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Israel Reportedly Wants US to Strike Iran

CBS News,
Posted: 2008-06-25 18:07:38
Filed Under: World News
(June 25) - Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen left Tuesday night on an overseas trip that will take him to Israel, reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin. The trip has been scheduled for some time but U.S. officials say it comes just as the Israelis are mounting a full-court press to get the Bush administration to strike Iran's nuclear complex.

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

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


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

"Keep in mind that Israel does not have strategic bombers," Oren said. "The Israeli Air Force is not the American Air Force. Israel cannot eliminate Iran's nuclear program."

The U.S. with its stealth bombers and cruise missiles has a much greater capability. Vice President Cheney is said to favor a strike, but both Mullen and Defense Secretary Gates are opposed to an attack which could touch off a third war in the region.

U.S. intelligence estimates Iran won't be able to build a weapon until sometime early in the next decade. But Israel is operating on a much shorter timetable.

"The Iranians, according to Israeli security sources, will have an operable nuclear weapon by 2009. That's not a very long time," Oren said.

For now, the Bush administration is counting on new economic sanctions which took effect Tuesday to persuade Iran to give up its nuclear program. But nobody's counting on it.

Copyright 2008, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

2008-06-25 17:02:03
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Recent Comments

1 - 10 of 1709
1709 comments

deathcom10 03:18:59 PM Jun 29 2008

If we in America destroy Iran , oil and gas will go so high that millions of of hard working Americans will not be aible to afford to drive to work to put food on the dinner table and heat their homes in the winter ! But I guess people in Israel , only care about America when they want a American government welfare check or Americans to die fighting one of their wars !

jeff1214 09:08:15 AM Jun 29 2008

lucasjohnson you moron. I served six years in the military so what did you do a$$wipe? You probably stayed home in your safe little hovel nice and safe while others went to Iraq. You talk a big game but when push comes to shove your all talk. Do something for your country except complain like a girly man.

lucasjohnson10 11:49:13 PM Jun 28 2008

Jeff you little zionist puke, isn't it time for you to step away fromthe keyboard and head down to the Army recruiter storefront and join up.Or are you just another chickenhawk?

jeff1214 05:13:11 PM Jun 28 2008

izsygrandpa sorry but do you really think the US is going to vaporize a middle eastern city? History has taught us that isolationism has failed as an American policy. The US must get involved or things will get out of hand. If we do nothing dictatorships look at that as a sign of weakness. In an ideal world one can say lets pick up our things and go home, but the reality is we do not live in an ideal world and we must be involved.

izsygrandpa 04:27:14 PM Jun 28 2008

If Iran is a threat to Israel - then let Israel deal with that threat! Not one more American life, not one more American dollar for 'spreading democracy in the Middle East'! Pull all US troops out of the Middle East, no matter where they are - the give the Middle East this ultimatum:The next time you or yours attack America or its interests (including oil shipments) in the world we will pick one of your major cities (holy or not) and vaporize it! No, we won't rebuild it and there will be no American 'boots on the ground'.

jeff1214 12:08:52 PM Jun 28 2008

Cheryl if you don't like America then move the heck away. There are some nice caves in Afghanistan available. If you don't want to be a "sheep" then have a nice trip.

jeff1214 11:21:24 AM Jun 28 2008

jurgenvogel I must say you are an IDIOT. Talk about evil mouthed people take a good look in the mirror. You would have made a good Nazi guard. I hope that the next time you take your kid in for an MRI the machine breaks since it was designed by Jews. There are over 1 million non Jews in Israel so I guess you want to wipe out Christians too. You are below contempt.

cherylhotcherry 10:48:28 AM Jun 28 2008

ledesmasonia - If you feel that way then maybe you should move to isreal and attack iran with them. Why do we need to do their dirty work?I hope we attack iran actually, then we will take it in the azz in oil prices and then the lottery will begin... which US City will be blown up with a nuke in retaliation... So pick which city you want to lose which one.... your choice but I bet you wont pick where you live. Once america dismatles its nukes and stops building them then we can ask/tell others to do the same. Hell its been 40 years since the us signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and we have actually built more nukes... america - home of the "lies" "sheep" and "idiots"I also hope that china drops the financial nuclear bomb... crush our mighty dollar!!!

jurgenvogel 08:22:13 PM Jun 27 2008

Why does Israel, the US, England etc not get rid of their nuclear weapons. It seems to be a closed club and no new members need apply. Especially in the case of the loud and evil mouthed Israel people. They should get of their own nukes first before they can complain about other countries. One of this days, at least I hope so, all of Israel will be a giant parking lot. I hope the people can get out in time, after all there are only a couple of thousand Semitic Jews in the whole country, it should be easy to find places for them. The rest of the population are not of Jewish origin at all.Regards

ogspics 07:40:59 PM Jun 27 2008

Our grandfathers, fathers and all of us have paid TRILLIONS in tax money for nuclear weapons, conventional weapons, defensive systems etc. Stood down the USSR. If any country was ever foolish enough to attack the USA with NBC weapons, they get turned into a big green glass parking lot and they know it. If Iran or any other country is truly a threat to the USA Inc now,we all got ripped off and should demand a refund!To hell with anyone else! Go USA!

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