Iran strike in the air as US and Israeli military chiefs meetFont Size: Decrease Increase Print Page: Print Martin Chulov, Middle East correspondent | June 25, 2008
THE US military chief is to meet his Israeli counterpart in Tel Aviv this week in a move that gives new impetus to speculation about a pre-emptive strike against Iran's nuclear capabilities.

Tensions were further heightened by a suggestion from former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton that the US and Israel could attack Iraq's fledgling program between the time a new president was nominated in November and the date the incumbent, George W. Bush, left office in January.

Mr Bolton's remarks signal the first time a regime figure from either country has been prepared to put a time frame on a mooted strike. They also mark a sharp escalation in Israeli-US rhetoric against the Islamic republic, which is refusing to bow to international demands that it stop its nuclear program, and its efforts to enrich uranium.

As the European Union moved Monday to suspend the operations of Iran's largest bank in Europe, Israeli policy-makers were putting in place a clear shift in their stance towards Iran. Officials had been wary of being perceived as trigger-happy, with the spectre of the Iraq war still shadowing the region.

However, a raft of politicians and defence officials are now openly bullish about the chance of a strike against Iran. Pentagon officials earlier this week provided apparently White House-sanctioned details about a large Israeli military operation in the eastern Mediterranean in June, in which more than 100 jets trained for long-range missions.

Israeli intelligence chiefs believe the three years from early 2009 are crucial to the Iranian program.

"Nobody can explain why Iran is enriching uranium," said a senior Israeli official. "The second thing is they are developing a delivery system and nobody can deny that.

"Israel can't take the risk that Iran will be nuclear."

US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Admiral Michael Mullen will meet Israeli Defence chief Gabi Ashkenazi on Friday.

He last visited Israel in December during earlier talks about Iran and an Israeli operation that bombed an alleged Syrian rector under construction near the Iraqi border.

Mr Bolton, who maintained a hawkish stance on Iran throughout his tenure as ambassador to the UN, said he thought Israel would act unilaterally in any military strike because the US had lost enthusiasm during the last months of the Bush regime.

"It is clear that the administration has given up that possibility," he told British newspaper The Daily Telegraph.

"I don't think it's serious any more. If you had asked me a year ago, I would have thought it was a real possibility. I just don't think it's in the cards.

"The Israelis have one eye on the calendar because of the pace at which the Iranians are proceeding. They are obviously looking at the American election calendar. My judgment is that they would not want to go for anything before our election because there's no telling what impact it would have."

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has vowed there will be "devastating consequences" if Israel attacked his country.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, on a three-day visit to Israel and the territories, told the Israeli Knesset on Monday that "a nuclear Iran was unacceptable".

Mr Sarkozy was due last night to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

...............................................benny

ya know this is the second time I have typed up a long message for you with the whole nine yards. Scripture and all. but I just cannot bring myself to send it cause it aint gonna build you up. Its just gonna do the opposite. I have known many people like you. You have a perception about yourself that is different from the way the world sees you.
This will wear off one day as you learn to lean on the lord.
I will tell you that I love you. I will say I ''RESPECTFULLY'' disagree with you. I will provide all the scriptures you want over in the debate topics in the next day or so and you can have a field day with it. Debate them all you want. But it is funny that you go to debate the very words of God, by denying the words therein.
I will not press on, but I just wanted to stand up for those "pretribbers" as you call us.
As far as I know we are Christians, or Saints if you like. But treat your brothers as you would have them treat you. Not as some treat you but as you would WANT them to treat you.
And thank you for sharing the updates.
Now that I have written this, it is much more appropriate than the other two. The Spirit is faithfull to catch us in our anger huh!

Thank you, End-Time Calling! I think I finally found one, who is not all brain, but speaks from the heart also.
But it is no use, I want to save you the time. I have been in all states of mind and moods with this benny, who is drooling over his keyboard to get his message across, and his only message is: "I am a pre-tribber and I am gonna stick my nose out at you all"
All pre-tribbers are premature ejaculators. They do not even know that we already are MID Trib.

Look around you! Look at the last 3.5 years... Is that not Tribulation? Then what is???

God I am so glad You placed a mirror mid trib. Let us bounce and laugh!

End-Time Calling, come sit here and talk about the Love of God?
Can I find ONE person here who wants to talk about HIS Love?

"All pre-tribbers are premature ejaculators."

Drop you discusting language, or leave the forum

You are no representative of Jesus Christ for sure

Your behavior here is a disgrace to the cause

Very well, I leave. You are on your own.

Oh before I forget: here, have my other cheek as well.
Good luck, if you ever figure it out.

Fare thee well.

Justice,...sounds like you are getting a little kinky with your quote:"All pre-tribbers are premature ejaculators" ....And then you quote:"But it is no use, I want to save you the time. I have been in all states of mind and moods with this benny, who is drooling over his keyboard to get his message across, and his only message is: "I am a pre-tribber and I am gonna stick my nose out at you all"


Justice,...actually it's the other way around.......If anyone were to trace the post's....it would be obviuos to see that you began mocking my pre-trib belief with prior provocation from me.....

Then you quote:"God I am so glad You placed a mirror mid trib"
I challenge you to debate with me about this false mid-trib doctrine that you flaunt.....I will prove that you did not get your info from God.Which in turn would discredit anything you have stated.....The Lord said that that Day would not come upon us as a thief!.........Your false doctrine only reveals that He will come upon you as a thief.And considering that this is true,...This reveals that something is not right in you.You state to us all many things but yet the Word of God reveals a totally different matter.You pretend to be so godly, but it is obvious that you are not.You see,...If you were really being led by the Holy Spirit to the Truth in the endtimes......Then it would have been pre-trib.But you claim that God has revealed to you that it is mid-trib.....I assure you and anyone eles, that you are not getting this from God.I am not here to win a popularity contest.I am not looking for any of your praise,even though you have even tried pulling that one off on me before.Apparently, you and ETC devised this plan to assault me, without prior provocation because I am pre-trib and that you po.lil things cannot win a debate outright.Now the strangest thing with your spirit is, that yesterday, I apologized to you privately to something that I did not start, and we spoke to each other as christians should....and today, again, without prior provocation from me, you attacked again....I can see that you are not as you claim on this forum. But, many here on this forum already know that you are not all there upstairs.We of course try to overlook this, and pray for you.Many,many times your replies are not welcome.And some have tried to politely hint to you, but to no avail,....But we do continue to pray for you.I do try to show you what is true about endtime prophecy,But If you will not sincerely seek guidance from God,I cannot help you.Maybe you should study other topics,...because endtime prophecy is not your cup of tea.Actually,you are all talk and no debate to defend what you believe in.Without debate you have no credibility in your statements.You quote:" Look around you! Look at the last 3.5 years... Is that not Tribulation? Then what is???"....You should join the Herb Peters Gang.....they would believe your statement of error.Those guys believe that the last 7 years began January 1st 2007.Justice, with a statement like yours,...you would fit right in. Well I gotta talk to someone eles now.Hey!......Maybe you can talk to ETC into buying you a mood ring,...cause your gonna need it!....................................benny

You quote:.." But it is funny that you go to debate the very words of God, by denying the words therein."
Oh! really Great and mighty ancient one Provide to this forum, what my blind eyes cannot see,and I will repent of my errors..not! ..As we say here in Texas..PROVE IT!

