The Israeli military is preparing itself to launch a massive aerial assault on Iran's nuclear facilities within days of being given the go-ahead by its new government.
“We would not make the threat [against Iran] without the force to back it. There has been a recent move, a number of on-the-ground preparations, that indicate Israel's willingness to act,” said another official from Israel's intelligence community.
He added that it was unlikely that Israel would carry out the attack without receiving at least tacit approval from America, which has struck a more reconciliatory tone in dealing with Iran under its new administration.
Israel stands ready to bomb Iran's nuclear sites - Times Online
An accompanying article:
Obama's stance worries Israelis | theage.com.au
This will be interesting.
To be a fly on the wall when the calls are made.
.
I have to wonder how much tacit approval Israel would have from the Arab nations for such a strike. As much as the Arabs are opposed to the Israeli state, I don't see any of them being particularly enthusiastic about Iran having nuclear capabilities. Nuclear capacity would tilt the balance of power so far towards Tehran that the Arab nations might feel compelled to pursue nuclear programs of their own.But this time we might choose to allow Israel to defend itself so that we could be the "good guy".
I have to wonder how much tacit approval Israel would have from the Arab nations for such a strike. As much as the Arabs are opposed to the Israeli state, I don't see any of them being particularly enthusiastic about Iran having nuclear capabilities. Nuclear capacity would tilt the balance of power so far towards Tehran that the Arab nations might feel compelled to pursue nuclear programs of their own.
I can easily envision the Arab world publicly being outraged at an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities and privately going "whew!".
I can easily envision the Arab world publicly being outraged at an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities and privately going "whew!".
There is absolutely no evidence that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons. This is all hype.
I would like to see a link to your statementSays you ... and you are usually incorrect.
Iran's nuclear fuel has been enriched WELL BEYOND what is needed for generating electricity.
This is evidence enough that Iran has more on their agenda then civilian power generation.
Wake up and smell the coffee!
:shock:
I would like to see a link to your statement
That site only gives Michael Crawford´s opinion up to july 2008
Says you ... and you are usually incorrect.
Iran's nuclear fuel has been enriched WELL BEYOND what is needed for generating electricity.
This is evidence enough that Iran has more on their agenda then civilian power generation.
Wake up and smell the coffee!
:shock:
Iran has just as much right to develop nuclear weapons as Pakistan, North Korea, or Israel. Iran should be an ally of the West, not an enemy.
That site only gives Michael Crawford´s opinion up to july 2008 and makes no mention of your claim that ¨Iran's nuclear fuel has been enriched WELL BEYOND what is needed for generating electricity¨
Iran Is a signatory of the Nuclear non proliferation Treaty which brings obligations and Rights, one of those rights is the development of Nuclear power
Source: guardian.co.ukIran has enriched enough uranium to make bomb, IAEA says
Julian Borger, diplomatic editor
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 19 February 2009 20.13 GMT
<snip>
The UN's nuclear watchdog reported today that Iran had managed to enrich a metric tonne of low enriched uranium (LEU), which UN officials say is technically enough to build a nuclear weapon.</snip>
<snip>
One respected US analyst said that the tonne milestone meant that Iran had reached "breakout capacity" - the theoretical ability to produce the 20-25 kg highly enriched uranium needed for one functioning warhead. Others were more cautious but said there was plenty more in the report to raise the level of international concern.</snip>
<snip>
The IAEA said that Iran had put a roof over a "heavy-water" nuclear reactor being built near the town of Arak and was preventing agency inspectors from carrying out ground inspections, meaning that they no longer had any way of seeing what was being done at the facility, which could potentially produce plutonium.</snip>
<snip>
Iran is also refusing to tell the IAEA where it is manufacturing the centrifuges used to enrich uranium, so the agency cannot confirm how many are being produced and where they are being installed.</snip>
<snip>
David Albright, a veteran UN weapons inspector, who now heads the independent Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) in Washington, gave a blunter assessment. "They have reached a nuclear weapons breakout capability. You can dance about it, but they would have enough to make 20-25 kg of weapons-grade HEU," Albright said. "If they break out they will do it at a clandestine facility, not at Natanz, so you can't use Natanz as a measure of how fast they could do it. The Iranians have stopped telling the IAEA about the production of centrifuges … so the agency doesn't know how many they are making."</snip>
<snip>
"What should be of concern is that the IAEA is becoming less able to provide an accurate picture of what is going on. We don't know where centrifuges are being manufactured and whether they are being delivered to Natanz or somewhere else. And we cannot remotely see what is happening at [a] heavy water facility under construction at Arak, and whether that is being used for peaceful purposes."</snip>
In addition...
<snip>
In a separate report released at the same time, the IAEA said traces of uranium taken from the site of an alleged nuclear reactor in Syria were manmade and rejected the Syrian government's claim that the uranium had come from Israeli missiles used to destroy the site in 2007.
The report on the Dair Alzour site puts enormous pressure on Damascus as it rejects the Syrian explanation for the presence of uranium and denounces the government for its lack of cooperation with the agency's inquiry.</snip>
The UN's nuclear watchdog reported today that Iran had managed to enrich a metric tonne of low enriched uranium (LEU), which UN officials say is technically enough to build a nuclear weapon.
UN officials cautioned that there remained many practical obstacles to the production of a bomb, and pointed out that the uranium was under close surveillance,
Iran has enriched enough uranium to make bomb, IAEA says | World news | guardian.co.ukThe official added that: "The nuclear material has been under containment and surveillance at all times."
A snip here and a snip there
Iran has enriched enough uranium to make bomb, IAEA says | World news | guardian.co.uk
Iran is also refusing to tell the IAEA where it is manufacturing the centrifuges used to enrich uranium, so the agency cannot confirm how many are being produced and where they are being installed.
Many snips indeed... and none of them bode well.A snip here and a snip there
Agreed, Not even Iran wants themMost people believe its only the US and Israel against Iran wanting nukes, hell no one in the ME wants Iran to obtain nukes.
BBC NEWS | Middle East | Iran call for nuclear-free regionIranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for the Middle East to be free of nuclear weapons.
Speaking after talks with Kuwaiti leaders, Mr Ahmadinejad said nuclear weapons were a threat to stability.
He said Iran was a good neighbour, and reiterated that its nuclear programme was for peaceful, civilian purposes.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for the Middle East to be free of nuclear weapons.
So why the mad dash to enrich uranium? They don't need nuclear power plants that badly.Agreed, Not even Iran wants them
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?