Seeing that 60 Minutes decided to re-run (tonight) its interview with the recently retired Mossad spymaster -- in which Meir Dagan declares that it would be "reckless and irresponsible" for Israel to bomb Iran unilaterally -- we have just checked on where everyone stands, six months after the Dagan interview was originally on CBS.
Surprisingly little has changed.
Dagan is making it clear, in private conversations, that his opinions have not changed since his first public appearance 20 months ago. In his final weeks as Mossad director, a job he held from 2002 to 2010, Dagan summoned a select group of Israeli journalists to the spy agency's headquarters north of Tel Aviv. The get-together was approved by Netanyahu, as the prime minister's press spokesman handled the invitations.
Yet Dagan surprisingly broke with Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak that day. The Mossad director urged his country's leaders to be more cautious and to use military force only when "the sword is at Israel's throat." After retiring, he spoke to CBS and taunted Israelis who believe he is committing treason by speaking out. Dagan smilingly said he would enjoy being put on trial.
On a far more serious level, Dagan still believes that it would be folly for Israel to act unilaterally now and attack Iran. That means he still believes that international pressure such as tough sanctions -- plus sabotage and other covert action done in concert with the United States -- can be effective in slowing down the Iranians.
Dagan has also stated his hope that economic deterioration inside Iran will lead to unrest. He may even be praying, at this Jewish New Year time, that the Islamic regime in Tehran will get bogged down in divisive domestic politics, increasingly vociferous opposition, and perhaps even powerful unrest in the streets.
While dabbling in business and engaging in his hobby of painting, Dagan seems to have his eye on a possible political career. He certainly remains a fierce warrior at age 67, despite his old war injuries and indications from friends of some health problems.
They also report that he is sticking with his position: that there still is time -- "not a lot of time, but still time," as Dagan put it -- to let sanctions and other measures put pressure on Iran. If Israel bombs Iran, as he told 60 Minutes, a "regional war" would be ignited, and Israeli daily life would be hit hard by retaliatory missile strikes and terrorism. That stunning observation continues to be his view.
Yet Netanyahu points out that Iran's centrifuges continue to enrich uranium, almost to bomb-grade potency. He and other Israeli officials point to the latest report by United Nations inspectors at the IAEA showing increasing evidence of a military component to Iran's nuclear work.
What has changed, since Dagan was first on CBS in March, is that America's presidential campaign is nearing its climax. Netanyahu spotlighted a warm and friendly visit by Mitt Romney in Jerusalem, and the prime minister seems to be in a feud with Obama, even on issues as petty as whether Netanyahu requested a meeting with Obama in Washington.
The White House says the president and the prime minister will not be in New York, for the U.N. General Assembly, on the same dates; so no get-together with Netanyahu during his visit to the United States next week has been set. Obama did telephone Netanyahu, for a one-hour chat that must have focused on the president's refusal to set "red lines" that Netanyahu is demanding as a clear don't-cross-this-line ultimatum to Iran.
All of that, plus the frosty relations between the two leaders since 2009, add to the impression that Netanyahu favors Romney over Obama. The Israeli prime minister -- on NBC's Meet the Press today and in an Israeli newspaper interview -- felt compelled to deny that he is trying to intervene in America's presidential election.
Logic suggests that Netanyahu would prefer that Romney win in November, but the Israeli leader -- who spent part of his life living in the U.S. -- is too smart to think that he can affect who is elected or reelected to the White House.
In fact, many Israeli strategic analysts point out that Romney is an unknown, and at a time of crisis in the Middle East they are not enthusiastic about having a foreign policy neophyte in charge in Washington. They feel that Romney may well love Israel and support Netanyahu's policies, but Romney's ability to overcome other views in the State Department, the Pentagon, and the intelligence community might lead to hesitation and delays in American action next year.
These Israeli analysts, some of whom feel no personal affection toward Obama and what they judge to be his world view, regard the incumbent president as a known entity who surely can take action -- if he chooses to. Israelis are impressed by the killing of Osama bin Laden and the decisiveness of America's continuing, violent campaign against al-Qaeda extremists worldwide.
However, this past week's sudden upsurge in anti-American violence in Arab countries is a source of Israeli concern. Washington's responses to the Arab Spring revolutions in countries ranging from Tunisia to Egypt to Libya to Syria have not been consistent, and their effectiveness was hard to measure -- until this week's rude and lethal reminders that significant segments of the population in newly "free" countries hate America and its values.
On a practical level, unrest in the streets of Arab capitals -- aimed mostly but not only at U.S. embassies -- impacts Israel's strategic calculation about Iran.
Until this new outbreak, the Israelis assumed that Arab countries would generally be supportive -- perhaps silent, but supportive -- if and when Israel and/or the United States bombs Iran's nuclear program. With the obvious rise of Muslim extremism, flexing political muscles by mustering large and angry crowds, Arab governments that want to cling to power are more likely to side with Iran.
Under the banner of Muslim unity, with an unstable region determined to reject intervention by American and Israeli "invaders," Arab leaders may well warn that a military strike on the Iranian nuclear program could lead to World War III.