Then you quote:.."I will not press on, but I just wanted to stand up for those "pretribbers" as you call us.
...It's about time that you saw the Light and repented of the error of your ways.....You finally decided that I was correct in the pre-trib doctrine,....so you have joined us into believing the truth.It is good to see that you have renounced the postees....Well Justice,..she has abandoned you ......Do you still want to laugh and bounce with her?
Weeelll now!....come on over to Texas and I'll buy you a T-Bone steak!
ETC....Just a funnin with you.....It's just some of this stuff gets fairly comical.But I Love you too!...Smile! You gotta Love Me!
.................................................benny

John Bolton: Israel 'Will Attack Iran' Before new US President Sworn In
June 24….(Telegraph) The Arab world would be "pleased" by Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, he said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph. "It [the reaction] will be positive privately. I think there'll be public denunciations but no action," he said. Mr. Bolton, an unflinching hawk who proposes military action to stop Iran developing nuclear weapons, bemoaned what he sees as a lack of will by the Bush administration to itself contemplate military strikes. It's clear that the administration has essentially given up that possibility," he said. "I don't think it's serious any more. If you had asked me a year ago I would have said I thought it was a real possibility. I just don't think it's in the cards." Israel, however, still had a determination to prevent a nuclear Iran, he argued. The "optimal window" for strikes would be between the November 4 election and the inauguration on January 20, 2009. "The Israelis have one eye on the calendar because of the pace at which the Iranians are proceeding both to develop their nuclear weapons capability and to do things like increase their defenses by buying new Russian anti-aircraft systems and further harden the nuclear installations. "They're also obviously looking at the American election calendar. My judgement is they would not want to do anything before our election because there's no telling what impact it could have on the election." But waiting for either Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate, or his Republican opponent John McCain to be installed in the White House could preclude military action happening for the next four years or at least delay it. "An Obama victory would rule out military action by the Israelis because they would fear the consequences given the approach Obama has taken to foreign policy," said Mr. Bolton, who was Mr. Bush's ambassador to the UN from 2005 to 2006. "With McCain they might still be looking at a delay. Given that time is on Iran's side, I think the argument for military action is sooner rather than later absent some other development." The Iran policy of McCain, whom Bolton supports, was "much more realistic than the Bush administration's stance". Obama has said he will open high-level talks with Iran "without preconditions" while McCain views attacking Iran as a lesser evil than allowing Iran to become a nuclear power. William Kristol, a prominent neo-conservative, told Fox News on Sunday that an Obama victory could prompt Mr Bush to launch attacks against Iran. "If the president thought John McCain was going to be the next president, he would think it more appropriate to let the next president make that decision than do it on his way out," he said. Last week, Israeli jets carried out a long-range exercise over the Mediterranean that American intelligence officials concluded was practice for air strikes against Iran. Mohammad Ali Hosseini, spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry, said this was an act of "psychological warfare" that would be futile. "They do not have the capacity to threaten the Islamic Republic of Iran. Israel have a number of domestic crises and they want to extrapolate it to cover others. Sometimes they come up with these empty slogans." He added that Tehran would deliver a "devastating" response to any attack. On Friday, Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency, said military action against Iran would turn the Middle East into a "fireball" and accelerate Iran's nuclear program. Mr. Bolton, however, dismissed such sentiments as scaremongering. "The key point would be for the Israelis to break Iran's control over the nuclear fuel cycle and that could be accomplished for example by destroying the uranium conversion facility at Esfahan or the uranium enrichment facility at Natanz. "That doesn't end the problem but it buys time during which a more permanent solution might be found.... How long? That would be hard to say. Depends on the extent of the destruction."

.............................................benny

So be it, I wanted to spare you... Have it your way. Here is the copy of our PM's.
===================

Justice,...what exactly was it that you think that you were going to reveal?
My apology was very obvious in this private E-mail to you.You took something that was meant to be honest and caring, and threw it down as trash.
The only thing that you have accomplished was to reveal to this forum that you are not trust worthy...or as we say in Texas...a snake in the grass.
Is there supposed to be a ulterior motive in your posting a private E-mail?
What is it that you falsely claimed to want to spare me of?
You are a very very immature person.You need lot's of prayer.If I am correct...In the eyes of this forum...you have crossed the line of trust.You may as well find another forum.You have lost all credibility.Do not reply to any of my topics,...you are not welcome..........................benny

Amen to this!

Justice.. you speak without thinking...a lot.

Miki, you are clueless.

And benny, one moment you manage to burn me down in public, and the next you smooch up in PM? And then complain?

The both of you, have a good day. I am done with the vinegar.

Again,..I did not start this,I was just minding my own business,when out of nowhere you started mocking me.
You quote:"Miki, you are clueless."
Your words are empty And besides, she can see quite clearly.
You quote:smooch up in PM?
Ha!Ha!...In your wildest dreams
Consider yourself lucky that you are not already banned from this forum for your sexual remarks against all pre-tribbers.You may be a christian, but by title only and not in your heart.But that's my personal opinion.Hey! did you know that ETC,states the she is a pre-tribber now!...Gotta love it!
Your replies to my topics are not welcome.
................................................benny

Bolton: Israel will strike Iran if Obama is elected


Former US Ambassador to UN says Obama victory in November will prompt Israeli raid on Iranian nuclear facilities prior to inauguration. Arab nations will be 'positive, privately' about strike, says Bolton

Yitzhak Benhorin Published: 06.24.08, 08:12 / Israel News




WASHINGTON - Former US Ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, said on Tuesday that he believes Israel will stage a raid against Iran's nuclear facilities if Democratic nominee Senator Barack Obama wins the upcoming presidential elections.




Bolton said the IAF would likely strike in the interim term between election day (November 4th) and the inauguration (January 20th 2009) – while George W. Bush is still in office.



"I think if they are to do anything, the most likely period is after our elections and before the inauguration of the next President," Bolton said in an interview with FOX News.



