Saudi Arabia: We will not give Israel air corridor for Iran strike
Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf refutes Times of London report saying Saudi Arabia practiced standing down its anti-aircraft systems to allow an Israeli bomb run.
By Haaretz Service Tags: Israel news Iran nuclear Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia would not allow Israeli bombers to pass through its airspace en route to a possible strike of Iran's nuclear facilities, a member of the Saudi royal family said Saturday, denying an earlier Times of London report.
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Satellite image of the Iranian nuclear reactor at Bushehr, January 3, 2002 |
| Photo by: Getty |
Earlier Saturday, the Times reported that Saudi Arabia has practiced standing down its anti-aircraft systems to allow Israeli warplanes passage on their way to attack Iran's nuclear installations, adding that the Saudis have allocated a narrow corridor of airspace in the north of the country.
Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf, the Saudi envoy to the U.K. speaking to the London-based Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat, denied that report, saying such a move "would be against the policy adopted and followed by the Kingdom."
According to Asharq al-Awsat report, bin Nawaf reiterated the Saudi Arabia's rejection of any violation of its territories or airspace, adding that it would be "illogical to allow the Israeli occupying force, with whom Saudi Arabia has no relations whatsoever, to use its land and airspace."
Earlier, the Times quoted an unnamed U.S. defense source as saying that "the Saudis have given their permission for the Israelis to pass over and they will look the other way.
"They have already done tests to make sure their own jets aren’t scrambled and no one gets shot down. This has all been done with the agreement of the [U.S.] State Department."
Once the Israelis had passed, the kingdom’s air defenses would return to full alert, the Times said.
Despite tensions between them, Israel and Saudi Arabia share a mutual hostility to Iran.
"We all know this. We will let them [the Israelis] through and see nothing,” the Times quoted a Saudi government source as saying.
According to the report, the four main targets for an Israeli raid on Iran would be uranium enrichment facilities at Natanz and Qom, a gas storage development at Isfahan and a heavy-water reactor at Arak.
Secondary targets may include a Russian-built light water reactor at Bushehr, which could produce weapons-grade plutonium when complete.
Even with midair refueling, the targets would be as the far edge of Israeli bombers' range at a distance of some 2,250km. An attack would likely involve several waves of aircraft, possibly crossing Jordan, northern Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
Aircraft attacking Bushehr, on the Gulf coast, could swing beneath Kuwait to strike from the southwest, the Times said.
Passing over Iraq would require at least tacit consent to the raid from the United States, whose troops are occupying the country. So far, the Obama Administration has refused this.
On Wednesday the United Nations passed a fourth round of sanctions against Iran in an attempt to force it to stop enriching uranium. But immediately after the UN vote, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed the nuclear program would continue.
Israel hailed the vote – but said sanctions were not enough and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to rule out a raid.
Netanyahu's predecessor, Ehud Olmert, is believed to have held secret meetings with high-ranking Saudi officials over Iran.
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He would surely have allowed Israeli planes to bomb Iran nuclear facilities. On the other hand, perhaps Iran would not have dared to develop its nuclear capabilities had Saddam been around... Now guess which country was the only one 100% enthusiastic about the Bush Iraq policy? Yes, it was Israel. So after helping bring about this reality, the world needs to fantasize about solving the problem. I don't believe the US will agree to Israel bombing Iran. The Iranian reaction in Afghanistan and Iraq will keep the US fighting there for years to come.
Israel will keep playing with fire in the region and will ultimately gets its fingers burned. Remeber if you win a battle you will survive for a decade, if you win just peace (Meaning get the hell out of the occupied territories and let the Palestinians live in peace) you will survive for ever. Weigh your options Israel!
the day Israel attacks Iran, it will be the end of Israel as we know it. Iran will dog the Israelis night and day...forever.
