Subscribe to Common Dreams News Updates
Most Popular This Week
Popular content
Today's Top News
U.S. Military Official: We Are Concerned Israel Will Not Warn Us Before Iran Attack
Senior U.S. military official tells CNN U.S. 'increasingly vigilant' over military developments in Iran and Israel, says 'absolutely' concerned Israel may attack Iran nuclear facilities.
U.S. officials are concerned that Israel will not warn them before taking military action against Iran's nuclear facilities, a senior U.S. military official said Friday.
Israel Air Force F-15. U.S. officials are concerned that Israel will not warn them before taking military action against Iran's nuclear facilities, a senior U.S. military official said Friday. (photo: Alon Ron ) The official, who asked to remain anonymous, told the CNN network that although in the past, U.S. officials thought they would receive warning from Israel if it did take military action against Iran, "now that doesn't seem so ironclad."
The U.S. is "absolutley" concerned that Israel is preparing an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, and this concern is increasing, CNN reported the official as saying.
The U.S. has increased its “watchfulness” of Iran and Israel over the past few weeks, U.S. Central and European Commands, which watch Iranian and Israeli developments respectively, are “increasingly vigilant” at this time, according to the official, and a second military official who also spoke with CNN.
The military official emphasized that the U.S is concerned about the risk a strike against Iran could pose for American troops in Iraq and in the Persian Gulf, according to the CNN report.
The official also said that the U.S. does not intend to follow a military action against Iran, CNN said.
This past week, reports have surfaced regarding Israeli military action against Iran. A senior Israeli official said Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are trying to muster a majority in the cabinet in favor of military action against Iran.
On Friday, President Shimon Peres said that he believes Israel and the world may soon take military action against Iran. His comments followed
As the drumbeat of reports about possible military action against Iran's nuclear facilities intensified, an International Atomic Energy Agency report, to be released next week is expected to reveal intelligence suggesting Iran made computer models of a nuclear warhead and other previously undisclosed details on alleged secret work by Tehran on nuclear arms, diplomats told The Associated Press on Friday.
150 Comments so far
Show AllIf the United States and Israel are opposed to nuclear weapons they must get rid of theirs. These two nations are the terrorists. They together threaten all life on earth and must be stopped. It has just been told that the United States has used nuclear weapons against the people of Iraq in Fallujah. . It seems that there is no justice in the United Nations against these two evil nations. I fear the effect of Kharma on the United States. What goes around, comes around. I am not proud to be an American and am doing my best to change our evil corrupt government.
My advice for all American voters is to vote NO on all incumbents. We need a clean sweep. Kick out the corrupt and perhaps we can end our EVIL EMPIRE that is threatening all life on earth.
thanks for the heads-up on the new Fallujah developments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vDEDRtVotEQ
"It has just been told that the United States has used nuclear weapons against the people of Iraq in Fallujah."
Um... no.
DU....h
Look it up: The US army uses Depleted Uranium whereever they fight.
Indeed, there is no muchroom cloud. But each and every round is a dirty bomb.
If Israel does this they do it alone. This US citizen does not and will not support that action. I hope they are prepared for a hit on Dimona.
I understand what you are saying, but ALL US citizens support Israel because our corrupt government gives OUR tax dollars to Israel.
$3,000,000,000 at least every year for I don't know how many decades.
The US is the corporation's bitch!
While millions of Americans die because our corrupt government won't take our taxes and give us healthcare.
Same with HOW many States firing people, closing schools because they don't have the money!
I am with most commenters on this article.
The US AND ISREAL are the biggest terrorists in the world.
And they do it for the corporations who then charge us obscene amounts of money for the things we already paid them to acquire.
Sociopaths. They do not care how many people suffer and die for their greed.
Disgusting.
Maybe Iran should do a defensive 1st strike since it is coming anyway?
If Israel attacks Iran I sure hope the U.S. doesn't get involved.
There's only one word in response to this article... bullshit.
If Israel attacks Iran, you gotta know the US gave them the OK, which also means we'll be backing them up all the way.