"I don’t think they will do anything before our election because they don’t want to affect it. And they’d have to make a judgment whether to go during the remainder of President Bush’s term in office or wait for his successor."



"I don’t think they will do anything before our election because they don’t want to affect it. And they’d have to make a judgment whether to go during the remainder of President Bush’s term in office or wait for his successor."




In a related interview with the British 'Daily Telegraph,' Bolton said he believed the Arab world would be "pleased" by an Israeli strike.


Their reaction, he told the paper "will be positive privately. I think there'll be public denunciations but no action."



Bolton believes that Israel may consider postponing the attack if Senator John McCain emerges as the victor in the race, and said apprehension of Obama's foreign policy in Jerusalem would likely be the

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motivating factor behind an early strike.



The former ambassador, often labeled a resolute neo-conservative, said he found McCain's stance on Iran far more realistic than that of the Bush administration.




Bolton said he doubted Iran would respond immediately with a counterstrike of its own, partially because Tehran would fear an American reprisal.

............................................benny

Ps 108: 12-13

Nuclear Hourglass
By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Tuesday, June 24, 2008 4:20 PM PT

WMD: Only last fall, the head of the U.N.'s nuclear "watchdog" said Iran would need three to eight years to acquire an atomic bomb. Now he says six months to a year. Is he dishonest or incompetent — or both?


The new estimate by Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), came in an interview with Al-Arabiya TV last week.

The interviewer followed up by asking the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize winner if he was asserting that "if Iran decides today to expel the IAEA from the country, it will need six months to produce weapons." To which ElBaradei replied: "It would need this period to produce a weapon, and to obtain highly enriched uranium in sufficient quantities for a single nuclear weapon."

Compare that with what ElBaradei told France's Le Monde newspaper last October: "Supposing that Iran does intend to acquire a nuclear bomb, it would need between another three and eight years to succeed."

And contrast it with what he said two years ago to the Monterey Institute of International Studies: "Our assessment is that there is no immediate threat . . . we still have lots of time to investigate."

How exactly, in so short of a time, did we get from a period of up to eight years — "lots of time to investigate" — to as little as six months? It has become quite obvious that the much-lauded Mr. ElBaradei cannot be taken seriously. He also cannot be trusted.

The production of an Iranian bomb itself is not the only concern. Iran's Islamofascist regime is also feverishly developing missiles with which to carry its future weapons of mass destruction.

Dinshaw Mistry, professor and missile proliferation expert at the University of Cincinnati, warns of the development or acquisition of missiles that "would give Iran the capability to strike Western Europe. A 3,000-kilometer-range Iranian missile could reach Rome and Berlin; a 4,000-kilometer-range missile could reach London and Paris."

Iran may well have missiles of such range up and running before a missile defense system is operational in Europe, expected in about 2012.

What's more, if Iran acquired North Korea's improved 10,000-kilometer-range Taepo Dong technology, it might even be able to deliver a nuclear bomb to a U.S. city.

"If North Korea successfully tests such a missile during 2008-2010, and these missiles or their major subsystems such as engines and airframes are transferred to Iran," Mistry writes, "then Iran could plausibly have a few ICBMs by 2012-2015."

And the ballistic missile launch earlier this year for Iran's aspiring "space program" might be cover for developing Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) capability.

Perhaps ElBaradei thinks Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the mullahs just want to drop copies of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion over a few infidel metropolises. The IAEA chief's latest stunt: threatening to resign if an attack on Iran takes place.

The free world ought not to shed a single tear if he does. ElBaradei has been instrumental in letting Tehran play a deadly waiting game. Last year he even proposed that Iran be permitted to continue some of its uranium enrichment.

Now he adds to his litany of outrages these wildly conflicting assessments regarding how much sand is left in Iran's nuclear hourglass. All in all, he is a man doing the opposite of his job description — to make the world safer from nuclear weaponry — and the sooner he goes, the better.

http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArti...99200015738105
.....................................................benny

Justice,

I love ya, girl, but you have to stop fighting, it doesn't do any good. Just love the Lord and your neighbor and let's all just get along. Doctrine can be fought about all day, but where is the LOVE, the RESPECT, the FORGIVENESS? Just let it go. I really care about you but you seem to be ready to explode all the time. And End-Time Calling too. It's about time we just agree that we disagree on certain things. Amen? XO

Jun 25, 2008 17:37 | Updated Jun 25, 2008 17:41
'Take ElBaradei's warnings seriously'
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
TEHERAN, Iran
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Iran's parliament speaker warned the West on Wednesday that it may face "a done deal" if it provokes Iran, a stern hint that Tehran could build nuclear weapons if attacked.


Iran's new parliamentary speaker, former nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani.
Photo: AP [file]

Slideshow: Pictures of the week The speaker, Ali Larijani, who was once Iran's top nuclear negotiator, also warned that a "short opportunity is left" for a deal with Iran over its nuclear program that the US and some of its allies fear is aimed at producing atomic bomb.

Iran has long denied it intends to build a nuclear weapon, saying its program is meant only to generate electricity. Larijani - one of Iran's most powerful politicians - did not directly warn that Iran could change its intentions, but his vague comment appeared aimed at raising that possibility.

Larijani pointed to recent comments by Mohamed ElBaradei, the UN nuclear watchdog chief, who said in an interview last week that a military strike on Iran could turn the Mideast into a "ball of fire" and "prompt Iran, even if it didn't produce a nuclear weapon today, to resort to an emergency plan to produce a nuclear weapon."

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Larijani said the West should "take Mr. ElBaradei's warnings seriously."

"Don't provoke Iran otherwise you will face a done deal that will block the path of your return to a compromise with Iran," Larijani told an open session of the parliament broadcast live on state radio Wednesday.

The phrase he used in Farsi, "amal-e anjam shodeh," means literally "an accomplished act" or "fait accompli."

The warning came on the heels of military exercises by Israel that US officials said were a message to Iran.

Israel sent warplanes and other aircraft on a major exercise in the eastern Mediterranean earlier this month, a move that may have been meant as a show of force as well as practice in the operations needed for a long-range strike mission.

Larijani, elected parliament speaker earlier this year, was previously Iran's top nuclear negotiator with the West and he holds a seat on the powerful Supreme National Security Council. He is also close to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

A hard-line newspaper also hinted on Wednesday that Iran may "weaponize" its nuclear program if attacked.

"Even if Iran's nuclear facilities are totally destroyed - a possibility that is precisely zero -it will easily be revived within a short period of time, but with the difference that it may prompt a fundamental reconsideration in intentions," the daily Kayhan said in an editorial.

