- Banned
- #1
Panetta says Israel could strike Iran in spring: report - Yahoo! News
The Post columnist said Panetta "believes there is a strong likelihood that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June before Iran enters what Israelis described as a 'zone of immunity' to commence building a nuclear bomb."
President Barack Obama and Panetta are "said to have cautioned the Israelis that the United States opposes an attack, believing that it would derail an increasingly successful international economic sanctions program and other non-military efforts to stop Iran from crossing the threshold," he said.
"But the White House hasnt yet decided precisely how the United States would respond if the Israelis do attack."
Panetta said Sunday in an interview with CBS that Iran needed "about a year" to produce enough enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon, and one or two more years to "put it on a deliverable vehicle."
Israel debate on Iran strike gains urgency - FT.com
What the past week has shown, however, is that leaders in Iran, Israel and the US are approaching these decisions with a growing sense of urgency. As Ehud Barak, the Israeli defence minister, said earlier this week: Time is not simply running out it is urgently running out.
Mr Barak turned up the rhetorical heat even further in a speech at the Herzliya security conference on Thursday night. Highlighting an increasingly important concern for Israel, he said Irans nuclear programme was fast becoming immune to military attack.
Israels worry is that Iran is moving more and more elements of its nuclear project into bunkers and underground facilities that will be difficult, if not impossible, to destroy. This development effectively creates a second ticking clock that is unrelated to Irans progress towards nuclear capability. Dealing with the programme later, Mr Barak said, may be too late.
It appears as if things are coming to a head. I can't presume to understand the threat that Israel is under but whatever happens I hope to god that we aren't drawn into another full fledged war. Politics aside this could be devastating for all parties involved. A strike on Iran will have a world wide economic impact.
No more WMD ghosts. If this is coming they better have ROCK SOLID evidence that Iran is working on bombs. Keep in mind it has been reported that Iran is working on a long range delivery vehicle and just today they had a successful launch of a rocket into space reportedly to deliver a satellite.
Everyone is rattling their weapons feverishly. Doesn't look good.
The Post columnist said Panetta "believes there is a strong likelihood that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June before Iran enters what Israelis described as a 'zone of immunity' to commence building a nuclear bomb."
President Barack Obama and Panetta are "said to have cautioned the Israelis that the United States opposes an attack, believing that it would derail an increasingly successful international economic sanctions program and other non-military efforts to stop Iran from crossing the threshold," he said.
"But the White House hasnt yet decided precisely how the United States would respond if the Israelis do attack."
Panetta said Sunday in an interview with CBS that Iran needed "about a year" to produce enough enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon, and one or two more years to "put it on a deliverable vehicle."
Israel debate on Iran strike gains urgency - FT.com
What the past week has shown, however, is that leaders in Iran, Israel and the US are approaching these decisions with a growing sense of urgency. As Ehud Barak, the Israeli defence minister, said earlier this week: Time is not simply running out it is urgently running out.
Mr Barak turned up the rhetorical heat even further in a speech at the Herzliya security conference on Thursday night. Highlighting an increasingly important concern for Israel, he said Irans nuclear programme was fast becoming immune to military attack.
Israels worry is that Iran is moving more and more elements of its nuclear project into bunkers and underground facilities that will be difficult, if not impossible, to destroy. This development effectively creates a second ticking clock that is unrelated to Irans progress towards nuclear capability. Dealing with the programme later, Mr Barak said, may be too late.
It appears as if things are coming to a head. I can't presume to understand the threat that Israel is under but whatever happens I hope to god that we aren't drawn into another full fledged war. Politics aside this could be devastating for all parties involved. A strike on Iran will have a world wide economic impact.
No more WMD ghosts. If this is coming they better have ROCK SOLID evidence that Iran is working on bombs. Keep in mind it has been reported that Iran is working on a long range delivery vehicle and just today they had a successful launch of a rocket into space reportedly to deliver a satellite.
Everyone is rattling their weapons feverishly. Doesn't look good.
