Israel Prodding U.S. To Attack Iran

White House Weighs Striking Iran's Nuclear Complex, Which Could Trigger 3rd War In Region

(CBS)  Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen leaves 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 can not 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.

[samsel3]

In the Daily telegraph, July 22, 2007 Condoleeza Rice stated her main objective in the middle east was not to push a ceasefire in Lebanon, but to cause an isolation of Syria and Iran. The strategic objective is all tied to oil and oil pipelines.
The Israel Turkey pipeline has been in the works for some time now. In April of 2006 Israel & Turkey made their announcement which included four pipelines which will bypass Syria & Lebanon. The source of the oil is the BTC pipeline from the Caspian Sea Region. Shareholders in the BTC pipeline are: British Petroleum, AzBTC, Chevron, Statoil, TPAO, ENI, Total, Itochu, INPEX, ConocoPhillips & Amerada Hess. Another very important factor on the war with Lebanon is that Israel will have a strategic role in protecting the pipeline and transportation corridor out of Ceyhan Turkey. The strategy will weaken Russian oil''s role in central asia and also isolate Iran.

[samsel3]

This story about Israeli jets poised to attack Iran is pure BULL, and another attempt by the Bush administration for support to attack Iran. The truth about these air missions is that Israel will be protecting air space from Ceyran, Turkey to Ashkelon down the coast for the four new oil & gas pipelines being built. Product will be piped through Israel to the Red Sea and exported to Asian markets. So much for the administrations attempt at Fear Mongering.

[rcjkcct1]

Since you all are so ignorant to the facts, I give you this. God had Blessed America for such a long time, but the way things going on in this country where we taking God, prayers and even the symbol of a Cross out of school and public. God will leave us as well. It is mention in the Bible, if we don''t help Israel out, God will seek and get help somewhere else and those who do not help will perish.

[greatdrivew]

Zionists aren''t happy unless they''re goading a war somewhere.

What has Barack promised them today???

[bbrundj]

Let Supreme Court, and other liberalized judges decide. I mean, they''re so bold and full of integrity. I mean, they are REAL men.

[rcjkcct1]

Israel never dictate what US should do, its the US who tell Israel what to do. You haters need to quick spinning things. Regardless if US help out or not, Israel will take care of business. Just for you haters, Israel brought the land from the Turks. The Turks thought the land was a waste and desolate place which it was doing that time. All who had occupied the land could not grow any vegetation so it was sold to the Jews. Now look what the Jews did to the land? it is rich and fruitful and now you haters crying foul. You all need to truly realized the God of Israel is God (Blessed his Holy name)...Amen

[fillibuster2]

Earth56,
This swampland in arizona...how much per acre? I need some good hunting land. Does it come with a bridge across the deep water or no?

o

[fillibuster2]

I say we go in and do the job with Israel. We should''ve done it with Saddam, and 15 years later we had to redo it. Finish off the problem now, and call it good. Bomb them even further into the stone age, and take care of the nuclear problem.

o

[lovegetpeace]

Folks,
On May 15, 1948, the American President advocated the creation of the State of Israel in the heart of the Muslim Middle-East. 2 years later, 4.5 millions Palestinians were forced out of their homes and lands without compensation.

I am not going to say that this is Terrorism but I will say America is bleeding Treasury and blood because of one religious decision 60 years ago. This bleeding keeps exploding with our continue UnConditional Support to Israel. I cannot believe America cares much more about Israel than of ourselves.

2 weeks after 9/11, Osama Bin Ladin released his 1st video. In the video, he clearly listed the top 3 reasons for bombing the twin towers. The 1st reason was the US military base 60 miles from their Muslim''''s holy Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The 2nd reason was the Palestine crisis. Now, Bush wants a State of Palestine. Osama is really winning BIG here.

On Osama Bin Ladin 2nd released video, Osama states that they will destroy America Economically and not Militarily. So far, Osama is really winning Big here.

According to our US State Department, Anti-Semitics is exploding around the world:
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1334791720080314?feedType=RSSfeedName=topNews&rpc=22&sp=true

I blame only the Zionists inside Israel and America.

[sisyphus00]

I say let Israel "go it alone". I''m SICK of letting them dictate to the US how they want us to behave. Screw them, let their be belligerent and leave us out of it.

[gorgeousm]

And furthermore, virtually all these false claimers about some conspiracy are all Anti-American, haters of Israel, and just HATERS!

It is these haters and jealous individuals that want to harm America.

It is these HATERS who support Hussein Obama, who is synonymous with harming America.

[factsearcher]

The comments about 9/11 being a conspirancy are old news that have been proved to be WRONG. You are looking at old opinion articles. Get updated info.

Now, after North Korea rendered the nuclear activity and just destroyed a plant let''s tell Iran

North Korea is an example for Iran... if they are not hiding anything behind their nuclear developemen..then show it! show it in paper and destroy whatever is not acceptable for energy development.

Ahh! but Iran has an agenda...and it doesn''t favor us or anybody else...maybe Russia.

[luvusa]

Same to you, have a good one.

[luvusa]

The main reason in my dis-belief of the 9/11 conspiracy theorys is based on a simple game called "telephone"Posted by earth56

Yeah, you''re right about that.

[luvusa]

earth56,

Exactly. People look for their own truths on the internet, whether they are true or not. (Did that make sense?)

[luvusa]

Don''''''''t forget ! Steel does not melt...right ?
Posted by earth56

One could look at any catastrophy and find various theories on how it happened. The link provided by slap1 showing Dr Jones describing the physics behind the towers collapsing is interesting but still doesn''t prove a conspiracy. When in our history, other than 9/11, has an airplane traveling hundreds of miles an hour slammed into a skyscraper? There is no basis for comparison except computer models and even those aren''t perfect. Earthquakes take down buildings, why is it so dificult to believe that the force of the plane/explosion wouldn''t cause the same to happen. Those towers were SLAMMED...they were swaying back and forth, throw in the heat from the fuel and the weight of the structure and you have major instability. The collapse was inevidable. And even if there were explosions on the main level, who''s to say it wasn''t from the gas lines...I''m sure they ran throughout the structure? It''s all in what a person chooses to believe I guess...I choose to believe in my country.

[luvusa]

Glad to see someone that loves the USA.
Posted by earth56

We''re rare on the CBS comments pages.

[luvusa]

Better yet..read George Orwells "1984" or "Animal Farm" for something interesting for these times
Posted by earth56

Yes, read Animal Farm years ago, brilliant. Haven''t read 1984, I''ll take a look.

[trishab4]

Wow Trisha..Great sources !

So anyone with a PC and a blog can write anything and it MUST be true !!!!

Great critical thinking !

Don''''t forget ! Steel does not melt...right ?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by earth56 at 09:34 PM : Jun 26, 2008

-earth56, why haven''t we seen this kinda pictures over what I call the ''front page'' media? Alternative journalism exists and reporters do matter of fact post great graphic pictures, unpublishable by our suit-n-ties'' ready-to-eat media...

[luvusa]

slapp1,

Watched American Freedom to Fascism...scary as hell. I remember having a discussion about this back in college, long time ago. It makes a lot of sense, americans should watch it - dem and repub.

Regarding 9/11, I simply refuse to believe the conspiracy theories.