why the rush toward war & feverish set-up propaganda against Iran, before more evidence & public understanding of the 9-11 plot, who did it gains wider understanding. Knowledge on the truth of Israeli/Zionist extremism is as much in the interests of Jews of good-conscience as Americans & larger world.

Look especially at WTC building 7 controlled demolition & arrest of Israeli mossad agents filming the Sept 11 attacks & in vans carrying explosives disguised as Arabs, released by Michael Chertoff, dual US-Israeli citizen! We have witnessed treason!

Please view this interview with ex-Marine, Dr Alan Sabrosky!
http://www.intifada-palestine.com/2011/07/911-and-israel-alan-sabrosky%e2%80%99s-shocking-press-tv-interview/

[tallen]

09:15 PM on 02/21/2012

Geez...what a load of tripe.

[stockton jeff]

01:05 AM on 02/22/2012

Well tallen its you that put a link about the Israeli goverment inquiring about American ships in the area before the attack on the USS Liberty. The court of inquiry link had nothing in it that said that the American government and Embassy in Tel Aviv to acknowledge that very same inquiry was made by the Jewish state. Dean Rusk, who was Sec of State and who headed up all Embassies around the world, sent out a message to Ambassor Balfour asking if Israel had made an inquirty and he stated the story Israel put out was bogus.....Please tallen don't put zionist hasbara in the room....it cheapens your creditability. Israel is a noted liar like the Pollard affair where they did not acknowledge him as their spy for 13 years.

[batguano]

12:07 PM on 02/22/2012

Is the testimony and analysis from this group of experts – structural engineers, military, pilots, and others in many fields "tripe"?
http://patriotsquestion911.com/

[muck-raker]

04:02 AM on 02/22/2012

great post, and thanx for the link to more truth.

[batguano]

12:01 PM on 02/22/2012

Thanks muck-raker; Here is another link with testimony/opinion of many, many experts in numerous fields on the 9-11 attacks and alleged cover-up. Their analysis is a must-read. It seems clear to me, and has since very soon after that day, that something (many things) was very, very wrong. It remains to be seen who was actually responsible, but the "official story" and whitewash that 20 terrorists with box-cutters, incompetent and little training (many believe they were just the patsies) could have accomplished all that was done is absurd! We need a new 9-11 investigation that actually looks at all the evidence, or lack of it!

http://patriotsquestion911.com/

[Enliberate]

03:03 PM on 02/21/2012

Dempsey is a decorated Iraq war veteran/hero. Rather than showing any appreciation for his service in Iraq, Israeli officials choose to denigrate his perspective on Iran. Say what you will, Dempsey is correct-the Iranian leaders are rational, and can be negotiated with.
No more Israelification of American foreign policy. It's what caused the debacle in Iraq.

[Syllogizer]

06:29 PM on 02/21/2012

Where did Dempsey say the Iranians leaders are rational? Certainly not in this article.

More importantly, the recklessly insane way the Iranian leadership is heightening tensions instead of lowering them shows they are not rational, not even close.

[Captai]

07:46 PM on 02/21/2012

Which if true makes them on par with the members of the committee.

[Enliberate]

01:58 AM on 02/22/2012

The quote comes from the same Fareed Zakaria show-"....we are of the opinion that the Iranian regime is rational......"(check Juan Cole's Informed Comment, yesterday) The reckless insanity is coming from those in the West, and Israel, that are pushing for a confontation by consistently and intentionally overstating and hyping the Iranian nuclear program. Up and until Iran violates a known guideline or policy, they are exercising their rights as a nation. Sorry, but that's how it's done in a civilized way.

[Papi-Chullo]

11:46 AM on 02/21/2012

HERE is an article (court ruling) about fracking...... the IMPORTANT ISSUE is the FREEDOM OF SPEECH issue

PART I

COURTHOUSE NEWS SERVICE

Judge Lets Fracking Opponents Fight On

Wednesday Dec. 14 2011
Rueben Kramer
Harrisburg Penn (CN)

"The Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition sufficient
­ly pleaded First Amendment violations in its lawsuit against an American-I­sraeli anti-terro­r think tank that contracted with Pennsylvan­ia's Office of Homeland Security to keep tabs on environmen­talists' protests against natural gas drillers, a federal judge ruled."

"U.S. District Judge William Caldwell denied qualified immunity to defendant James Powers Jr., the former director of Pennsylvan­ia's Office of Homeland Security, who allegedly approved the contract."

"U.S. District Judge William Caldwell denied qualified immunity to defendant James Powers Jr., the former director of Pennsylvan­ia's Office of Homeland Security, who allegedly approved the contract."

"The surveillan­ce allowed "Marcellus gas drilling companies to plan against and counter plaintiff'­s protected speech," the Coalition claimed. Marcellus refers to the Marcellus Shale, a vast rock formation containing enormous natural gas reserves."

[Papi-Chullo]

11:45 AM on 02/21/2012

FREEDOM OF SPEECH ISSUE

PART II

"The shale has drawn the frenzied attention of drillers in recent years, who want to use a controvers
­ial rock-fract­uring technique called "fracking" to extract the gas."

