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Last update - 10:15 02/11/2006
Jerusalem officials say Israel ignoring U.S. plans to leave Iraq
By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent

Israeli political and defense officials are ignoring the preparations to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq, even though such a move is expected to have major strategic ramifications for Israel, said senior officials in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

Formulating an exit strategy is a top priority for U.S. foreign policy, and the issue will become still more important after the congressional elections in the United States next week.

President George W. Bush is waiting for a report on American policy in Iraq and the Mideast that is being prepared by a commission chaired by former secretary of state James Baker and Lee Hamilton, a former Democratic congressman from Indiana.
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However, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has yet to convene a meeting to discuss the ramifications of an American pullout, although it was mentioned on the sidelines of a separate discussion. "As far as we know," said an official from the Prime Minister's Office, "it is not about to happen soon."

Olmert is slated to meet with Bush in the White House on November 13, but PMO sources said they didn't think the two leaders would discuss Iraq. They are expected to focus on other problems in the region, primarily the Iranian nuclear threat and the crisis in the Palestinian Authority.

The National Security Council has begun examining various aspects of an American withdrawal from Iraq, but has yet to present Olmert with its
conclusions and recommendations.

An examination of the public comments of Israeli leaders shows that they have not been paying attention to developments in Iraq. Over the past two weeks, Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz gave policy speeches in which they addressed Iran, Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinians, but not Iraq - as though events there bear no relevance to Israel.

"I am very fearful," said a senior official in Jerusalem. "The American withdrawal from Iraq will have a very severe impact on us, unless developments take place that are not currently visible on the ground."

The official said the pullout could lead to two negative outcomes for Israel - the emergence of a terrorist entity with ties to Iran, and American hesitation to send troops to the Middle East.

"They'll return to splendid isolation, like after the trauma of Vietnam," he said.

Meanwhile, Bush administration envoys David Welch and Elliott Abrams arrived in the region Wednesday to prepare for the Olmert-Bush meeting. They met with Olmert's advisers and are due to meet with Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni Friday.