Right on freepressmyass, what with the ludicrous drama concerning the Saudi ambassador/Mexican drug cartels, well, it seems apparent that they're revving up for another bloody display of testosterone-saturated war. Concerning the present unrest with the US populace, a certain anonymity is required.
Everyone will be involved, like it or not.
Not a chance. The US gov't is already involved. The US bought the Israelis their hardware.
More likely the Israelis are acting at the behest of the US gov't, likely it is less a matter of permission than accord or even direction. The US has been pushing clients to perform its violence or to take the rap for it. So we were told the Yemeni government was bombing its people -- guess who. We have the rendition flights, the Iraqi-run prisons, and so forth.
What could be more handy for the US imperial project than to have Iran attacked without evidence of US direction?
Will someone please tell me how Israeli jets could approach and cross Iraq air space (a considerable distance) to attack Iran without the US knowing and tacitly approving the attack. This is cover - any attack by Israel will be known beforehand by the US.
An attack by planes is almost impossible without violating the airspace of Syria, Jordan, Iraq or Saudi Arabia unless the Israelis have bombers stationed in Azerbaijan which is closer to Tehran than Tel Aviv and has a border with Iran. The non-violating plane-alternative is to fly around the Arabian peninsula. The only other alternative is attack with rockets. The first response to such an attack will come from Gaza and possibly Lebanon. Martial law may be declared in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. El Sadr may re-activate his militias which will begin to attack U.S. soldiers in Iraq to which President Obama must respond by sending troops back into Iraq. Politically Israel and the U.S. will become pariahs in the world. If President Obama does not tell Mr. Netanyahu a thundering "no you idiot" he will become our Neville Chamberlain if he is not already NC, except that Mr. Obama does not seem to have a signed piece of paper with which to stand in the Rose Garden, wave it and declare "peace in our time" . I do not rule out a trumped-up and almost certainly false incident in the Strait of Hormuz involving US and Iranian ships. Thus far only one courageous lawmaker in Washington has warned that the sanctions on Iran will lead our nation to war with Iran. His name is Ron Paul.
You are right, chuck. The notion that Israel would act alone in this is pure propaganda. Especially transparent when just today, Saturday Nov. 5, Israel and the US are conducting the largest joint-military exercise in their history. It is hard to know whether this is more bluster ahead of the IAEA report, or whether it represents an imminent attack on Iran for real. But one would be foolish to dismiss the possibility. The hawks in Israel are insane and rabid war mongers. And the US does whatever Israel wants.
Why can't the Israeli leadership just accept that Iran may get a nuclear bomb, and settle down to a nice Mutually-Assured-Destruction relationship with them, as the US and USSR did for 46 years? (Oh, that's right: because they're insane.) The notion that because Iran is an Islamic state it is going to automatically commit suicide by nuking Israel is absurd. Pakistan is an Islamic state and has had the bomb for many years and not used it.
Puleeze.
This is about regime change, not nukes. That's all a ruse.
The US wants to put another shah like regime in Iran, friendly to Western interests (Exxon, BP) so corporations can plunder the oil.
Israel needs the water from the Litani River in southern Lebanon. They've got to get in there again but can't have their asses kicked by Hezbollah again. So first they've got to make sure Hezbollah can't defend themselves . If the US and Israel bombs the crap out of Syria and Iran, they think they can put in Western friendly puppet governments eager to do business with us, just like they did in Libyia. (Not so sure 70 million Iranians are gonna sit still for that, but I digress). Hezbollah's days would be numbered as Israel attacks southern Lebanon for another land grab aka. Israel's security, and Western oil companies get richer from Iranian oil reserves.
Oil is key to the empire, now. They need it to fuel the monsterous energy hogs used by the US military and their 1000 military bases around the world.
freepress, you're probably right. We are in a post-peak-oil world; your scenario makes sense. Nonetheless it is insane, reckless, and will probably lead to $8 a gallon gas prices overnight, if not higher, as Iran will cut off oil going through the Strait of Hormuz. We can expect other very unpleasant consequences that Americans will feel directly, just as they will reel from the higher gas prices.