A top commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards on Wednesday warned that an attack on Iran would draw the US into "a new tragedy."

"If you want to move towards Iran, make sure you will bring artificial legs and walking sticks because you will not have any legs to return on should you come," the television quoted Mohammad Hejazi, a top Guards figure, as saying.

Iran has spread its nuclear facilities over various parts of the large country and has built key portions underground to protect if from possible Israeli or American air strikes.
..............................................benny

Olmert PM crisis averted - PM through summer

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080625/...srael_politics


(Put into this thread because the threat of collapse of the Israeli government and new elections this summer were seen as an obstacle to effective implementation of war plans, if needed. )

“demands that the president initiate an international effort to immediately and dramatically increase the economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on Iran to verifiably suspend its nuclear enrichment activities by, inter alia, prohibiting the export to Iran of all refined petroleum products; imposing stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran; and prohibiting the international movement of all Iranian officials not involved in negotiating the suspension of Iran’s nuclear program.”

“Imposing stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran”

Israeli politicians avert early elections

By LAURIE COPANS, Associated Press Writer
Wed Jun 25, 8:21 AM ET

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert staved off a key coalition partner's threat to bring down the government, giving him at least a few more months to pursue peace agreements with the Palestinians and Syria. But the last-minute deal could bring his political demise later this year. ADVERTISEMENT


In a pre-dawn agreement reached early Wednesday, Olmert's Kadima Party told the Labor Party that it will hold primary elections by Sept. 25. The primary is likely to oust Olmert as Kadima leader.

The Kadima pledge prompted Labor to rescind its support for a motion to dissolve the parliament, which had been expected to pass within hours.

The deal came a month after Olmert's popularity was dealt a severe blow by a U.S. businessman's testimony in a corruption case against the Israeli leader. The businessman said he handed hundreds of thousands of dollars to Olmert in cash-stuffed envelopes, in part to finance a lavish lifestyle that included a penchant for fancy hotels and cigars.

Labor's leader, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, threatened after the dramatic court testimony to force new elections unless Olmert resigned or agreed to Kadima primaries.

Wednesday's compromise allows both Olmert and Barak to save face. Olmert can remain in office and keep his coalition intact, while Barak can tell supporters that he is forcing Kadima to change its leader.

Kadima officials say Olmert has not ruled out running in the party primary, hoping to clear his name after a cross-examination of the American businessman, Morris Talansky, slated for July 17. But opinion polls show Olmert to be extremely unpopular — both within the party and among the general public — and unlikely to win.

His likely successor would be Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni or Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz.

Livni, the chief peace negotiator with the Palestinians, is expected to push forward with U.S.-backed efforts to reach a final peace deal before President Bush leaves office next January. The more hawkish Mofaz, a former military chief, would most likely slow down or break off the talks with both the Palestinians and Syria.

The Labor-Kadima deal, which was overwhelmingly approved by Kadima members later Wednesday, came after hours of intense talks overnight.

Although Wednesday's vote was considered only a preliminary move under parliamentary rules, Olmert had threatened to fire any government minister who supported the motion.

Such a move would have left Olmert without a parliamentary majority and begun a process that was expected to bring elections by the end of the year. Currently, elections are scheduled in 2010.

Speaking on Israel Radio on Wednesday, lawmakers Tzahi Hanegbi of Kadima and Eitan Cabel of Labor said the primary would be completed by Sept. 25. But Cabel said he was concerned that Israel's political and security volatility could upset the process and somehow leave Olmert in place.

Political analyst Hanan Crystal said the looming Kadima primaries will not prevent Olmert from pushing the international community for tougher action against Iran for its nuclear program. Israel believes Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons.

Olmert will also persist in efforts to resume official peace talks with Syria. The two nations are currently holding indirect talks through Turkish mediators. Israel also could launch a broad military campaign in Hamas-controlled Gaza if a fragile truce doesn't hold.

"Ehud Olmert has what he wants, the big political exit he wanted, with Iran, with Syria and with Gaza," Crystal told Israel Radio. "He is the legitimate prime minister for the entire summer."
...........................................benny

WEll well then I prefer the ol' dallas filet, butterfly cut, with a slap of the ol' blue ribbon winning ribbs. Texas naitive myself. Born and raise. one of those lil east texas cities ya know. And no I did not come to believe that brother. I just don't spell check alot. sorry. But I will give you those scriptures over in the debate if ya want cause its not that I want to prove you wrong and that I dislike you, I just think you're wrong brother thats all. And we ain't gotta be enemies cause we disagree even though it is the way of the world.
Hows about we just go back to the way we used to "debate it and do it with love not only for ourselves but for those new fella's that don't need to see that junk ya know.

It would be awesome to see a Messianic Jew as Prime Minister!

sounds good to me.........sorry that I did'nt get to you sooner, but have been putting new green felt on the pool table.
...............................................benny

Iran issues warning over nuclear program By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated

Press Writer
2 hours, 54 minutes ago



Iran's parliament speaker warned the West on Wednesday that it may face "a done deal" if it provokes Iran, a stern hint that Tehran could build nuclear weapons if attacked.
The speaker, Ali Larijani, who was once Iran's top nuclear negotiator, also warned that a "short opportunity is left" for a deal with Iran over its nuclear program, which the U.S. and some of its allies fear is aimed at producing a bomb.

Iran has long denied it intends to build a nuclear weapon, saying its program is meant only to generate electricity. Larijani, one of Iran's most powerful politicians, did not directly warn that Iran could change its intentions, but his vague comment appeared aimed at raising that possibility.

Larijani pointed to recent comments by Mohamed ElBaradei, the U.N. nuclear watchdog chief, who said in an interview last week that a military strike on Iran could turn the Mideast into a "ball of fire" and "prompt Iran, even if it didn't produce a nuclear weapon today, to resort to an emergency plan to produce a nuclear weapon."

Larijani said the West should "take Mr. ElBaradei's warnings seriously."

"Don't provoke Iran otherwise you will face a done deal that will block the path of your return to a compromise with Iran," Larijani told an open session of the parliament broadcast live on state radio Wednesday.

The phrase he used in Farsi, "amal-e anjam shodeh," means literally "an accomplished act" or "fait accompli."

The warning came on the heels of military exercises by Israel that U.S. officials said were a message to Iran.

Israel sent warplanes and other aircraft on a major exercise in the eastern Mediterranean this month in a move that may have been meant as a show of force, as well as practice for the operations needed for a long-range strike mission.

Larijani, elected parliament speaker earlier this year, was previously Iran's top nuclear negotiator with the West and he holds a seat on the powerful Supreme National Security Council. He is also close to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

A hard-line newspaper also hinted on Wednesday that Iran may weaponize its nuclear program if attacked.