Olmert is to meet Thursday with John Negroponte, the U.S. director of national intelligence, who is on his first trip to the region as a guest of Mossad director Meir Dagan. Negroponte's discussions with Israeli officials are expected to focus on combating the Iranian nuclear threat
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  1.   Hurry and get those Commandos out of Mosul 04:41  |  Guy From NYC 02/11/06
  2.   will they ever learn ?????? 06:32  |  Sam 02/11/06
  3.   US Pull Out of Iraq Is An American Issue 06:46  |  Arie 02/11/06
  4.   We`ll not pull out! 07:05  |  Denton 02/11/06
  5.   Well, I think Olmert BETTER start thinking about this 07:36  |  Johnboy 02/11/06
  6.   That`s right - an American issue 07:40  |  David 02/11/06
  7.   ISRAEL PROXY WAR THAT KILLED 650.000 PEOPLE 08:06  |  indrajaya 02/11/06
  8.   World Beware 08:08  |  RAB 02/11/06
  9.   OLMERT`s READING 08:24  |  sam 02/11/06
  10.   Arie #3 08:27  |  Dennis 02/11/06
  11.   #3, Arie 08:35  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 02/11/06
  12.   ISRAEL, PUT YOUR TRUST IN G-D 08:36  |  PATRICK 02/11/06
  13.   Winds of change and Israel 09:38  |  Clickfool 02/11/06
  14.   Iran would just then bring their weapons through iraq to syria 10:11  |  rich 02/11/06
  15.   Clickfool I Strongly Doubt Your Scenario! I Like Mine Better! 10:19  |  Yosemite Sam 02/11/06
  16.   USA will Leave Iraq in 10+ Years 10:24  |  Joseph E . 02/11/06
  17.   clickfool is very windy 10:32  |  harzion 02/11/06
  18.   johnboy`s mouth waters at the thought of isreal 10:36  |  zadok the priest 02/11/06
  19.   For Yosemite Sam # 15 10:37  |  Clickfool 02/11/06
  20.   Iran-Syria PROXY WAR THAT KILLED 650.000 PEOPLE 10:41  |  Joseph E . 02/11/06
  21.   Lets move to Plan B 10:54  |  Moshe 02/11/06
  22.   21: Or, because we`re not ignorant idiots 11:02  |  David Teich 02/11/06
  23.   Too busy with legal proceedings....... 11:05  |  Swisss 02/11/06
  24.   For Moshe # 21 11:08  |  Clickfool 02/11/06
  25.   THAT`S NOT THE ONLY THING THAT ISRAEL IGNORES 11:09  |  "Kol Hahadashot" 02/11/06
  26.   This is for Lieberman 11:20  |  Meir 02/11/06
  27.   Re: #10 Dennis: Reply to Arie 11:21  |  Guy From NYC 02/11/06
  28.   # 16, JOSEPH.E 11:21  |  Indrajaya 02/11/06
  29.   to Cippy 11:24  |  Peter 02/11/06
  30.   TO MOSHE 11:36  |  Nicole 02/11/06
  31.   To clickfool 11:43  |  Moshe 02/11/06
  32.   Cipora and Peter: Iraq,the Bushes and 6 reasons 11:50  |  Ronnie Wolman 02/11/06
  33.   To Moshe on nuking Iran 12:05  |  NEUTERED OBSERVER 02/11/06
  34.   RAB 12:28  |  Walid 02/11/06
  35.   Dennis 12:32  |  Walid 02/11/06
  36.   Moshe 12:50  |  Walid 02/11/06
  37.   #18 zadok makes a bold statement 12:54  |  Johnboy 02/11/06
  38.   #21 Moshe has a plan 12:58  |  Johnboy 02/11/06
  39.   Clickfool 13:09  |  Tom C 02/11/06
  40.   US has picked a fight with Islam and is losing it 13:34  |  Michael 02/11/06
  41.   Read between the lines 13:55  |  The Other Alan 02/11/06
  42.   Wolman`s six reasons 14:07  |  sh 02/11/06
  43.   #15, Yosemite Sam 14:39  |  Fritz 02/11/06
  44.   what`s next 15:01  |  Raf 02/11/06
  45.   IRAQ WAS NOT AMERICA`S WAR.... 15:06  |  Messaoud 02/11/06
  46.   Bush to cut and run 15:06  |  Mark Lincoln 02/11/06
  47.   32; Ronnie I don`t want to spoil your day, But 15:06  |  True Brit 02/11/06
  48.   # 40 Michael Good analysis, Michael, ..... 15:07  |  Swiss 02/11/06
  49.   IRAQ WAS NOT AMERICA`S WAR.... 15:07  |  Messaoud 02/11/06
  50.   THEY BLESSED THE WAR.. NO THEY ARE CONCERNED?! 15:20  |  Messaoud 02/11/06
  51.   THEY BLESSED THE WAR.. NO THEY ARE CONCERNED?! 15:22  |  Messaoud 02/11/06
  52.   You Should Have Seen This Coming! 15:31  |  CHGODMK 02/11/06
  53.   For Moshe # 31 15:53  |  Clickfool 02/11/06
  54.   Six Point Program For Fools 16:05  |  Sal Hepatica 02/11/06
  55.   Obfuscating reality 16:15  |  sh 02/11/06