Who would like to see Iranian nuke exploding so close to their own countries just because some Iranian idiots are dreaming of wiping Israel of the map? Of course Israel feels threatened and must react to stop this Iranian nuclear madness.As if it was not enough to wage war against Israel from Lebanon,Gaza and Syria, mullahs are still not satisfied with the results so now they want nukes! Maybe Israeli decision to attack Iran is not the best one,but desperate people tend to make desperate moves and that can be avoided if Iran abandons its nuclear dream supported by Ahmadinejad claims "who controls the ME controls the world."
Start the third world war. When will your stubborn government learn that Iran is not Lebanon or Iraq?
So, if US controls both Iraq and SA why make a difference. Someone who can explain to me these political consequences if US would allow? I don't get it among the fiercest supporters and agitators against Iran after Israel is US...
Neither Saudi Arabia provides passage for Israel nor the Muslims kill each other. Israel must be realistic and act wisely. Confronting with Turkey means putting dynamite to the base of Israel...
Besides that I do not believe Israel will attack Iran any time soon since the government is clearly going to fall due to its own internal strife. As much as we'd all like to see Ahmadinajad get a swift kick in the ass attacking Iran is not the only answer. I only hope Bibi doesn't continue his track record of bad decsions with this one. Iran can be handled in may other ways that don't include killing millions of civilians and sparking a regional war.
this is another case of western media co-operating with their govt propaganda
I would prefer the Saudis to acknowledge their desire openly to Israel,and not a second handed one via the British news paper. Things may be getting HOT for Iran.One way or another they will have to abide to the NPT .
If Israel does attack Iran than it will give Iran and its proxy armies in the area chance to launch attack of their own. The difference between Iran and "wimp arab " armies of the past is that these guys have shown that they have the "stomach" to fight. Thabo
Fine if that means the israelis finally go back to 67 borders with some modifications. Consider me doubtful. Saudi peace plan laughed at by Israelis
to do their dirty work. Egypt and Jordan to this day remain silent of their knowledge, and agreement, and support for the necessity of "Operation Cast Lead".
and yours....
It's time for the muslims to overthrow the saudi regime. Without taking the two holy cities in the muslim world mecka and medina into the conflict! The saudi king is a dog and his family are criminals!
I always been sure that we can be friends with Saudi Arabia, we share the same interests in M-E
Those people who criticise islam for being underdeveloped should be ashamed ! how else could you manipulate those muslim countries according to your benefits.
S.A. is just as concerned of Iran meddling as is Israel! Iran leaders should concentrate on fixing Iran. in the end Iran leaders may do something stupid and suffer retaliation. Iraq problems will not last forever and all attention will go to Iran even from Iraq. Iran gets support because there is money to be made!
Mahmoud Ahmadi Nejad + Avigdor Lieberman + Saudi Royal Inc + Benjamin Netanyahu = A State Criminal Syndicate.
if bombing of Iran facilities would be a matter of life or death for Izrael, they will find volunteers for a one-way trip.
The TB here, from Switzerland to Amnesia are fascinating. The regular analytical brains TBing on Ha'aretz can not imagine that the headline is, by all means, a diversion by itself. Israel will simultaneously attack: (1) By sending a group of young, Jewish, flying female belly-dancers-bombers, trained in Island, to destroy the various Iranian Nuclear installations. (2) By sending "Pulsa De Nura", a quantum ancient Jewish weapon that does not really kill but can drive the enemy crazy or "Meshuge" (do not confuse with the flimsy "Greek fire"). (3) By using ancient, high pitch, Persian music that is capable, Jericho style, of pulverizing the sites in question. (4) By mailing parcels (yes, simple FedEx service) with extracts of Goat Cheese from Sud-Tyrol, which upon opening will stop forever even the fastest of centrifuge to spin. This is of course a partial list.