"Even if Iran's nuclear facilities are totally destroyed — a possibility that is precisely zero — it will easily be revived within a short period of time, but with the difference that it may prompt a fundamental reconsideration in intentions," the daily Kayhan said in an editorial.

A top commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards on Wednesday warned that an attack on Iran would draw the U.S. into "a new tragedy."

"If you want to move towards Iran, make sure you will bring artificial legs and walking sticks because you will not have any legs to return on should you come," the television quoted Mohammad Hejazi, a top Guards figure, as saying.

Iran has spread its nuclear facilities throughout the country and has built key portions underground to protect from possible Israeli or American airstrikes.

In 1981, Israeli jets bombed Iraq's Osirak nuclear facility in an attempt to end then-Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's nuclear program. Last September, Israel bombed a facility in Syria that U.S. officials have said was a nuclear reactor being constructed with North Korean assistance, a claim denied by Damascus and Pyongyang.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/iran_nucl...QuYNkBCPJSw60A
..............................................benny

Updates ▪ Fact File ▪ Special ▪ In Focus




























More Threats




Ahmadinejad. Determined Photo: AP









Iran says 'enemies' won't stop nuclear work


Bullying powers should know threats and pressure will not save them from us, Ahmadinejad says in speech. 'Even if they succeed to close all doors on Iran, the Iranian nation will become more determined to continue its nuclear path'

Reuters Published: 06.26.08, 12:25 / Israel News




Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday Iran's "enemies" would never succeed in stopping its nuclear activities, the official IRNA news agency reported.



EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana handed Iran an offer on June 14 of trade and other benefits designed to persuade Tehran to curb its nuclear work and end a row that has helped push oil prices to record highs.



Heads Together

Iran on US military chief's Israel visit agenda / Yitzhak Benhorin

Pentagon tries to play down announcement Admiral Michael Mullen will be in Jerusalem this week due to estimations Israel is exerting pressure on Washington to launch strike on Iranian nuclear facilities
Full story



"On the nuclear issue ... the enemies were not able to stop our nation and will never succeed in stopping our program," Ahmadinejad said in a speech in the western city of Kermanshah.



Iranian officials usually refer to the United States and its European allies as enemies. The proposals submitted by Solana two weeks ago were prepared by the United States, Russia, China, Britain, Germany and France.



Tehran said on Tuesday that new punitive measures imposed on it this week by the 27-nation European Union over its nuclear plans could damage diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute.



Solana said on Wednesday western powers will continue a twin-track policy of sanctions and diplomacy towards Iran over its nuclear program.



3 rounds of limited UN sanctions
Tehran has so far refused to suspend its sensitive nuclear work and has warned major powers pressuring Iran could backfire.



"Even if they succeed to close all doors on Iran, the Iranian nation will become more determined to continue its nuclear path," Ahmadinejad said.



Western powers suspect Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil exporter, wants to make nuclear arms but Tehran denies this.



The stand-off has sparked fears of a military confrontation that would disrupt oil supplies from the Gulf. Last week a report said Israel had practiced for a possible strike against Iran's nuclear facilities.



Washington says it is focusing on diplomatic pressure to thwart Iranian nuclear work but has not ruled out military action if that were to fail.



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"These bullying powers ... should know that threats and pressure will not save them from us," Ahmadinejad said.



Iran has repeatedly ruled out suspending enrichment, which can have both civilian and military uses. Their refusal to do so has drawn three rounds of limited UN sanctions since 2006.

..............................................benny

Russian flights smack of Cold War
U.S. fighters ID bombers near Alaska
Rowan Scarborough (Contact)
Thursday, June 26, 2008
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Russian bombers have stepped up provocative flight exercises off the Alaskan coast, reminiscent of Cold War incursions designed to rattle U.S. air defenses.

U.S. Northern Command, which protects North American airspace, told The Washington Times that TU-95 Bear bombers on 18 occasions the past year have skirted a 12-mile air defense identification zone that protects Alaska. The incursions prompted F-15s and F-22 Raptor fighters to scramble from Elmendorf Air Force Base and intercept the warplanes. The last incident happened in May.

The venerable propeller-driven TU-95 came to symbolize the Cold War, as did its counterpart, the U.S. B-52 Stratofortress.

"They have flown close enough to deem it necessary to ID and monitor them," said Maj. Allen Herritage, a base spokesman. "They come. We ID. We go back to our base. They go back to their base." Elmendorf is headquarters for the Alaskan region of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

Air defense identification zones are military boundaries designed to guard the U.S. and Canada against attack. To enter the zones legally, pilots must file flight plans with air controllers. Russian bombers do not file flight plans, so U.S. and Canadian jets are required to scramble to identify the planes and warn them away from the area.

"They have not been filing a flight plan and that is the problem," Maj. Herritage said.

Moscow's sophisticated show of force has some in the Pentagon paying more attention to the long-term goals of a Russian military, which is being rebuilt with proceeds from the country's huge oil and gas revenues. NORAD is more sensitive than ever to wayward aircraft, given the Sept. 11 attacks by hijackers and the lack of military coordination at the time to track, and perhaps destroy, the planes.

Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the Joint Chiefs chairman, talked on Monday of "the challenges we have with a resurgent Russia" while addressing Pentagon workers at a town-hall-style meeting.

Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., chief of NorthCom, said earlier this month that "I think the Russians are not a near-term military threat," while noting they had "renewed" military flights over the polar region. This is the route U.S. or Russian bombers would travel to bomb the other's country.

"I think we do have to make sure, you know, post-9/11 world, that we never let an unidentified aircraft come into our airspace, and that we determine who they are and what they're doing, and if it is a Russian aircraft on a training mission, we allow them to continue to do their job," Gen. Renuart said on WUSA-TV's "This Week in Defense News."

Although Gen. Renuart downplayed the incursions, other air-power authorities said Vladimir Putin, as Russian president, began flexing his military's muscle last year as a message to Washington.

"Putin is trying to get the military rejuvenated and trying to show they are a military power," said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas G. McInerney, who commanded NORAD's Alaska region. "He's doing it for a whole host of things. It's really muscle-flexing."

When told that 18 Russian incursions had been reported in 12 months, Mr. McInerney said, "That's a lot."

Mr. Putin, who relinquished the presidency in May and is now prime minister, has been at odds with President Bush over NATO expansion and the invasion of Iraq. At times, he has made strong anti-U.S. statements that stirred Cold War memories.

A NorthCom statement to The Times said, "Russia has indicated in open press reporting its intention to proceed with navigation and operational training."