Sure, it's hyperbole. But big words and loud declarations seem to be the only way, in the Middle East now, to measure whether the region is closer to or farther from an armed conflict that would almost surely draw in America.
Dan Raviv is a CBS News correspondent in Washington, and Tel-Aviv based Yossi Melman is a commentator for the Israeli news website Walla. Their latest book is Spies Against Armageddon: Inside Israel's Secret Wars. They blog at IsraelSpy.com.
David Gregory Clarifies Netanyahu 'Leader Of The Jewish People' Comment
Benjamin Netanyahu: Some Iran Containment Supporters 'Set A New Standard ...
Much of the book covers how to win a conflict without actually having to fight. Actual war was the last resort and the sign of a leader with a poor grasp of strategy.
There is a reason why fighting many wars was to be avoided at all costs - each war, even if won, weakens a country in serious ways. Do you think America is stronger after the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq?
Thousands of valuable citizens who could have been contributing their talents to America have been lost, and tens of thousands wounded. Huge amounts of the treasury have been spent, and industries that could have focused their technologies on improving science and technology to help the daily lives of Americans have instead focused on war.
This is why Sun Tzu's warned about the consequences of poor planning and wasteful actions:
" Attacks should not be repeated, battles should not be multiplied. Use strength according to capacity, aware that it will be spent with excessive use."
If America continues to fight many ill-conceived wars, I have no doubt they will win every single one of them up until the last one, which they will lose because their exhausted and battered army, drained treasury and mis-directed innovation and talents.
The free world needs a strong, peaceful America, not a war-drained shell of a country.
What I find striking and ominous is the Chinese leadership that usually makes subtle and gentle cautions has openly and pointedly said they will defend Iran, implying they will use as much force as necessary. Israel and the US would be massive fools to ignore the warnings from China, especially Israel which China can easily humiliate and destroy. Israel needs to understand the US will NOT go to war with China over Israel because that would be committing suicide.
Why have both Russia and China made very public statements that they will defend Iran?
While Russia may be lying (I doubt it), China certainly is NOT lying.
The most ominous thing is normally China makes subtle cautions about things, but this time China has very pointedly been very direct, which means they want Israel to understand it is looking at a very bad future if it attacks Iran.
Keep in mind that either Russia or China could easily wipe out Israel and neither would feel any guilt about it.
The argument goes that the Iranians won't be bound by a Middle-East version of MAD, where if Iran uses its bombs, it will be turned into nuclear dust by Israel and the USA, so this will restrain them. That's because 'radical Muslims' apparently don't think like the rest of the human race and don't care if they die because they will go to Paradise.
Well, Iran's leader aren't suicide bombers. They are no more crazy than the Soviets or Chinese or American leaders who are various times faced potential nuclear conflicts and decided to back away.
Iran wants to be a regional power, and they are well positioned to do it. They also want to stop foreign interference and threats, which they face on a constant basis. So their motivations are very rational.
More importantly, why wouldn't Iran try to develop a bomb? For many, many years, Israel and America were threatening to destroy or invade them long before they said they were working on nukes. So what have they got to lose? Nukes or no nukes, Iran still gets threatened with destruction.
Actions by all parties involved in this dispute have caused it to boil up. Iran's support of terrorists, Holocaust denial and belligerence towards Israel deserve to be condemned, but war is not the answer.
Iran needs to invite some Chinese military instructors to Iran, and use them as a human shield. Also, Iran and China need to engage in joint military training exercises in the Eastern Mediterranean on a regular basis. Then, Israel would not dare attack Iran. China's oil resources would be assured
if Iran were to bomb Israel, yes there would be great suffering, but nothing like the retribution Iran would suffer. Iran does not have a weapon at this time.
the argument to ramp up tension with Iran has taken on a new cloak: that Israel does not have the means to attack Iran because Iran is capable of hiding its uranium deep in the mountains. that only a bunker buster or many bunker busters that the US has can do the job. So Israel which has nuclear weapons and is just as much a threat to Iran as Iran is to Israel wants America to step in and blow up the mountain... is that it?? But Israel can at any time prevent Iran from attacking just by going to war with Iran. America will send Israel aid and weapons if she wants to start a fight for Obama has Israel's back. He just does not want to start world war 3 AND FOR THIS he gets a hard time...??
President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu obviously have different ideas about how to handle Iran, but at least they both take the problem seriously.
I admire President Obama for his dedicated focus on what's best for America, and America's servicemembers. I cannot imagine this President putting our troops in harm's way, unless the threat to our country is very clear. But I absolutely can see a President Romney starting a war with Iran, much like George W. Bush started a war with Iraq, without much thought for the young people sent into harm's way.
http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/Articles_2011/Fall-2011/Nuclear_Report.pdf
Iran has no great sudden need for either electricity or cancer meds.
I trust the Mossads evidence hunting more than an obscure website telling lies for the Iranian regime. There is likely a military conflict coming. The regime has earned this conflict, if it happens.