The people of Iran are fed up. They are fed up with that chimp and the mullahs. There will be a revolution. The chimp and the ayatollahs will be over-thrown. The Iranians and the Israelis are very much alike, cultured, inteligent , progressive, educated and peace loving.
so when will you overthrow your chimp and their rabbis in Israel?
we need now only US planes and US pilots and US money which we deserve because we found the Iranian threat for the civilized world .
The last party to side against Iran was Iraq, What happened to them... Also Iran was trained by Russia, they believe in Human Waves, personnally I would not mess with them
1) Advanced bases for our search and rescue helicopters.. 2) Refueling and rearming facilities 3) Permit for IAF mechanics and reserve pilots to station in SA, UAE or Oman bases 4) Kosher kitchens 5) Permit to bring praying materials and Rabbi to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Most probably , without all those conditions, Israel will never attack Iran other than with a missiles strike armed with small tactical nukes.
saudi will support and stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel if they embrace sunni isalm.
"Despite tensions between them, Israel and Saudi Arabia share a mutual hostility to Iran. “We all know this. We will let them [the Israelis] through and see nothing,” the Times quoted a Saudi government source as saying."
Israeli intelligence and execution has been weak in a number of cases. The recent flotilla The Gulf assasination Cast lead The Lebanese was Gilad Shilat The intifadas The attempted assasination in Jordan in about 1996 The first Lebanese was Sabra and Chatilla There really hasnt been that much in the way of shining successes sine Entebbe. If israel is unable to find Gilad Shalit - who is no more than 5 miles from some Israeli military post, then how can we reasonable expect it to know where all of these nuclear sites are in Iran? It would be very easy to imagine Iran doing a lot of construction work to simply deceive Israel and the United States (how good was the intelligence regarding WMDs in Iraq?) Alternatively, Israel has no interest whatsoever in Gilad Shalit, being happy to cynically use his captivity as an excuse to maintain pressure on Hamas in Gaza. One hopes not, but the alternative to the belief that the current government does not care about Gilad Shalit is to believe that the government in less than stunningle competent. Israel has repeatedly passed up chances for peace, which makes sense when one considers that the greatest existential threat to Israel is the absence of an existential threat. If Israel was actually at peace, it seems likely that the government would splinter as Israeli citiizens demanded accountability of their administrations. Most of the top leaders of Israel for the last 15 years have been investigated, indicted or convicted of a crime, including rape, beating a 12 year old neighbour child, and countless corruption charges. Imagine what would happen if there was no existential crisis with which to distract the people of Israel, and they took a good look at their government. I have little doubt that the leaders of Iran would love nothing better than to be attacked by Israel as they have the same problem. The greatest existential threat to their enormously corrupt regime is the lack of an existential threat. Typically, when a nation is attacked, everyone rallies around the flag, and dissenters are silenced. Think September 11th (George Bush' popularity went from soggy to super in a day), and countless other times. An attack would simply solidify the regime's hold on power. However, this may well be what the US and Israel actually want, as it creates a "them", and Iran's help with the situation in Afghanistan, with cutting back on heroin smuggling to the West, and the previous Iranian regimes several attempts to reach out the the US have all been ignored. All of the governments need a distraction. Imagine what would happen if Bibi actually had to govern Israel instead of making constant threats against everyone in the world.
best post yet ,,congrat
I find it odd, no that so many people are anti-Jew/Israel, but that so many would flood this site just to speak poor of Israel. Are there no other sites for it. Nobody is obligated to support Israel or any of the actions she takes. Even I find myself slapping my forehead at some of the things that Israel does, but honestly, if Israel suffered some terrible feat, massive death, I think that many people on this site would snort, saying "they had it coming". Also, Israel really did blow it with the flotilla thing...hands down, they did, but where was this sort of reaction and damning from the world and these bloggers on here when South Korea lost a war ship due to NKorean hostility? Where was the out cry and trash talking of North Koreans, I didn't see it. I guess it is just cool to hate Israel, the most perverse and evil country in the world...so it's said
you have it wrong! we didnt see the missile hit the ship? we are told it did! But We saw israel IDF come down from their helicopter and the military ship in the middle of the night????in international water?? is no comparison Sir!
