WikiLeaks exposé: Barak warned strike on Iran was viable until end of 2010
Classified cable quotes State Dept. official as saying U.S. dismissed Netanyahu's warnings on Iran nukes as ploy.
By Haaretz Service Tags: Israel news Iran nuclear WikiLeaksStory Highlights
- Leaked documents say Barak warned U.S. the window of opportunity to strike Iran was closing
- Cables show Arab states pressed U.S. for military assault on Iran
- Netanyahu downplays impact of leaked cables
A 2009 American government cable released Sunday by the WikiLeaks website quotes Defense Minister Ehud Barak as telling visiting American officials that a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities was viable until the end of 2010, but after that "any military solution would result in unacceptable collateral damage."
 |
Barack Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on September 1, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
The whistle-blowing website obtained some 250,000 diplomatic cables between the U.S. and its allies, which Washington had urged the site not to publish. But by Sunday evening Israel time, major news organizations around the world had released a significant amount of documents touching on subjects ranging from Iran's nuclear aspirations, to espionage at the United Nations and even the behavior of the British monarchy.
The June 2009 cable also quotes Barak as describing the Iranian leadership as "chess, not backgammon players," with a U.S. diplomat quoting the defense minister as saying Tehran would "attempt to avoid any hook to hang accusations on, and look to Pakistan and North Korea as models to emulate in terms of acquiring nuclear weapons while defying the international community."
Meanwhile, another cable shows that a 2009 claim by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Iran was months away from achieving military nuclear capability was dismissed by the Americans as a ploy.
According to German weekly Der Spiegel, which also received advance information from WIkiLeaks, a State Department official says in a classified cable that Netanyahu informed the United States of Iran's nuclear advancement in November 2009, but that the prime minister's estimate was likely unfounded and intended to pressure Washington into action against the Islamic Republic.
Many of the classified communiques seem to reveal the inner workings of American and international diplomacy, and are likely to cause major embarrassment to the United States. American embassies in more than a dozen nations have informed their host countries that secret cables relating to them could be among those exposed.
The Guardian also quotes documents that show officials in Jordan and Bahrain “openly calling for Iran's nuclear program to be stopped by any means, including military.” The British daily also says leaders in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt called Iran "evil," and an "existential threat" which "is going to take us to war."
Another cable published by The Guardian, from later in 2009, cites a meeting of the U.S.-Israel Joint Political Military Group, in which members of Israel's Mossad spy agency said Iran was using repeated attempts to resolve the nuclear issue through diplomacy to "play for time" and evade sanctions, "while pursuing its strategic objective to obtain a military nuclear capability."
The cable also quotes Mossad representatives as believing that Iran wanted "to become a regional hegemon, and is dictating its agenda by using Hamas and Hezbollah as force multipliers."
Regarding what he considered Iran's true nuclear capabilities, a 2007 cable quoted outgoing Mossad chief Meir Dagan as stating that Tehran was attempting to convey a "false presentation that they have mastered the uranium enrichment process."
"The reality is," Dagan said, "that they are not there yet, and they are paying a heavy political price [sanctions] for something they have yet to achieve."
In Dagan's view, the 2007 cable stated, there wasn't an "ideological conflict within the Iranian leadership (all wish to see the destruction of Israel), but there is a growing divide on tactics with some supporting a retaliatory position against the West and others favoring new policies of moderation."
Netanyahu had earlier Sunday downplayed any possible damage the documents could have on Israel's security, saying he did not feel Israel would be the focal point of the leaked cables.
"Israel is not the center of international attention," Netanyahu said, adding that Jerusalem had not "been updated by the Americans about specific sensitive materials to be disclosed regarding Israel.
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
"Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories. And to render even them safe, their minds must be improved to a certain degree." --Thomas Jefferson
The GOI knows that we share its interest in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, we should expect continued Israeli lobbying at the highest levels urging the USG to ensure that the EU-3 effort is on track and backed by a solid international front. We will also hear Israeli concerns that the U.S. position may move toward the EU stance. At the same time, we should recognize that Israeli intelligence briefings will understandably focus on worst-case scenarios and may not match current USG assessments. The GOI knows that we share its interest in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, we should expect continued Israeli lobbying at the highest levels urging the USG to ensure that the EU-3 effort is on track and backed by a solid international front. We will also hear Israeli concerns that the U.S. position may move toward the EU stance. At the same time, we should recognize that Israeli intelligence briefings will understandably focus on worst-case scenarios and may not match current USG assessments. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/29037
It's easy to get Palestine established very quickly. All that is needed is Arab and moslem states tell the US and the West we will NO LONGER trade and deal with you until you make Palestine happen. As long as you pay lip service to Palestine but kiss the ass of Israel, then we'll have nothing to do with you. One month after such a UNITED and FIRM stand, Palestine gets born.
The NYT reports that Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh told General Petraeus that he's worried about weapons and drug smuggling, but not whiskey smuggling, "so long as it's good whiskey".
would be like the Cuban Missile Crisis. Leaders in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the UAE called the Iranian leadership evil. Its all coming out now, almost the whole MIddle East fear Iran with and more to the point think Iran with a bomb threatens world peace. To all those Israel bashers who have been accusing herl of beating war drums think again. Obama needs to wake up and listen to the what the Middle East know and that is that Iran must be stopped.
"Barak warned strike on Iran was viable until end of 2010." As we are almost at the end of 2010 and Israel has yet to convince the USA to attack iran, we may be certain that the next prediction will be 'attack on Iran viable until the end of 2011. December of next year it will again change to 'until end of 2012."
