U.S. military chief: Unclear if Israel would alert U.S. ahead of attack on Iran
General Martin Dempsey says he acknowledges differences in perspective between the United States and Israel over the best way to handle Iran and its nuclear program.
By Reuters Tags: Iran nuclearThe top U.S. military officer told Reuters on Wednesday he did not know whether Israel would alert the United States ahead of time if it decided to take military action against Iran.
General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also acknowledged differences in perspective between the United States and Israel over the best way to handle Iran and its nuclear program.
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Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, November 15, 2011. |
| Photo by: Reuters |
He said the United States was convinced that sanctions and diplomatic pressure was the right path to take on Iran, along with "the stated intent not to take any options off the table" - language that leaves open the possibility of future military action.
"I'm not sure the Israelis share our assessment of that.
And because they don't and because to them this is an existential threat, I think probably that it's fair to say that our expectations are different right now," Dempsey said in an interview as he flew to Washington from London.
Asked whether he was talking about the differences between Israeli and U.S. expectations over sanctions, or differences in perspective about the future course of events, Dempsey said:
"All of the above." He did not elaborate.
He also did not disclose whether he believed Israel was prepared to strike Iran.
Iran is facing new sanctions after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported earlier in November that Tehran appeared to have worked on designing a bomb and may still be conducting secret research to that end. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful.
The sanctions push got added momentum on Wednesday as diplomatic sources said Britain would support an embargo on Iranian oil imports. But Iran sees its nuclear program as a source of power and prestige and it is unclear whether sanctions will alter its cost-benefit analysis.
There has been concern that if world powers cannot nudge Iran into serious nuclear negotiations, then Israel, which feels threatened by Iranian nuclear aspirations, will attack.
Asked directly whether Israel would alert the United States ahead of time if it chose to go forward with military action, Dempsey replied flatly: "I don't know."
No New Arguments
Last week, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta raised American concerns about the unintended consequences of any military action against Iran during talks with his Israeli counterpart, Ehud Barak, at a security forum in Canada.
Those included U.S. fears about fallout on the world economy and that a strike would only delay - not derail - Iran's nuclear program.
Iran has warned that it will respond to any attacks by hitting Israeli and U.S. interests in the Gulf. Analysts say Tehran could retaliate by closing the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway where about 40 percent of all traded oil passes.
Dempsey, who took over the Pentagon's top uniformed position in September, said there were no new arguments the United States was about to pose to Israel on the matter.
Instead, he cited U.S. and Israeli efforts to "consistently try to update each other on the existing arguments."
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How about making peace with the Palestinians instead of attacking Iran?? Obviously perpetual war is very profitable for some people in Israel as well as the US. It is not profitable for the 99% and in fact it is very dangerous, costly and makes for a very unpleasant existence. Why not make peace, share, live together?
And somebody seems to be doing it already. If the USA wants control over it, it should shoulder the task with professional comptenece. The CIA should be informed that there is intelligent culinary life beyond Pizza Hut.
Other peoples' crushed and bleeding egos will be staining the pages of that history though. Israel went through extensive planning and training before their strike on Iraq's nuclear program. No one knew what hit them, from Saddam & Co. to even the common Iraqis in the fields waving at the incoming F15s & F16s thinking they were Iraqi aircraft off to bomb Iran, until the next day when Begin disclosed the necessary IAF surgical strike operation. No one expected and knew of the recent Israeli operation that took out the budding plutonium reactor in Syria either until it was over. Regarding Iran, a much more sophisticated, delicate, and viable plan B is in the making if diplomacy and sanctions don't get their attention. Those in the know don't speak about it as they're too busy preparing the decisive details.
Why,talking from both sides of their mouths.. Secrecy my eye. They almost want Israel to GO FOR IT Othervise why even mention the whole charade.
If the USA has told Netanyahu not to attack and the IDF still launches itself against Iran then the Americans will have no choice but to conclude that Israel is more trouble than it is worth. Shamir faced this same dilemma in 1991, and chose correctly i.e. he did as he was told.
unity or dominated? servants or slaves? dream or nightmare? live and let live or lie and let die? free or attack and defend? the light lord kingdom or the darkness men rule? spiritual reality or earthly illusion?
unity or dominated? servants or slaves? dream or nightmare? live and let live or lie and let die? free or attack and defend? the light lord kingdom or the darkness men rule? spiritual reality or earthly illusion?