"My enemy's enemy is my friend."
Current: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article7148555.ece Prior: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/130251/Saudis-will-let-Israel-bomb-Iran-nuclear-site Another prior http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6638568.ece Guess it must be true, especially if the Times has twice reported it and the Express has too. Not to mention the Mossad reporting, too, telling Netanyahu not to worry, the Saudis will do what Iraq and Obama (and Bush) won't.
GO GET 'EM, IAF! THAT LOUDMOUTH AHMADENIJAD HAS OPENED HIS FAT MOUTH ONE TOO MANY TIMES! BLOW THEIR FACILITIES SKY HIGH, AND PUT ONE MORE THROUGH THE CEILING IN HIS BEDROOM! LET'S GET THIS OVER WITH SO THE WORLD CAN MOVE ON! HE IS THE BIGGEST SACK OF SCUM ON THE PLANET AND LET'S FINISH THIS RIGHT NOW! TO EVERY MEMBER OF THE IDF: YOU ARE MY HERO'S! AND THANK-YOU SAUDI ARABIA, TOO! GET THE PLANE IN THE AIR!
The US has bases equipped and ready in the area- it is not necessary for Israel to act . The Times is always "reporting" speculation that are not facts. Careless and stupid of them but it sells.
Whether these reports prove correct or not, the world needs to step back and take a deep breath. Any attack on Iran, no matter by whom will lead to dire consequences for us all of us. Just cool it. Get back to diplomacy if you can remember what that was. Oh! I forgot, Obama has elections in November and needs to look macho and decisive to the electorate. Why else this possible development?
There is without a doubt both a time and a place for diplomacy, but when it comes to a leader of a nation that has publically and repeatedly defied UN requests to stop nuclear proliferation as well as declaring that "Israel should be wiped of the map", then I think it's pretty clear that the time for diplomacy is over. Perhaps you also think that diplomacy is the best method to address the problems of North Korea and Zimbabwe?
before I saw the old 'wiped off the map lie. Why not stop mis-reporting what Ahmadinejad says and look at what your own leaders are doing. Wiping Palestine off the map, for example.
Now I understand why Obama so deeply bowed in front of the king of Saudi Arabia a year ago
Yes...so simple. If Israel bombs (and this story sounds like propaganda to sway the news in a different direction) Iran,...everything will be solved. Then Israel can relax sit down and have some knishes and laugh around the table.
How would the US administration be involved in this plan when the article states that US permission for allowing IAF to fly over Iraq is not a sure thing?
What kind of lousy prophet are you?
"when the article states that US permission for allowing IAF to fly over Iraq is not a sure thing?" I'd love it if someone could "seriously" and I mean "seriously", explain to me how Americans exert such over-arching influence? Beyond the usual CIA "dirt files" on every world leader [major or minor].
Dreams.....and hopes
they absolutely will. when it comes to issues in foreign policy there are many tacit understandings.
Saudis will want ISrael to agreed to the Saudi peace plan for teh palis. That would probably be the price. A high price , but still far cgheap[er than getting nuked by Iran's Ahmedinanutjob
Iraq was a buffer between the two in the past but no longer thanks to US of A.
"air corridor" but a tunnel. If you don't believe me, ask the King Abdul, or Peres. They will tell you the "truth".
I should have put money on it. The latest wave of anti-Israel crap has been more insane than usual, which, to my cynical mind, signaled a spate of "plausible deniability." But I only suspected Turkey would open up like last time - not the Saudis!
Cheap propaganda that would not even con a 5 years old child.