The thing to keep reminding yourself is we are irrelevant to the 1% now.
Everything is being done to benefit them.
Eight bucks for gas? So what. That's great for them.
Tough noogies on us. Pay up or stay home.. They don't give a crap.
Israeli interests have just started shorting oil.
--"Nonetheless it is insane, reckless, and will probably lead to $8 a gallon gas prices overnight"---
Well, then there is one teeny silver lining in this action...
Israel needs the water from the Litani River in southern Lebanon.
Especially as the Turks, from whom they'd been buying water for years, fell out with them over the boarding and murdering of Turkish crew members of the Ghaza relief ship, Mavi Marmara, a few months ago.
"Why can't the Israeli leadership just accept that Iran may get a nuclear bomb, and settle down to a nice Mutually-Assured-Destruction relationship with them, as the US and USSR did for 46 years? (Oh, that's right: because they're insane.)
That is PRECISELY why. The "mad mullahs" thing is just another lie. The US et al do not want Iran to have nukes PRECISELY because if Iran does acquire nukes, the US can forever forget about using military force against Iran.
Yes, quite right. Which is why, also, Iran probably *is* trying to develop nuclear weapons, i.e., to protect themselves from the constant threat of invasion from these garrison states (US & Israel). It is only rational. This thesis--that USrael really does care about Iran's development of nuclear weapons--might seem to contradict what freepress was saying above about how it's all really about regime change, not nukes, but it really doesn't: because once they get nukes, regime change becomes a whole lot more difficult. In sum, then, it is not about the fear of 'mad mullahs' nuking Israel, it is about nukes giving Iran the power to avoid being toppled by USrael.
This is how...
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/no-fly-zone-over-iraq-set-to-expire-opening-shortest-route-from-israel-to-iran-1.393918
I find it hard to believe Israel would actually attack Iran without warning its primary supporter first, for military reasons alone, if nothing else. This sounds like smoke to allow the US to claim "plausible deniability," or, "We didn't know about this ..."
That's how I read it.
This article seems like a total plant by an "unidentified" source so that after Israel strikes, the U.S. Government can act like it had nothing to do with it, and in fact maintain that it tried to "talk Israel down."
It stinks to high heaven. Hopefully more specific facts will be discovered in the days to come.
One thing is for sure. Even if this guy is telling the truth and Israel does strike, the U.S. could have stopped it if it wanted to by threatening to end all aid to Israel in the event of a strike.
If Israel does attack Iran, an insane and suicidal proposition, it goes without saying that the Iranian people will suffer and perhaps even greatly, but make no mistake about the fact that we shall all suffer greatly, too: economically, financially, and, above all, energetically. And who knows what the consequences will be for us in the long run?
The US Official said...
This is a bogus article. It is trying to give the impression that any Israeli attack upon Iran would be one not prompted by the USA.
When Israel gets in trouble the US then can go in to "reluctantly aid their ally but we did not really want this".
Within the past few months the US Government authorized and sold TO The Government of Israel bunker busting bombs that have as their only purpose the destruction of reinforced bunkers in Iran.
If the USA was really reluctant to get into a war in Iran they would never have sold those bombs and they would be restricting the sale of Military equipment to Israel.
If Israel attacks Iran it will be with the blessings if not under the orders of the Government of the United States of America.
"If Israel attacks Iran it will be with the blessings if not under the orders of the Government of the United States of America."
______________________________________
GwNorth, I agree with you completely. This article, like many others I've seen lately, is pure propaganda.
Like the US, Israel is a vile right-wing cabal masquerading (poorly) as a democratic government. But, as was the case in NATO's recent war of aggression against Libya, the US is in charge --always-- and will call the shots. Any attack launched against Iran by Israel will be orchestrated by the US. The goal is regime change. The US has had its evil eye on regime change in Iran since 1979.
Instead of "humanitarian interventionism", the pretext will be to rid the world of Iran's dangerous nuclear capabilities, which everyone should know by now are non-existent.
