I guess U.S. and Western politicians has been treading carefully around the reality of the situation, perhaps for good reason, but does the political class really think the rest of us don’t know what’s happening in Iran right now? The Israelis or agents acting in their behalf or interests are subjecting the Iranian nuclear program to attack. First they hit a base outside of Tehran two weeks ago, taking out the head of Iran’s missile defense force along with a couple dozen other military personnel and some key real estate. Then on Monday they hit a facility near Isfahan that houses one of the country’s uranium-enrichment sites.
Presumably, American leaders and other Western officials know what is going on, even if they haven’t been actively supporting the strikes on Iran. In response, the Iranian government orchestrated an assault on the British embassy — there being no comparable Israeli or American target handy — and will attempt terrorist or military reprisals as soon as they can.
In other words, the question of whether the military option should be used against Iran’s nuclear program is now moot. It is being used. Now what?
"Now what?"
Finish the job. Duh.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Leading from behind" = Stand by impotently while others fill the void
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSupport the Aryans and anti-theocratic arabs in their next attempt to take their country back. Duh. (in the style of the former poster who didn't elaborate on what finishing the job is)
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Leading from behind" a curtain of secrecy. I like it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf that is true - I agree with you wholeheartedly.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe safe presumption is certainly the one that says Israel is orchestrating these attacks. I wonder if there's any chance that we're behind it? No one would suspect Obama of being so daring (and dare I say responsible) enough to take such bold action, but is it possible? Could he take such covert action without informing Congress (no way could he tell Congress without it leaking - there are too many forces on the left and right that wouldn't keep it under their hat).
Let's assume arguendo that it is possible. This would make for a great campaign "leak" in the waning days of next fall's election, and it would be particularly helpful to cement the Jewish support that has troubled him of late - especially in battleground states like Florida. Or, it could be used at another time next summer to change the story from something less flattering about Obama, couldn't it?
Make no mistake: I don't think Obama possesses the wherewithal to take such action, but if he did could it help him, and if it could, how could it help him?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Is it possible?"
Not a chance.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseFar more possible is that the CIA and NSA are working in close conjunction with the Mossad, unbeknownst to the West Wing.
Obama might prefer for Iran to not have nukes, or, like Ron Paul, he might prefer it. We don't know. He likes to ignore Iran when he's not trying to hold peace pipe vigils around the campfire with their leaders.
I'm sure, however, unlike the White House, whose staff flips every time an occupant moves in, that the CIA and NSA have enough career agents who DO care enough to do everything they can to thwart a tragedy.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGiven the lead time required to put covert assets in place, it wouldn't surprise me if the Bush Administration spearheaded the efforts that now seem to be bearing fruit. Obama won't hesitate to take credit, but I doubt it will help him.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhatever happens it should be said that "Israelis or agents acting in their behalf or interests" or whomever should be credited with unknowable lives, resources and capital saved or created by preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power. The international community has been fooled too many times into ignoring how far along they were and many are absurd to disregard their stated intentions. It definitely would have been worse if whomever they are hadn't initiated.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJinx, owe me a Coke. External Link
Anyway, I think it's a foregone conclusion that the covert ops are already well underway. As I wrote earlier, I seriously doubt this is being done just by the Israelis. This is a coordinated effort and recent "round ups" of CIA operatives in Syria are part of it as well. We're at war with Iran, just like they have been at war with us in Iraq for the last 8 years. About time. There is no way we will let them get nukes. No way.
I wonder how long until Iran starts trying to attack outside of the Middle East...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI wonder how long until Iran starts trying to attack outside of the Middle East...
You mean like try and bomb a restaurant in D.C.?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo, I'm thinking more like car bombs in Madrid or London, but take your pick. Stuff that is actually successful. For all their bluster, Iran's reach is not very far.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm wondering how and against whom Iran will retaliate?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIn Israel, via Hezbollah.
This time, however, I doubt they'll target pizza parlors and schools.
They'll go for official targets.
The problem is that Iran cannot afford to get into a tet-a-tet with Israel. They'd only have the support of Syria and perhaps Egypt (with an incapable and paralyzed military leadership).
They'd have the rhetorical support of Erdogan in Turkey, bu that would basically be meaningless on the ground.
Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and other Gulf states would basically stay out of the way. They fear Iranian hegemony far more than Israel.
They know that Israel won't attack except in retaliation. They cannot predict anything Iran will do.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI've seen things in the news lately that hint at tensions between Iran and Turkey.
Seems Iran is doing a pretty good job of isolating itself, without any outside efforts.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAs for a "leak" in fall 2012, what's to stop Obama from strongly hinting that he deserves the credit? If it is Israel, and they are keeping mum, they will have to keep on keeping mum!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIsrael sees a risk to its national security. It is addressing that risk. Why must the United States be central to that process ? It is mainly Israel's risk; they have the resources to address the risk, so have at it, gentlemen.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMainly Israel's risk?
You ignore the words of the Iranian leaders at your own peril.
Likewise with your minimization of their intentions for the US.
I sure hope pretending that this is mainly Israel's problem makes you feel better.
Ignorance should have SOME positive effect.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMilitary force almost certainly being used, but not in a way that allows the Iranians to easily retaliate. If it was cruise missiles or F-15s hitting Iranian missile sites, they could probably do something dramatic like close the straits of Hormuz or have their puppets in Hamas and Hezbollah showering missiles on Israel. And they'd probably have world public opinion on their side as the "victim" of Israeli or American "imperialism." But these mystery explosions and the earlier Stuxnet virus allow whoever did it some plausible deniability. Any Iranian retaliation will make them look like the aggressors. Plus they look enough like accidents that the Iranians seem to believe they need to cover up and downplay the attacks.
Ultimately, though, these strikes are just delaying tactics aimed at postponing the day when Iran completes its nuclear weapons program. Maybe we can buy a few more years this way, but ultimately someone needs to take out the Iranian regime. I wonder if anyone is doing anything to try to do that.
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