The most vulnerable oil installations are in Iran itself, Iraq and the pipelines through Turkey. Without even striking Saudi Arabia or cutting off the Gulf, the world would be cut off from oil for years. The Saudi government would then be under attack by Iran as well as their own Sunnis. And it would guarantee a nuclear armed Iran sometime down the road and Israels annihilation. Israels destruction would serve Saudi interests too so maybe they've calculated this into such a gamble if true. Killing 2 birds without a stone.
About Iran, You forget one thing. If for any reason Israel is in an untenable position & in dire straits,she won't blush using Tactical N. Weapons to defend her land. And then the chips will fall far & wide.
Israel has the Sampson Option. Read about it. Give it a Google it makes for interesting reading.
...there are better inventors around. Yet, this was good enough to stir-up the imagination of our dear anti-Israeli posters to add their own inventions - on top of the British journalistic fantasies - resulting in a disgusting mess...One reads this and....forget it.
And look at the disgusting mess that's led to
its totaly untrue
Or are you another king of denial?
don't underestimate iran i think they are going to be better prepared then saddam we can see it in the the way they spread out the nuclear sites and the way they are getting weapons ready and preparing outside armies
May be just enough to get teh opposition greens out in such dforce as to topple the regime. Keep in mind the Revolutiionary guards will also be targetted in a strike
This time Obama and Israel are very in mistake. Saudi hates Israel, Iran, and US all and usually plays to hurt all the three.There is a consensus in region to weaken US. So while before Saudi promised to give Oil after sanction of Iran, they played so that Iran was sanctioned and later oil price increased and western economies went into bankruptcy. So , again if Saudi can play a game to shut down and weaken the three, it would do, but I do not believe it prefers Israel to Iran!
This should be classified information.
...about 5 times in the last 5 years. Always in the London Times. But hey, maybe the 6th time's the charm. I gotta hand it to the Israelis. When they are not actually at war, they are fantasizing about war.
This is Times of London story. Plant could be from anywhere. Any country.
your comment was ok, until the last sentance.
This is a dream or possible a nightmare better to forget bombing. Iran likely has spies in Israel to let it know when plane take off in large numbers or Iran can be waiting on them.
a private plane, el AAl, so many planes all capable of bombing Iran, which apparent;y the entire world agrees with. The Saudi's want their oil, the Russians use Iran as a pawn,, until Russia finds herself on the wrong side of histrory, again. Seems to me, Russia has more of her own Jews that have left Russia in favor or Israel. Israel is financially sound, Russia one broke entity.
a lot of fantasy for Times of London, Israel and The Saudis. Dream Big!
You sound out of touch w/ reality.
there was a time ( few years ago), when the times used to be a credible paper. Now, unfortunately, with their liberal leftie journalists, they are quickly joining the other trash in fleet street- the guardian and the independent.
I want to see how far the Russians and Chinese are willing to go to pull down the Ahmadinejad Regime, before anybody bombs Iran. I hates the midget. That's all.
What has the President of Iran done to you? You don't like Moslem's perhaps? More likely it's because with his exceedingly limited power he, for one, tells the west where to get off.
I guess when one reads this sort of ... information ( ? does this word sound gentle enough to your ears ) we can safely assume that the next they will discuss would be aerial capabilities of toasters.
Yes, the Israel's have cruse missles and do not need to fly into Iran's air space.
If it was learned the Saudis assisted Israel in the attack, the Saudis know that Iran's gonna strike them. The Saudis been down this trail before when Saddam was hitting them with inaccurate scuds during the first gulf war. Only difference is Iran's military capability is far greater than Saddam's was and would cause lots of destruction to the Saudi nation. I could see the Saudis pondering it, but can't see them allowing it as much as they hate Iran, would never happen.
I think the Saudis believe that the way not to jeopardize their country is to eliminate Iran's ability to develop nukes.
So you're saying, the Saudis would not take the opportunity to let someone else tidy up an international threat in their neighborhood, because they could not handle the consequences. OK, bring on the bomb from the bazaar.
time to grow up little prince... As much as I hate to say, you were not exactly asking our pilots to draw a sheep. And now that you are looking into the drawings you asked you might get frightened. I understand it, completely. And I do not like Haaretz making you to. They are naughty little snakes of late. But let’s be honest, there is something to what they say.