"Caldwell ruled that the surveillan­ce scheme alleged by the Coalition is sufficient for the group to proceed on its First Amendment claims because the informatio­n gathered allegedly was shared with groups that are not law-enforc­ement agencies."

"The facts alleged in plaintiff'­s complaint are sufficient to make a claim for violation of freedom of speech and associatio­n under the First Amendment,­" Caldwell wrote.

"Supreme Court and Third Circuit precedent make clear that the gathering of informatio­n regarding individual­s' peaceful activity is not justiciabl­e if shared only among law enforcemen­t agencies. The sharing of such informatio­n with others, however, 'at a minimum, show[s] immediatel­y threatened injury to plaintiffs by way of a chilling of their rights of freedom of speech and associatio­nal privacy.'" (Citations omitted.)

**********­**********­**********­********
"The dispersal of such informatio­n may dissuade some individual­s from becoming members of plaintiff, or may cause some to resign membership­," Caldwell found.

**********­**********­**********­*****

[Papi-Chullo]

11:44 AM on 02/21/2012

PART III

********************************************
­

The Coalition also may proceed with its First Amendment retaliatio­n claim.
"Plaintiff participat­ed in protected First Amendment activities­, including speech and associatio­n. It aimed to educate the public about the dangers of unregulate­d gas drilling. Plaintiff asserts that, in response to these activities­, ITRR, pursuant to its contract with Powers, began surveillan­ce of its activities­, reporting them to non-law enforcemen­t companies and individual­s. This is enough to make a claim for retaliatio­n," the judge ruled.

**********­**********­**********­**********­********

But an injunction prohibitin­g further surveillan­ce is inappropri­ate because the contract appears to have been canceled.
"Since the contract between Powers and ITRR was canceled, there is no threat of future surveillan­ce by these defendants­. Plaintiff'­s request for injunctive relief to prevent defendants from conducting surveillan­ce and reporting on that surveillan­ce is moot and will be dismissed,­" Caldwell wrote.

"He dismissed the Institute from the civil rights case, finding that the group was performing services as a private contractor­, not as a state actor, and therefore is not a proper defendant for a Section 1983 claim."

But he refused to dismiss the Coalition'­s request for a court order directing defendants to destroy any Bulletins that are still available on a state-gove­rnment website.
"The claim does not overreach, because it requests that only informatio­n concerning plaintiff be removed from a website within the control of defendants­. This request for injunctive relief will not be dismissed,­" the judge ruled.

[Papi-Chullo]

11:42 AM on 02/21/2012

The article/court order is about fracking..............the IMPORTANT ISSUE, is the FREEDOM OF SPEECH ISSUE

PART IV

"The Coalition claimed it suffered a due process deprivatio
­n in the form of reputation­al damage after it was classified as a terrorist group."

The group said potential supporters decided not to join because it was labeled a potential security threat and was targeted for government­-funded surveillan­ce.
Caldwell dismissed that claim, finding that "the classifica­tion of the plaintiff as a potential threat to critical infrastruc­ture did not result in the loss of employment for individual members of the group."
He gave the Coalition 20 days to amend the due process claim.

MY NOTE
all statements above and in Part I, II, III, IV are from the article by RUEBEN KRAMER, titled
Judge Lets Fracking Opponents Fight On

This article is NOT posted in complete context, Just important paragraphs­, as I see, but can be seen in complete context by googling the title above.

NOTE
This Honorable Judge/Magi­strate may be in the DC district, and could possibly hear a filing from this DC situation.­........ contacting the group "Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition" could help lead you to their lawyers, who could then file the petition, possibly under 1983 and a conspiracy under 1985......­.... section 1983 was used, as noted, in the article, in the case mentioned, ruled by U.S. District Judge William Caldwell

[Papi-Chullo]

11:35 AM on 02/21/2012

SORRY..... I added too much info, and repeated the website below...........
here is another quote from the article/website

JANUARY 2012 C-SPAN

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b0d_1325533125

Halliburton charged with selling nuclear technology to Iran.

[41] At the time, Richard Cheney was the White House Chief of
Staff, and Donald Rumsfeld was the Secretary of Defense. The Ford
strategy paper said the "introduction of nuclear power will both provide for the
growing needs of Iran's economy and free remaining oil reserves for export or
conversion to petrochemicals."

[Papi-Chullo]

11:32 AM on 02/21/2012

Here is a congressional/senatorial hearing on Haliburton..................and how they have a haliburton division (possibly even headquarters) under a seperate corporation..... where they pay NO US TAXES, and yet bid on US military contracts, from my personal understanding........ The claim is that since they have a seperate corporation of haliburton, they are IMMUNE from the sanctions, and in being immune, they sold nuclear technology to IRAN............... remember DICK CHENEY was CEO of HALIBURTON at one time, and still has a enormous amount of stock (in trust) with haliburton, and still draws a pension, from my understanding........