Which is a roundabout way of stating that the USA has not changed its position merely because the new IAEA chief is willing to put uncorroborated allegations and unconfirmed rumours into an IAEA report.
Watch the Oil Stocks go sky high..probably $150.00 per barrel ! Bring it on Israel..do the Big Oil Co.a favor. By the way China will be the big looser in the market because they are the largest importers of Iranian black gold (Oil ) . Shalom from the USA.
And we better, otherwise this president will not get my vote
A one month war with Iran will turn Israelis into paupers. They will not even have fuel to fly their planes or run their cars. It is best to let Iran have a bomb they will never use.
He better stay out of politics.
Other peoples' crushed and bleeding egos will be staining the pages of that history though.
If someone threatened to "wipe America off the map" I'm sure "sanctions" and "diplomacy" would be overly spoken about as much as they're spoken about when it comes to Israel. Double Standard here. The Jewish People respectfully understand that American doesn't have the money to go into another war, but just because there's no American money to go to war doesn't mean The Jewish people will sit there and wait for a 2nd Holocaust to happen. No country on Earth would take this many threats on it's existence and still talk about "diplomacy".... NATO went to war on Gaddafi for less than this just recently. Thank you America for stopping Hitler, but please, stand back now and let us take care of the next one on the table, for once... There will not be even thought of "peace" in this region until enemies of the Jews finally understand it's in their best interest to respect Jews as their equals. Unfortunately, most of Israel's haters only understand the language that they themselves try to speak to Israel. Thank you.
Israel went through extensive planning and training before their strike on Iraq's nuclear program. No one knew what hit them, from Saddam & Co. to even the common Iraqis in the fields waving at the incoming F15s & F16s thinking they were Iraqi aircraft off to bomb Iran, until the next day when Begin disclosed the IAF operation. No one expected and knew of the recent Israeli operation that took out the budding plutonium reactor in Syria either until it was over. Regarding Iran, a much more sophisticated, delicate, and viable plan B is in the making if diplomacy and sanctions don't get their attention. Those in the know don't speak about it as they're too busy preparing the decisive details.
But maybe he is pretending that the US will not have tabs on Iraq after January
I am not behind any unilateral move by Israel to attack Iran. But I also think that the General and President Barak Obama are fooling themselves if they think sanctions do anything. Iran is going to have nuclear capability whether the USA or Israel do attack. The reprisals for an attack are not worth the attempt. Let Iran have nuclear weapons. She dare not use them the same way all the other countries do not dare use them. Iran wants to be grown up like the big boys. I do not blame them. As long as they leave them in their silos.
But he better clear it with the boss before giving too many winks and nudges. We are talking about a serious matter which could precipitate a regional war, and the US is already broke and stretched beyond her capacity.
No one thinks US handed its declaration for war to a foreign entity.
Sentiment in your country is overwhelmingly anti U.S. / Israel. You remember that Iran was the first country to recognize Pakistan and also gave assistance to the Pakistani nuclear program. Relations with the U.S. have degraded miserably. Your citizens disrespect you for helping the Americans fight Muslims who were not a big problem until hundreds of thousands of NATO troops poured in. It's clear relations with the West will break eventually. You are watching Israel prepare for military action with the tacit approval of "the West". What do you do? Nothing? Even a Pakistani editorial, a few months ago, speculated about where a "loose nuke" might end up. It's a very likely scenario. Probable. Military action from our side will be met with military action by their side, and both sides are aware of the possibility of a preemptive attack. What sort of a moron rattles sabers in that climate? People whose tactics are stuck in the 1950s need to retire. Are Israeli generals trying to provoke another attack against the West?
The mistrust is understandable. Ayalon is fronting in the US for Israel. He has this hair-splitting idea about occupations that are not occupations because of some split hair. And the current Israeli government has a habit of springing nasty surprises on the US. As for the cakewalk scenario, the US has been there and done that. Iraq was sold to us as casualty-free, paying for itself and over in days, weeks at most. Eight years and 65,000 casualties later, it is just ending.
we owe that cowardly nation nothing
the Jihadist's have a double agent right inside the white house. i will let you guess,who that traitor is
the Obama generals are putting up the white flag too soon~! This arena is not a Chicago dem. club fund raiser.....put the generals forced into retirement by O in charge.......