Above all, the Saudis want their oil and complete control over their land. So, they ally w/ a winner, Israel, to have a force that can destroy Iran's nuclear ambitions, as they did before in both Syria and Iraq. You think funny, no wonder you keep losing, over and over and over.. Just like the song.
Saudi opens up air corridor what we are not told is that Saudi fighter jets fully armed will be flying along side ISraeli Air Force jets and thus will double the number of attack aircraft striking Iran. Saudi will send its jets armede to the teeth to assiost in bombing and mopping up any stary Iranian aircrtaft that fget off the ground. Thats is what is missing in this story. Saudi Arabia has the men and materiel , up to date fighter jets , same design and mark as the IAf, same Jdam , perhapos no0t bumker busters, , but they have as sophisticated fighters and good pilots.
I thank the Mighty I do not live in this reason no more. Everyone there is a retard when it comes to risk calculations and decisions on defending them self by exposing their protected interests for more risks. Congrats israelis you are now on the same level as israelis. Jews who still have not reverted their mental capabilities, protect what is left with your lives!
.....for the Iranians. By the way, there is a report on Al-Jazeera today, how Israel "blackmailed" the Chinese into accepting a tougher round of sanctions, namely by threatening them with immediately attacking Iran, if they wouldn't give their approval at the UN security council. And the expected worldwide economical consequences obviously scared the hell out of the Chinese.....
Don't mess with the black gold.
when it comes to reporting on Israel. They hate Israel.
And you think that one should believe what AlJazeera states?
now i know where you are getting all your info from.
Clearly you mustn't read Al-Jazeera very often. Most of their stories are sourced from the usual "western suspects". In that context, they may not be credible.
.....very susceptible to Western sensitivities with regard to the "black gold". They might then indeed feel tempted to go for the big one.....
You might be rather surprised, but even some American Conservatives (I would say the smarter ones among them) and supporters of Israel believe, that AlJazeera is one of the few hopes when it comes to the rather challenging goal of more democracy and freedom of press in the Arab world. I would say there is (much) less filtering of news on AlJazeera when it comes to the ME conflict, than there is on some of the major U.S. TV networks..... You can take that pretty much for granted.
Why not simply read both the "Fox" Times and the AlJazeera website, and make your own mind up? They report, you decide! ;-)
Dino, The report was published in the Herald Tribune a number of days ago. The word blackmail may well be a bit over the top. What Israel gave the folks in Beijing are the facts. There is not a leader on our planet that are willing to bet against an Israeli strike on "The Regime". Saudi Arabia and most of the Gulf States are extremely disatisfied with the once again watered down sanctions. Whether the Iranian RG and its new Bladerunner 51 speedboat will cause the sinking of the US Naval Task Force is just another Nights in Tehran Fantasy. Have a nice day .
Iranian twelvers wish to change the pilgrimage sites to iraqi and iranian ones. Kaba is of no consequence for them except as competition. I read about recent plots by iranians to bomb kaba and a few historical.
and saudis are too smart to do it. israelis however are playing their old same dirty boring game.
The Saudi's want Iran to lose so their land will not be a battle field over their oil. Iran's made ALL of their Muslim neighbors uneasy. Their people can't fight their way out of a paper bag. The Israeli's and Americans however, are another kettle of fish.
Most arab regimes are stupid enough, no matter where as long as their personal interests are benefitted they will even sell their own parents. The people of their lands, are nothing but resources for the governments, the people serve the governments over there and no the other way around.