PLEASE -- WATCH THE VIDEO -- C-SPAN

article title

Halliburton charged with selling nuclear technology to Iran.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b0d_1325533125

JANUARY 2012 SENATORIAL/CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS C-SPAN

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b0d_1325533125

Halliburton charged with selling nuclear technology to Iran.

Under the NDAA now is the time to seize and shut down Halliburton.
Halliburton would now be in violation of the NDAA sanctions provisions, as well
as prior sanctions against Supporting and trading with the Terrorist Iranian Government.

[Sam Bark]

01:53 AM on 02/23/2012

papi c -- you are absolutely correct, Haliburton and the Mossad worked together to deny all Martians of their right to invade Venus and stop their rocket launching on the gaz field of the Moon. becasue they create too much methan explosion on Pluto........

[douglasreed]

09:54 AM on 02/21/2012

The EU, Der Marionettenmeister and the call to attack IRAN

• It is an unfortunate reality that Europe has now started to dance to the tune of a Puppet-Master who already pulls the strings of both the Republican and Democrat parties in the US House of Representatives.

• Israel now stores in its secret underground arsenal are estimated to include up to 400 undeclared nuclear warheads, as reported by the FAS.

• Israel is the only state in the world that conspires in the astonishing universal deception known as ‘nuclear ambiguity’ that has allowed it to build a secret nuclear arsenal of WMD free from IAEA inspection.

• We do not know whose finger is on the Israeli doomsday trigger that could start a nuclear war in the Middle East or what safeguards the world has against the possibility of a global catastrophe caused by the use of WMD from a state that refuses to sign the nuclear NPT.

• Is it this covert political power that determines the EU’s failure to demand that the UN Security Council designates the entire Middle East as a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone, including both IRAN and ISRAEL?

• This powerful lobby – that is now demanding that the world attack Iran - has no mandate from any electorate either in America or Europe, and much of its political and military activity is illegitimate, if not actually illegal, within the free world’s systems of government.
________________________________________

[spaceguy855]

09:27 AM on 02/21/2012

Perspective is needed here. If Israel or members of the developed world find they have reached a point when they must undertake a DEFENSIVE preemptory action to neutralize an Iranian nuclear threat such an action is taken as a defensive act and is not directed at the people of Iran nor would it be an attempt to invade and take over Iran.
On the other hand, Iran threatens to retaliate with missile strikes, conventional or not, against civillian targets and threatens to destroy Israel or attack Saudia Arabia.
I think Iran has been warned that such an act would be suicidal. I have a feeling that Israel and the U.S. have told Iran in subtle, indirect but crystal clear ways that even a conventional missile attack against Saudia Arabia or other U.S. ally or against an Israeli population center could result in the elimination of 1 or 2 large Iranian cities. By elimination I mean total and complete destruction. By large Iranian city I mean cities of over 1 million.

[sean beamer]

10:15 AM on 02/21/2012

Yes you are right that the usa counld probably manage to flatten out several countries in retaliation,however you have ignored or have missed the 'oil' factor. Iran only needs to flatten the oil rigs in saudi and a few other pro usa countries and close the straights and within months the west as we know it will also join iran in the 15th century - It can then go further and sell oil only in ecu which will result in the fall in the value of the dollar - If iran can then mobilise the shia sects in these countries..and gain proxy control, usa will be a third world country too, and thats not even taking into account the fact that iran may already have prepared to attack usa and other western countries from within- not forgetting that the southern borders are not secure and to bring in missiles is not impossible !and the usa and western allies have plenty of nuke power stations waiting to be used as 'dirty bombs'- So in conclusion, does the usa have the balls to create such a scenario? is the usa ready to open pandora's box?

[Captai]

12:38 PM on 02/21/2012

Iran is in the 15th century? LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[muck-raker]

10:16 AM on 02/21/2012

a smell of fresh chum in the waters, urging us down the road to war. Many years removed from the Iraq disaster, that smell is back, this time with Iran.

our newspapers and TV stations may blather on a thousand times a day about attacking Iran and bombing its people, but if even one Iranian talks about fighting back, he is being “aggressive” and “threatening”; we can impose sanctions on anyone, but if the sanctioned country embargoes oil shipments to Europe in response, it’s being “belligerent,” and so on.

when Noam Chomsky was first writing about these propaganda techniques in Manufacturing Consent, our leaders felt the need to conceal – – these Orwellian principles. It was assumed that the American people genuinely needed to feel like they were on right side of things, and so foreign powers we clashed with were always depicted as being instigators and aggressors, while our role in provoking those responses was always disguised or least played down.

But now the public openly embraces circular thinking like, “Any country that squawks when we threaten to bomb it is a threat that needs to be wiped out.” Maybe I’m mistaken, but I have to believe that there was a time when ideas like that sounded weird to American ear. Now they seem to make sense to almost everyone here at home, and that to me is just as a scary as Ahmadinejad.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/another-march-to-war-20120217#ixzz1n1sHAZ6h