If I were Israel (and I'm not even a Jew), I would not trust that coffee-colored stealth Muslim either. Obama is the liar in chief of a nation which seems to have nothing but corrupt national politicians and which can not find their cajones. Do what you have to do and then tell your friends what you/ve done.
If countries other than Israel -such as the US- decide to attack Iran it will be only because that action was in the interests of the acting country, not because of the lurid delusions of those who haunt these talkbacks with their conspiracy fantasies,
To push for war when the Iranian regime is on the ropes, sanctions have worked and the regime is eating itself from the inside makes no sense. Listen to voices of reason http://bit.ly/rxGYYP
If it results in the death of one US citizen, the consequences on the opinion of the US public cannot be calculated.
The US has half a million in the Gulf-South Asia Region, And attack on Iran endangers them, whether in Kuwait or Afghanistan, Bahrain or in the Gulf. For a supposed ally to put those personnel at risk without even an few minutes warning brings into doubt the term "ally."
I like to see Israel or the west put their money where their mouth is. Iran and many rational thinkers around the world are on unanimous opinion that, the west can not attack and destroy their own almost bankrupt economy. As far as Israel is concern, they simply don't have the capacity to fly to Iran, bomb 50 different sites and come back high and mighty. Remember Iraq in reality is Iranian territory. Yes, many may disagree, but that is the fact. So forget about flying over Iraq to bomb Iran.
For people of your sorts, action means open war and Iranians and nations of their sorts are rational thinkers and not Israel. The reality is different. Israel started action long ago, they try to finish it without an open war. They think rationally and not the Ayothollas of Iran. But war lovers like to see an open war, typical Islamist and leftist arrogance.
Israel acting on it's own on Iran without US control will create a power vacuum in the ME. Think Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and many other countries.
If I know that Israel will not alert the US, why is our administration so clueless? REALLY? I attended a seminar recently to hear someone from the IDF talk about threats to the US and that was #1 on this list of things they would not do- they would not notify US. Wow-- instead of holding all of the music festivals and tributes to people from Hollywood, perhaps Washington should be studying more about foreign affairs.
The Israeli dictatorship is in a fog of euphoria over its self-imposed greatness and refuses to accept any responsibility for its actions. Such egomaniacal demagoguery is short lived.
Not necessarily. We lived with nuclear-armed enemies for generations. Israel isn't afraid of Iran attacking. The danger is that Israel will no longer be able to hold a nuclear bludgeon over its enemies because of mutual assured destruction. Then Israel wouldn't be in the position to be quite so offensive to its neighbors.
There is only so much you can do for an ally when what's best for them is bad for us. And what we know is that we survived a Cold War when the USSR has 12,000 or so nuclear warheads...after LIVING THROUGH that experience, the idea of Iran with 4 or 5 nukes just isn't that frightening any more!!!
Why should US soldiers die just so Israel can be the only regional player with a deterent weapon? Strap on your gun, BJ...and go fight your OWN damn wars!
Its comming and it will make a good subject for a movie which people willl enjoy on DVD also :) Ein efes. Lets do it. Hashem Yaazor!
If countries other than Israel -such as the US- decide to attack Iran it will be only because that action was in the interests of the acting country, not because of the lurid delusions of those who haunt these talkbacks with their conspiracy fantasies,
Iran can do no wrong compared to the damages already inflicted in Palestine and to the people of Israel who continually lose what liberty they have left because the state is controlled by a dictator.
I may take legal action (personally) in the US to make sure my federal tax dollars do support another illegal war.
Another whiny American who is all talk no action!
I love you Israel but don't do this. You have 4 ways to deliver nukes to Iran. They aren't stupid. If you attack I fear that missles from multiple countries at once will rain down on Tel Aviv.
Don't tell anybody, but Israel works with stealth, surprise and the highest velocity. "Air strikes" have been debated ad nauseam, and lack stealth, surprise and are expected by Iran since Osirak 1981.
just let them do it and get hammered, then you can say " they didn't tell us" and you will be exhonorated by the arabs.
And, we probably don't need to know. We can handle Iran.
...they didn't warn us before their assault on the USS Liberty.
I hope you mean you el pratt . I hope you're in uniform and on the front line before you go spouting your mouth off and putting others in harms way .