Mr. McInerney said the incursions are the most sophisticated since the Cold War. He made the assessment based on an Air Force briefing he received last fall at Elmendorf.


Agence France-Presse/Getty Images PUSHING IT: A U.S. warplane (right) intercepts a TU-95 Bear, a Russian plane commonly used during the Cold War, in February. The American plane escorted the bomber away from a carrier south of Japan after the Russian plane came threateningly close.

The retired general called the exercises "coordinated attacks coming into our air defense identification zone. They are very sophisticated attack training maneuvers. These incursions are far more sophisticated than anything we had seen before."

He said the Russian army air force is launching Bear bombers from Tiksi on the Arctic Ocean and Anadyr in Siberia. They are flying against the air defense identification zone from both the polar caps and from the south. The Air Force statement said it has "monitored Russian aircraft taking off from a variety of air bases across their country."

................................................benny

Everyone seems to be 'flexing their muscles' these days.. What happened to all the fat McDonald's eaters who sit and play video games all day? Do they not do that over in Iran and Iraq? Hm, some places, they just don't want to have fun!

Syrian VP: Syria allowed UN probe to prove US wrong


Farouk al-Sharaa says IAEA allowed in only to prove desert site destroyed by Israeli jets was not nuclear reactor, warns they will not be allowed to visit other sites requested. UN: Results inconclusive, more work to be done

Associated Press Published: 06.26.08, 00:00 / Israel News




Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa said his country allowed UN nuclear inspectors to visit the Al Kibar site in the remote eastern desert, destroyed by Israeli jets last year, to prove US allegations of a covert Syrian nuclear program are false.



Israel Warns

IDF Intelligence warns Syria trying to deceive IAEA / Amnon Meranda

Chief of Military Intelligence says Damascus apprehensive of upcoming visit by UN nuclear inspectors, planning to prohibit entry of foreign media to country
Full story



Olli Heinonen, a deputy director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told reporters in Vienna on Wednesday that the initial probe was inconclusive and further checks are necessary.



He said he was satisfied with what was achieved on his three-day trip but "there is still work that needs to be done" in following up on the claims that Syria was hiding elements of a potential nuclear arms program.



However al-Sharaa warned that the IAEA inspectors will not be allowed to probe beyond the Al Kibar site, despite the UN request to visit three other suspect locations.

His comments in an interview with the Hizbullah-owned Al Manar TV station were the first from Syria on the UN visit.



'Achieved what we wanted'

Heinonen met in the Syrian capital with officials in charge of the nation's nuclear program and senior Syrian generals, in keeping with claims by Damascus that the building flattened by Israel was a non-nuclear military object.



With Syrian authorities imposing a virtual news blackout on his trip, few details of the visit had surfaced beyond the fact that Syrian authorities had allowed the three-main inspecting team to visit the Al Kibar site.



Washington hopes that the UN agency team is carrying persuasive evidence backing US intelligence that the structure was a nearly completed plutonium-producing reactor. If so, the trip could mark the start of massive atomic agency investigation similar to the probe Iran has been subjected to over the past five years. What's more, the process could draw in countries like North Korea, which Washington says helped Damascus, and Iran, also linked by media reports to Syria's nuclear strivings.



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But Heinonen declined to tip his cards on what he and his team had been able to see and do beyond acknowledging that they were able to take environmental samples in the area designed to capture traces of material that were likely spread over a large area by Israeli ordinance.



"We achieved what we wanted on this first trip," he said. "We continue our discussions, we took the samples we need to take and now it's time to analyze them and also look at the information we got from Syria. We will see in the days and weeks what will happen next," he answered when asked about the chances of a follow-up visit.

...................................................benny

I find this scenario amazing......

Talk to me about this benny and Stephen..






I brought this over from Sarkozy string..

Is he speaking prophetically here

or is it wishful thinking?

Miki, there's a lot that I could say about this.....but to put it simply....The moment of truth is fast approuching...Anything can change at a drop of a hat.A lot of people would like to see the Economy and the good old days back again.
But, as I see it........If this war is to happen this year....Then I see it happening this Septenber early October.......................benny

"Is he speaking prophetically here, or is it wishful thinking?"

>Netanyahu is speaking on behalf of his nation and truly believes that his nation of Israel has a Biblical destiny. However, he is not a Christian and would tell you that his beliefs are based upon the O.T.. Neither does he really know and or recognize the full prophetic picture. For example, Israel is going to be invaded and lose the land, Jerusalem, and the temple mount temporarily to the nation's enemies, but a believing remnant part will be rescued by the Lord during the 70th week decreed. The Lord is going to vanquish the usurpers and Jerusalem will be the capital of His millennial kingdom.

If Olmert hadn't of compromised to a Sept. election they would have squashed him right then. And it's said Netanyahu would have had a huge chance of moving in to place. What kind of melt down would that have caused?

Now the delay to the end of September really brings the year end pressures to the fore front.

But Stephen you never said if it would be divided first.

Say that to benny, not me. This is the third time he is back on my ignore list.
I am done with giving him the benefit of the doubt.

miki,
daniel tells us that the antichrist will do what his fathers could not do...he will divide the land for gain...notice a couple of things: 1-the magog invasion happens while jews still live in the golan heights...so all this talk about giving the heights to syria; it aint gonna happen...2-there will be talk of dividing jerusalem but it will not happen til the anti does it and sets his throne up there...the most likely scenerio imo is this:a lot of talk about the golan heights but isreal will not give it up (too strategic), and a lot of talk of dividing jerusalem but it clearly becomes a stumbling block for all the nations and prevents a final peace deal until the anti confirms one. i think this fussing over the 67 borders and jerusalem continues until the next israeli election. benji comes in and doesnt play around...he makes Is.17 come to pass in response to the syrians military act (hizbullah?)towards israel...this leads to a short "false peace"...the rapture happens sometime in this area and then the magog invasion happens....this leads the anti to confirm the final peace deal and rebuilding the temple..

now that would mean a tribulation period starting in or around 2011 (allows time for israel election, benji to act, iraq to have another election and the UN)....if benny is right and it starts this yr, you could see olmert under heavy pressure do 2 things..1-get a peace deal done...its his way to leave a legacy and maybe reverse public opinion..2-strike back hard at hizbullah when they try something again...showing everyone he is tuff afterall and learning from his mistakes in the lebanon war a couple yrs ago...the problem with #2 is i dont think olmert can or will be tuff...

"But Stephen you never said if it would be divided first."