  56.   True Brit 16:27  |  sh 02/11/06
  57.   US stop doing Israel`s bidding in Iraq 16:34  |  levi 02/11/06
  58.   We know the result already; it is called IRAN 16:38  |  Tosefta 02/11/06
  59.   johnboy "when russia france pakistan china 16:49  |  zadok the priest 02/11/06
  60.   The death of the world`s favorite nation by idiotic neocons 16:53  |  BB 02/11/06
  61.   Without Israel= Peace in Middle East 17:31  |  Zyriab 02/11/06
  62.   32 Realism, Ronnie 17:34  |  Mark of Lewiston 02/11/06
  63.   46 I Disagree, Mark Lincoln 17:48  |  Mark of Lewiston 02/11/06
  64.   Predictable Scenario 18:02  |  David Hoffman 02/11/06
  65.   Arie, hold your tongue 18:35  |  Jake 02/11/06
  66.   How realistic is the pull-out? 18:51  |  Alicia 02/11/06
  67.   WHAT DID THE WAR ON IRAQ ACHIEVE? LET`S SEE... 19:59  |  Messaoud 02/11/06
  68.   TO Denton - We`ll not pull out! 20:24  |  Steve Beikirch 02/11/06
  69.   TO Cipora Julianna Kohn 20:31  |  Steve Beikirch 02/11/06
  70.   Leaked Baker commision plans show "significant draw-downs" in `07 20:52  |  Pablo B 02/11/06
  71.   #69, Steve Beikrich 21:00  |  Cipora Julianna Kon 02/11/06
  72.   No Pullout Any Time Soon 21:31  |  Jane 02/11/06
  73.   Only just 21:52  |  Axel 02/11/06
  74.   Better 21:55  |  Leah Vanatta Fisher 02/11/06
  75.   Mark of Lewiston: Junior and Senior: Two birds of the bush 22:11  |  Ronnie Wolman 02/11/06
  76.   Nothing to do with Israel 23:03  |  Paul Freedman 02/11/06
  77.   Is this reporting or op-ed? 23:09  |  tadchase 02/11/06
  78.   # 21 , Moshe your option is only viable if 23:14  |  Torah Lover 02/11/06
  79.   True Welsh G..er Brit: There are attacks and Real Attacks. 23:49  |  Ronnie Wolman 02/11/06
  80.   76 Tadchase - I don`t See the Point 00:26  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/11/06
  81.   72 Jane - I Fear you`re Right 00:34  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/11/06
  82.   Wake up israel 02:06  |  Danite 03/11/06
  83.   Mark Lincoln and Ronnie 02:14  |  Danite 03/11/06
  84.   #13 to clickfool 02:25  |  Tomas 03/11/06
  85.   Take out 03:20  |  Matt 03/11/06
  86.   # 78 Danite , Focus on Peretz and You`ll See He is the to GO 04:17  |  Joseph E . 03/11/06
  87.   America has jeopardized Israeli security 04:29  |  Abu Yabadabadoo 03/11/06
  88.   We might not like what we see, but the 04:58  |  Ziad 03/11/06
  89.   # 3 and #6 05:39  |  Joe 03/11/06
  90.   US departure from Iraq 05:45  |  Gordon 03/11/06
  91.   Arie 05:45  |  JOe 03/11/06
  92.   Iraq could be the grave yard of Iran. 05:50  |  Akram Zekaria 03/11/06
  93.   Moshe: Nuke Iran = dirty bomb israel 05:51  |  honestywithoutmercy 03/11/06
  94.   # 40, MICHAEL 06:05  |  indrajaya 03/11/06
  95.   #63 Mark, no, I think Mr. Lincoln has it right 06:08  |  Johnboy 03/11/06
  96.   Clickfool 06:24  |  Yosemite Sam 03/11/06
  97.   Re: #43 Fritz 06:56  |  Yosemite Sam 03/11/06
  98.   ISRAEL MUST SHOW EXAMPLE:NO WITHDRAWAL FROM GAZA,W.BANK,LEBANON)) 07:18  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 03/11/06
  99.   46# Mark Lincoln & Constractive Politics. 07:19  |  Akram Zekaria 03/11/06
  100.   86 Johnboy - Hope You`re Right 08:12  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/11/06
  101.   America,Israel should unleash true power against terrorists. 08:36  |  Zuriel 03/11/06
  102.   "this article in English for non-Hebrew consumption only". :-) 08:38  |  zayyin ba ayin 03/11/06
  103.   For Yosemite Sam # 87 09:19  |  Clickfool 03/11/06
  104.   #95 Mark of Lewiston, console yourself with these words.. 11:52  |  Johnboy 03/11/06
  105.   Israel dragged the US into Iraq... Now... 02:43  |  Monitor 15/09/08
  106.   #7 u have no idea what your talking about 07:13  |  Josh 15/09/08
  107.   From Iraq 09:00  |  B 15/09/08
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