I'm sure those pushing for war will all be safe in their taxpayer funded shelters when the bombs start to fall. And it will be more like five hundred thousand than five hundred.
Why do people have such a strong need to spout off especially when they do not know what they are talking about. This stuff is outrageous. Every country has secrets. That is why there are spies.
Do what you feel you have to do, don't ask our "permission," don't even inform us. We don't want to suffer for your folly. JUST REMEMBER: support for Israel among the American people is inversely proportional to the price of gasoline.
The citizens of which opposed the invasion of Iraq and everything that flowed from it. Regular people, whereever they live, do NOT want war, period. The only people who love war are those involved in the arms industry and the banks, nobody else benefits, be they muslims, jews, christians or atheists
Why condemn Iran ,Israels behavior needs to be brought into line if it wants to be accepted by the Free World
how about the behavior of the Zionist Regime upon the indigenous people, the Palestinians, for the past 60+ years.......hypocrisy has no limits!
how about the behavior of the Zionist Regime upon the indigenous people, the Palestinians, for the past 60+ years.......hypocrisy has no limits!
So does Israel's.
So does Israel's.
Would you please elaborate on the meaning of "Free World"
And what part of the 'free world' are you speaking on behalf of ? - that part that has an ongoing occupation of another people ?
Israel has no capability to strike Iranian nuclear facilities. Bibi just enjoys ranting that's all.
But a US military chief. He is putting words in the mouth of Israel..If that is not goading what is I ask myself.
to Iran if privy to it.Better to keep them in the dark.
the blind-stitch has all ready begun, better 10 blind stitch then a big foreseeable attack
Either party should just go ahead, (USA or Israel), the other will join along the way. No need for serious consultation before hand. The cancerous tumor (IRAN)has to be removed anyhow.
That is, of you don't want to end up on the Hague with the US and Israel for committing war crimes. Iran thus far has done nothing wrong. If on the other hand proof emerges that these incidents are actual sabotage events bankrolled by Israel or the Us then rest assured Han mr moon will 'express regret and disappointment etc'
Iran has been actively seeking a nuclear bomb as the most recent report clearly shows... Iran also threatens to wipe Israel off the map and specifically calls Israel a "one nuke country" is that called doing nothing wrong? If another country led by religious messianic fanatics threatened to wipe Wales off of the map, actively funded and armed terrorist groups to operate against it, and was perusing a nuke, what would you be saying then?
I don't think so. You are all waiting for the other party to attack, that will never happen.
Shop outwardly attacking Israel or any other country BUT doing it through its proxies .. Iran's SINS are far too great to name here now..All done in a hidden way,but well known to every HUMAN Rights ...You should familiarize yourself better...
Money? Blackmail? Aipac (check previous two points)?
We clever hey!!!! Don't cry che, get over it!
of US troops & sailors in the Gulf & surrounding areas, I would have thought it was the least Israel could do. Still, that's what we've come to expect nowadays.
They are hallucinating!...
Barak; Only five-hundred. Now let's see: Supposing that 65% of the dead are from Barak's family,his nearest kin& friends,would he still say such a stupid thing ? Barak,being an intelligent person,it's hard to believe he uttered such a foolish sentence.
his family will be chilling vacationing in Europe of South America, while innocent Israelis will be dying for this warmongering current leadership...
a nuclear armed iran would be an unstoppable threat. it could attack israel through its proxies relentlessly. a nuclear armed iran could proliferate to its proxies, as it has already attempted to do. every war can cause casualties. however, letting iran get the bomb would be a catastrophe. i think this is the calculus that barak is contemplating.
would it make? Israel is already running towards its own destruction. And yeah, gather more in your so-called promised lands if you know what i mean. It would make things easier.
Aren’t declarative statements a hoot?
The economic destruction will also be multi-national. Just imagine a destroyed nuclear facility in Iran while the attacking nation's economies finally crash. It would take one burning oil tanker on CNN to do it.
You are ashamed, cause you have the brain of a baboon. The US of A will for sure join in not Micronesia.
iran too has its proxies that will be dragged into the war. So why should Israel not rely on its partners (West)...?
Never again!
Because Israel will be getting their allies (not proxies) killed over a war that didn't want to start in the first place. I say if Israel starts the war it should go it alone and get their behinds handed to them!