>Did not say because the scriptures do not tell a dividing of Jerusalem

>It may, or may not be, ..... but this would have to be before the 70th week

>There is nothing in the scope of unfulfilled visionary prophecy left to finish until the 70th week begins, so the scriptures do not give any "dividing" of Jerusalem "first"

>The little horn will divide the "land" of the "Middle East" among his followers for a price .... they will have to follow him and worship him as a god

>He will invade and occupy all of Jerusalem, Israel, and the temple mount, and rule for 42 months [second 1,260 days]

Justice, I did, only in a PM.. I don't like airing dirty laundry on the board. It just isn't right.

Love love love!

Move on
silly and we should get back and stay on current events here. unless in the debate forum, we should speak as if we are not debating. There is definately a different tone used and we can avoid harm to the body here is we keep it appropriate. This includes me if I have been wrong. as said
So on the current issues........

ETC, that's what I was getting at. I wasn't pointing any fingers, just letting Justice know that all was said, and all is forgiven.

Moving on..

duncdrewnoah says:



The compromise for not voting Olmert out right now was that he agreed to a September 26th election...so no waiting around. The timing will be pivitol.

Stephen says:



So even if we don't know, my feeling is that it will play into the end time scenario greatly..one way of the other.

Jerusalem will be the victim of invasion and attack during the 70th week regardless of its status. But logic says that Israel will be in control of Jerusalem during the 70th week until the invasion of the little horn and his followers which will not occur until just before midweek. There is no dividing of the city forecasted in the prophetic visions. There is a "dividing" of the "land" which the Lord considers to belong to Him in the visions for the time by the little horn. The geographical extents of Israel proper are very small at present, but the Biblical, and the Lord's view, is a much greater area and ranges from the Mediteranian sea to the Euphrates.

There is a great feeling of expectancy for the close of summer this year. I can feel it everywhere. Even the non-religious have picked up on this. This makes for apportunities to share the gospels of Jesus.
I must admitt that I have a level of expectancy for this year. My spirit is heavy. But at the same time the battlefield in the spiritual realm has been pouring bodies this year. This could be a massive attack from spirits of fear, dread, and many other spirits in the ever battle for the souls if men.
Either way we need to be in prayer cause the battle has been on and is heating up until is completely spills over into the physical realm in every part of the world. Then there will be but one or two choices. The man claiming to be god with miraculous signs or take hold of the Promises in Jesus name. Both will cost you in this world. One in the next.
I will pray for a peace to settle on those given unto JEsus. Cause they will see things written of in the ancient of times come to reality in their own lives.

It isn't just the pressure of the current situation but it's an ongoing pressure that hasn't been vented for a while...

Especially by Israel...

Joel 3;2 speaks of the dividing of the Lords land.....It does seem that the words spoken there are as if this dividing were past tense, as though they did succeed in dividing the land and that is why the Lord gathers all nations to plead with them........But,I believe as duncdrewnoah, that they will not succeed just yet.....because there is a storm coming that will interrupt thier plans.Truely Jerusalem is a cup of trembling.....This Daniel 9;27 ....is still a little down the road....The world will receive shock therapy first.....enough to break all resistance calling for a one world government in every form.

............................................benny

Wednesday, June 25, 2008
SARKOZY IN ISRAEL: Vows to stand with the Jewish State in "the battle" to stop Iran




* IAEA Chief ElBaradei: Iran Can Produce Enough Enriched Uranium for a Nuclear Bomb in Six Months to a Year
* Olmert averts new elections this fall in last-minute deal with Labor Party
----------------------
Israel experienced a moment of terror yesterday when an M-16 gunshot rang out just 200 meters from where French President Nicolas Sarkozy, on his first presidential visit to the Jewish State, was about to board a plane to return to Paris. Israeli security forces moved quickly -- rushing Sarkozy onto the plane and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President Shimon Peres into their bullet-proof vehicles [to see video, please click here].


"Shin Bet security service officials [Israeli equivalent of the U.S. FBI and Homeland Security] immediately ran toward where they had heard the shot, and found the border policeman, who was positioned on top of a building, lying on the ground below," reported Haaretz. "A Magen David Adom [Israeli version of the Red Cross] team could not resuscitate him and he was declared dead. Officials soon ruled out the option that he accidentally shot himself before the fall, or that his gun misfired upon impact with the ground, and concluded that he apparently committed suicide using his M-16 rifle, causing him to fall off the building. An autopsy of the body confirmed their conclusion. Border Police officials said the man, a member of the Druze community, had served as a border policeman for eight years since he was discharged from mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces. His family asked media not to publish his name. The man had arrived at Ben-Gurion Airport together with other border policeman to guard the perimeter of the event. "


It was all a bizarre and sad ending to an otherwise fascinating three-day visit. Sarkozy, whose maternal grandfather was a Greek Jews, continues to surprise and impress me as one of the best friends the U.S. and Israel has ever had in France. During his speech to the Knesset, he declared his government resolve not to allow Iran acquire or develop nuclear weapons and to stand with Israel "in the battle" to stop Iranian mullahs from getting the Bomb. "A nuclear Iran is intolerable," Sarkozy insisted. "Anyone trying to destroy Israel will find France blocking the way....Israel must know it is not alone in the battle against Iran's nuclear ambitions." This was particularly signficant -- and welcome -- in light of recent comments by Israeli officials that war with is increasingly likely with Iran, and in light of recent air force exercises by Israel to prepare for such an eventuality.


Unfortunately, Sarkozy also said he believed Jerusalem needed to be divided to allow the Palestinians to have their capital there. That drew a firm response from Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu who insisted Jerusalem should never be divided again. "Jerusalem is the historic capital of the Jewish people. Jerusalem will not be divided, and only Israeli control in the city will guarantee freedom of worship for all religions," said Netanyahu.

posted by Joel C. Rosenberg @ 6:51 AM
...........................................benny

Jun 25, 2008 19:34 | Updated Jun 26, 2008 9:07
A disastrous attack on Iran?
By CHUCK FREILICH
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The debate over a possible American or Israeli attack against Iran's nuclear program has heated up, with some arguing, including a recent New York Times editorial, that the consequences would be "disastrous." Would they really?

First, the good news is that we are not there yet, that Iran is highly vulnerable to external pressure and that we may never have to get there, if the international community gets its act together. What is needed is a comprehensive policy of heavy sanctions, combined with a big diplomatic carrot.