These morons are going to lead us straight into World War III. The random Arab countries that America invaded during their Excellent Mideast Adventure weren't advanced enough to fight back on a genuinely global scale, but the Iranians are. And you know what the worst part will be? If this whole mess does lead to a conflict, the US and Israel will be the sole instigators. Bombing a nuclear reactor when YOUR OWN COUNTRY has several of the very same reactors is hypocrisy on an unimaginable scale. And the Saudis will play along, just like they backed Saddam Hussein in his unprovoked invasion of Iran during the 80s. What a mess.
Calm down Juli--remember that all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved--that includes you.
but if they threatened to "wipe us off the map" like they have to Israel, we'd bomb the s**t out of them, too. Israel is under no obligation to commit national suicide, and the Saudis fear Iran just as much. GO ISRAEL!
In the interests of truthfulness it must be stated that Ahmadinejad's speech in 2005 did not say 'wipe off the map'. The correct translation is 'The Imam said this regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time. There is a big difference between advocating regime change and threathening to anniliate a country but for certain war hungry neo-cons the latter interpretation is more useful
The antisemites play with words denying the true meaning of the Iranian leaders words.
and you know it
Unless you're fluent in Farsi and can understand all the nuances of speech, inflection and meaning, please don't insult our intelligence by regurgitating the denials put out by the Iranian government press office after linguists translated his statements. They did the same thing after his "Zionism is a cancer that must be cut out" speech, too.
UK, America, Germany, China and Russia calling for a Nuclear bomb free Middle East= the end of Israel. The Philosophy that the poor have G-d so it's OK, that Russia can bomb Georgia with impunity, that China can murder in Tibet and that 10 million Muslims have murdered their own people since 1947. TThat Iran hangs it's children, that the Taleban hung a 7 year old yesterday because his father supported the Government. That's Hypocrisy.
Yes?
I'm not just looking at the speech but at the bigger picture and questioning this rush to war. If Ahmadinejad is such an anti-semite how come he hasn't touched a head of any of the 25,000 Jews living in Iran? The sub-text here is that US / Israel cannot tolerate a strong Muslim state and the resulatnt power balance change.
The reality is that to attack all four of the 'primary' targets mentioned would require 100% (plus) of Israel's tanker assets to arrive over the Persian Gulf, refuel the strike aircraft and then refuel them again coming off the strike. Even then the number of aircraft dedicated to each strike would be severely limited. The probability of destroying ALL sites would be low, and the probability of Iran taking out significant numbers of strike aircraft is high. Worse, the destruction of the 'sitting duck' small CIsraeli tanker force (converted Boeing 707's) would result in the loss of 100% of all strike aircraft.
brain plus power
Good argument, well analyseed, I particularly was intrigues by your assesment in the 3rd paragraph of translateral strike rates... You've convinced me.
That our pilots have more brain that our navy!! Remember??The flotilla??? Power without brain.
But even if it WAS true, neither would save their ass if they were out of gas!
in israel's military, i wonder what his back ground is to make him such an expert. Remember Osirak?
I would like to believe this but i don't trust the saudi gov not to have a 'mistake' during the fly over
Vivid imagination. Saudi Arabia is far closer to Iran than Israel and to please Israel, they would endanger eternally relations with another Islamic state to protect a Zionist state. And the US refuses . How about Saudi airplanes refueling the Israelies mid air as this is needed to.
..inter-Islamic clashes, than the Israel-Arab conflict has ever caused. The number of people killed because of Shia-Sunni conflicts is at least two orders of magnitude higher, than those killed in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
We'll see if this ends in 6 days.
israeli air force wont do it if not sure.
This gives another opportunity for Israel to screw up again as it has been doing lately in their assaults. Do they really think that Iran is just going to stand there waiting to be bombed. Maybe Iran will attack first.
Iran like Israel, has no chance of operating tanker aircraft close enough for it's strike aircraft to hit Israel. The only aircraft with sufficient range are Iran's small SU-24MK force, which would with mid-air refueling be able to strike Israel. Any one-way mission would require 100% losses. An Iranian strike on Israel is not credible. Any Israeli strike on Iran would be pathological and self-destructive.