This constant drum-beat about Iran's nuclear facilities is simply Iraq/WMD in another form to condition the always gullible Amerikan public to support endless military aggression.
If an attack is launched against Iran, I have no doubt the perpetrators will not simply stop at Iran's supposed nuclear facilities. Again, people should reflect on Libya and the dubious UN resolution permitting NATO to defend a "no-fly-zone" to allegedly protect the people of Libya from Muammar Gaddafi, which was laughable on its face and, as many astutely and accurately predicted here at CD, was instantly converted into a full-scale war of aggression to force regime change in order to transform Libya into a neo-colonial, pliant vassal state friendly to western interests, i.e., global capitalism.
US and Israeli hypocrisy is simply staggering, yet goes unmentioned in the complicit corporate media
Spot on analysis from both posters. Thanks for the clear, direct insights. It's about to get a lot harder for the corporate media to conceal the geopolitical realities of Peak Oil.
How is it we can threaten peaceful aid boats to Gaza but we can't stop Israeli agression against a country which has not attacked it? Can our Nobel Peace Prize winning President explain that? Or are the stories going to change according to the Tweets and Facebook posts?
Where's Hillary and her dire warnings? What is she all ready comfortably ensconced in an Israeli War Room, so she can be photographed showing her amazement and pseudo concern?
What no UN, NATO or European coordination like in Libya. Israel can act unilaterally?
As far as warning.... what are we paying all the high priced intelligence private contractors for? Most citizens are aware this may be eminent. What are they waiting for Tweets and Facebook posts? Or is it they have so many friends they can't follow all of them?
The US has total air superiority in the Middle East with AWACS, satellites and a wide range of radar systems. Nothing moves in the air in the region without the US being aware of it.
Any strike will have US complicity unless the Israelis have managed to defeat the US radar systems.
some say they managed it on "9/11"...
Some are wrong aren't they.
Yes, the ones who say it was all done by 19 guys with box cutters and a ex CIA employee in a cave in Afghanistan without any help from inside!
"show me the boxcutters!" is what I've always said.
Now that you mention it, vdb, in retrospect it's a little surprising that the authorities didn't drop a boxcutter or two (with fingerprints belonging to the Nineteen Lone Nuts) next to that terraist passport allegedly miraculously found intact in the WTC rubble.
it is that very passport which spurs my insistance on proof.
passports can be forged.
box cutters can't.
Quem Juppiter perdere vult, prius dementat.
Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin has warned of "retaliation and WWIII" if American Axis bombs Iran. If Putin is serious, and I believe he is, this could very well be a suicide mission for Israel.
If it is a suicide mission for Israel--let it be.
If the Russians have learned anything from the US they'll strike pre-emptively and, well, you all know the rest.
Source? I'd like to believe this, but I can't. Russia has serious interests in Iran, and some scientific personnel there, but Putin isn't characteristically suicidal.
If the US doesn't want Israel to attack Iran all they have to do is tell Israel they will regard them as a terrorist nation and cut off all military aid and impose sanctions.
Kyle, all they will keep doing is kissing their ass.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-u-s-to-embark-on-largest-joint-exercise-in-allies-history-1.393878
Israel warns U.S. military officials who are not authorized to respond? That is the most unbelievable crap which our cowardly president is producing. Of course the Israeli government told the U.S. government which then told the military what to tell the public. That tactic is known as "trial balloon" to find out what the response of the nation at large is. Once again our coward-in-chief is hiding behind the military. No matter what Israel does, Mr. Obama must not be re-elected in 2012.
I wonder what a Republican president's policy on Israel and Iran and this war will be.
Israel does not want Obama either.
Could it be worse?
"I wonder what a Republican president's policy on Israel and Iran and this war will be."
the same goddamn thing.
There can be little difference between what Obama will/won't do and a Republican. I see no substantive change in US foreign policy since Preznit Zero took over from the Bush Junta.
For sure, kick his ass out.
The worst president ever. Obama is a cowardly monster.