To this end, the US should seek to fully engage Iran and offer a "grand bargain," an array of incentives, in exchange for its willingness to forgo its nuclear program. Iran hardliners in particular should support a policy of engagement: Only if the US proves to both domestic and world opinion that it has exhausted all diplomatic possibilities, will it gain support for major economic sanctions, let alone future military action. Iran will probably reject the offer, as it has all others, but we will only know if the option is pursued and it is a vital way station on the road to stronger measures. Talking to Iran does not imply acquiescence, or appeasement

The US and the West, however, should engage from a position of strength. Important sanctions can be imposed now, such as heightened restrictions on trade credits, international banking transactions and investments in Iran. Iran imports 40% of its refined gasoline products: If the West banned these sales, its economy could be brought to its knees. Oil exports make up 80% of Iran's state budget: were imports of Iranian oil banned, its economy would be brought to a standstill. Iran's automobile industry is domestically produced, except for engines: cut sales of engines and its economy would be greatly weakened.

SHOULD THESE and other measures fail, or sufficient international cooperation not be forthcoming, the US could impose a unilateral naval embargo on Iran, which would have the combined affect of most of these measures and then some. Only if this, too, failed, would there be a need to consider direct military action, primarily an aerial operation, with little or no ground forces.

There is little doubt that Iran will respond to a direct attack, or a blockade, but its options, heated rhetoric notwithstanding, are actually limited. What can it truly do? Attack American ships, block the Gulf? Maybe a pinprick to make it look good at home, but beyond that, the risks of escalation and the costs to Iran's economy are too great. Iran is extremist, not irrational. It may very well cause the US greater difficulty in Iraq, and increased terror can be expected against US and Western targets. It is highly unlikely, however, that Iran would be willing to go beyond limited actions and risk direct military escalation, not when the US has 150,000 soldiers on its doorstep. Moreover, US preparations can greatly reduce, though not eliminate, the dangers of Iran's potential responses.

Oil prices will further skyrocket and Iran could add to the crisis by cutting output, but anything beyond temporary measures would be tantamount to cutting off its nose to spite its face. There will be a strong public reaction in the Moslem world, though Arab regimes will be quietly relieved to be free of a nuclear Iran. If the US plays out the diplomatic route first, international reaction will be muted.

MILITARY ACTION will incur costs for the US, but far from being "disastrous," or even heavy, they will probably be limited. Whether justified, is a strategic and normative judgment call, to be weighed against the dangers of a nuclear Iran. Instead of unwarranted, self-deterring risk aversion, let us not forget who wields the incalculably greater "stick": Iran certainly will not.

Iran is far more likely to respond against Israel, indeed, to open up with everything it, Hizbullah and Hamas have - large scale terror, rocket attacks blanketing Israel, ballistic missiles. Israel may pay a heavy price and there is a significant danger of confrontation with Hizbullah, Hamas and, conceivably, Syria. It is a price Israel should be willing to pay. The real issue regarding military action is the operational outcome. Iran has dispersed and hardened its nuclear sites and may have a parallel covert program. Thus, even a fully "successful" strike would only destroy the known program and Iran, having largely mastered the technology, might be able to reconstitute it. The question is how long a delay is worthwhile: two years, maybe not, five, probably yes.

The writer, a Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School and a Schusterman Fellow, was a deputy national security advisor in Israel.
............................................benny

Bibi, I love you. Regardless of the past, keep going!

REVIEW & OUTLOOK


Israel on the Iran Brink
June 23, 2008; Page A16
Israel isn't famous for welcoming public scrutiny of its most sensitive military plans. But we doubt Jerusalem officials were dismayed to see news of their recent air force exercises splashed over the front pages of the Western press.

Those exercises – reportedly involving about 100 fighters, tactical bombers, refueling planes and rescue helicopters – were conducted about 900 miles west of Israel's shores in the Mediterranean. Iran's nuclear facilities at Bushehr, Isfahan and Natanz all fall roughly within the same radius, albeit in the opposite direction. The point was not lost on Tehran, which promptly warned of "strong blows" in the event of a pre-emptive Israeli attack.

The more important question is whether the meaning of Israel's exercise registered in Western capitals. It's been six years since Iran's secret nuclear programs were publicly exposed, and Israel has more or less bided its time as the Bush Administration and Europe have pursued diplomacy to induce Tehran to cease enriching uranium.

It hasn't worked. Iran has rejected repeated offers of technical and economic assistance, most recently this month. Despite four years of pleading, the Administration has failed to win anything but weak U.N. sanctions. Russia plans to sell advanced antiaircraft missiles to Iran and finish work on a nuclear reactor at Bushehr, though spent fuel from that reactor could eventually be diverted and reprocessed into weapons-usable plutonium. Chinese companies still invest in Iran, while the U.N.'s chief nuclear inspector, Mohamed ElBaradei, has repeatedly downplayed Iran's nuclear threat.

As for the U.S., December's publication of a misleading National Intelligence Estimate that claimed Iran had halted nuclear weaponization signaled America's own lack of seriousness toward Iranian ambitions. Barack Obama is leading in the Presidential polls and portrays as a virtue his promise to negotiate with Iran "without precondition" – i.e., without insisting that Tehran stop enriching uranium. All the while Iran continues to enrich, installing thousands of additional centrifuges of increasingly more sophisticated design while it buries key facilities underground.

No wonder Israel is concluding that it will have to act on its own to prevent a nuclear Iran. Earlier this month, Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz, a former army chief of staff, warned that "if Iran continues with its program for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack." Other officials distanced themselves from those remarks, but September's one-shot raid on Syria's nuclear reactor ought to be proof of Israel's determination.

An Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear sites would of course look nothing like the Syrian operation. The distances are greater; the targets are hardened, defended and dispersed; hundreds of sorties and several days would be required. Iran would retaliate, with the help of Hezbollah and Hamas, possibly sparking a regional conflict as large as the 1973 Yom Kippur war.

Mr. ElBaradei predicted this weekend that such an attack would turn the Middle East into a "ball of fire," yet his own apologies for Iran and the West's diplomatic failures are responsible for bringing the region to this pass. They have convinced the mullahs that the powers responsible for maintaining world order lack the will to stop Iran.

Israelis surely don't welcome a war in which they will suffer. Yet they have no choice but to defend themselves against an enemy that vows to obliterate them if Iran acquires the weapon to do so. The tragic paradox of the past six years is that the diplomatic and intelligence evasions offered in the name of avoiding war with Iran have done the most to bring us close to this brink. Appeasement that ends in war is a familiar theme of history.

...................................................benny

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Officials Say Israeli Drill Was Message to Iran Over Nukes More Than Rehearsal for Attack
Thursday, June 26, 2008

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AP


June 26: Israeli Air Force pilots throw their hats in the air at a graduation ceremony at the Hatzerim Air Force Base near Beersheba, Israel.
June 26: Israeli Air Force pilots throw their hats in the air at a graduation ceremon