It is years that Iranian missile can target Israel, but Iran does not intend to do so. Unless, Israel create a real treat Iran would not attack. The strategy of Iran is and would be defensive even it goes nucleare
Iran doesnt need to attack via Air, 200,000 missiles should be more than sufficient to target Israel.
Iran would be more likely to fire its long-range missiles at israel than to strike Israel with its aircraft. That's the reaction that Israel's preparing for, should a strike on Iran be decided on. Since Israel sees Iran's nuclear program as an existential threat, such a strike would not be pathological at all, although it might be unwise.
but when it comes to martyrdom I doubt the iranians will have any problem with this.
For the Saudis, this would be like declaring war on Iran. This is simply game playing on Israels part. If the Saudis ever decided to do something that stupid, they would be sure that it was not reported in the media.
You understand, right, that the Saudis are not friends with Iran.... right? They'll let Israel and the US do their dirty work for them so they can continue to hold down their kingdom.
Jon, this is the smartest comment I've seen in this whole post. You're dead on right. And to answer another post regarding Israeli screw ups....I would not be holding my breath that they will screw up - they are very accurate and precise. I live in the U.S. and have faith in our soldiers but I will tell you that God forbid if the U.S. and Israel ever went to war, Israel would win hands down.
There have been joint US/Israeli troop exercises here, "competitions", where the Israelis won hands down in all ways. But the U.S. is huge next to Israel, which couldn't win against such giant and sustained force. Iran also is big. Then again, Jews/Israel are known for miracles, much to the jealousy of others. Funny that one miracle is development of the computer/internet systems which allow the common Jew haters to spew their trash here.
You're out of your mind. Seriously.
I have yet to see a post from Natalie Durson that isn't 110% bass ackwards wrong.
When the US conducts joint wargames with ANYONE, the other side always wins: the wargames always give the other side stuff that they don't even have--I was part of one in which an Australian fleet of AIRCRAFT CARRIERS destroyed the American fleet of aircraft carriers. Of course the Australian aircraft carriers were actually minesweepers pretending to be aircraft carriers, since Australia couldn't afford to operate a single aircraft carrier on its military budget.. The American side of all joint wargames is really the only side, since the OPFOR is using American platforms. "Winning" makes the Italians and Canadians, and Australians, and Israelis feel good about themselves.
You raise a vlaid point, Natallie, but on the other hand Saudi Arabia hasn't always acted smart and cautious in the past. The rising influence of Wahabist fundamentalists has time and again let the government to do what the religious leadership wants,and not what would be reasonable for ensuring peace in the region. And the Wahabists of course have to be concerned about the growing power of Shia Ayatollahs in the neighboring countries. So, I wouldn't rule it out that the Saudis would side with Israel in order to cut Iran down to size...
Israel is a strong military power in the Middle East, ok. But you seem to be totally delusional about the extent of US military might. Pls check the numbers: Your nation spends more on "defense" (actually, it should be called attack) than the next ten or so nations COMBINED! The Israelis may be the better soldiers, perhaps, but they would have no chance against this amount of brutal power. And don't forget that without US weapon and arms deliveries the IDF would only be half as strong anyway, if at all.
Israel and the U.S. are the only ones in the region that can/maybe pull off such an attack, and save the day for the Saudis. But more importantly, they will/can conveniently be blamed for it when it's done. Catch my drift? Everything is a bunch of political B.S. Every wolf for himself, and no one really cares about the other, as long as at the end they are alive.....and rich/er
can talk all he likes about military games, but anyone who isn't functionally retarded knows... for all the R&D Israel does - they don't get the advantage over the US period. Otherwise, the "outdated" S-300 wouldn't be a problem for Israel. This is why they want America to fight for Israel. Not because you're chosen; but because you're incapable. Israel couldn't handle Iran, much less the US.