Cyberwar is great. At least you don't have to absorb the enemie's populations. The Vietnamese refugees were okay but some countries have a lot of people who hate Americans.
israel really doesnt come off as screwed as would have been expected. interesting
The source of the leak must have been in the State Department, since these are State Dept documents. Moreover, the source must have been working there recently, since the documents include recent ones, from the Obama years. Who would have the motivation to make such a leak? I think Hillary herself, and perhaps because she is sick and tired of Netanyahu's games, including the (essential) rejection of her appeasement ideas, and she wishes to show everybody what a clown Yahoo is. How could anybody take such a risk? Not many would have access to the entire set of documents, and the FBI is likely to investigate and find the leaker! We should recall that it is within the high echelon to authorize the public release of such documents. Obama certainly has the authority, in which case no crime was committed and the FBI may be told to keep quiet. (Recall that Bush claimed to have allowed Cheney to release a classified document related to the identity of a CIA covert agent.) So Obama may be "in" on this attempt to embarrass Netanyahoo.// (Note: I wouldn't swear to the truth of this theory, but it is as good as any, so far.)
No surprise here Bibi was wrong (AGAIN)
By 2020. Too much trouble going on. We really need Israel. Israel is the only thing protecting the World from WWIII right now. That's the truth!
Once again, Israel is asking the U.S. to do their dirty work.
I have concluded that the story is fabricated, since both Obama's and Netanyahu's mouths have been stuck with Superglue. Whether or not a remedy has been found remains to be seen, but if the problem has not been overcome, who is currently impersonating them? Mossad agents, perhaps?
Israel's prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu is "elegant and charming" but never keeps his promises, according to a cable from Cairo recounting a meeting with President Hosni Mubarak, who added: "I have told him so personally".
and he is very charming. In fact one of the most personable people I have ever come across. Oh and which politician does keep all their promises including Mubarak?
and he is very charming. In fact one of the most personable people I have ever come across. Oh and which politician does keep all their promises including Mubarak?
So Meir Dagan was aware that the Iranian enrichment program was failing three years ago, making a very similar reading of the technical progress as was revealed in the IAEA reports of the time - and now. Why was he lying to the Israeli public? Once again there is nothing new in this Wikidrip. The true state of Iranian enrichment and that Dagan was lying were both known in 2007 to anyone who bothered to read the IAEA reports. These 'life threatening' Wikidrips so far have been nothing but confirmation of what was already known.
Yes, from my window I can see the Mossadies running about the railway station trying to get a copy.
These communications are between diplomats and the reflect personal observations and opinions, NOT the policy and opinion of the U.S. government - but the extreme damage will done as if it were! This Wikileak is devious, malicious, has NOTHING to do with the purpose Wikileaks espouses, and serves only to create havoc among nations...chaos...a-n-a-r-c-h-y! Everything stands to be affected - even the world economy. And for all of you who think it's cool...don't be surprised - and for God's sake don't you whine - when YOU feel the impact of the negative ramifications that are sure to result from it.
How these diplomates really feel will affect the style , tone and emphasis of the reports that they submit. These reports will then be used in decision making and policy setting. If all that wikileaks is doing is showing the world the real face of some arrogant diplomats that feed elected officials information that affects the entire world .. so be it
Instead, it's more akin to the malicious theft and publication of someone's personal diary, a blatant invasion of privacy - those personal thoughts, general opinions, fleeting impulses, likes and dislikes...all the things which as individuals we hold to ourselves - that for any one of us, would ruin our lives and destroy our relationaships, friendships, careers, businesses, et al. The earlier Wikileaks saw a purpose...this one however, does NOT! It amounts to malicious gossip which holds potentially serious ramifications for international relations.
No doubt about it! Even with these little tidbits, one can see the stark contrast between what Israeli intelligence really thinks, and what the Israeli hasbara is trying to sell to the world
Netanyahu went to the Americans and told them that unless they acted within months Iran would achieve parity with Israel. Then Barack went to the Americans and said we have until the end of 2010 it would be to late. The Americans have done nothing to allay Israeli concerns. Seems to be a bit of a disconnect between Israel's intelligence assessment and the American Intelligence estimate. Wonder if this has anything to do with a total lack of WMD's in a country called Iraq? Either way if I was a normal decent Israeli I'd be worried that the country who pays the bills is no longer listening to the political elite.
None of us in the world want to fight endless wars. I'm just sick of the whole mess and the lies they tell us.
is that Iran is a massive worry in the Middle East and further. Saudi ,Jordan and other Arab leaders are listed in these leaks as wanting the US to deal with Iran. It has also become clear that Iran has long range missiles that could hit Europe. Has not Israel being saying this all along? I think Israel comes out pretty clean in all of this but if I were you Chris I would be more worried about what the US thinks about the UK particularly in Afghanistan and a certain member of the Royal Family.
about which member of the royal family has been naughty That will be just a bit of fun The assessment of Britain's role in Afghanistan is the problematical one, not as bad as the description of the Mossad Agent Sarkozy as the emperor with no clothes though is it?
So Chicken Little didn't panic Uncle Sam. Nothing new or damaging to anyone in that Wikidrip.
Except the US arrogance of dismissing anything from israel unless teh CIA says its true. Obama has screwed Amreica, has screwed ISrael , and has screwed its allies Cant wait to see what is said about canada and turkey and others
Now we know what the USA's opinions about the world is. It is time that the USA should know what the world think they are: arrogant, loud and stupid. It is time that they start to clean their own house, before giving advise to others.
This article, Mr. Qatzrin, and all the discussions explicitly do NOT mention: (a) the US-Israel-supported attack on Iran by Saddam Hussein's Iraq in which one million died, many by poison gas on missiles;
(b) the theft of Iranian oil for 40 years by BP & the US; (c) the almost daily threats of nuclear attack by Israel; (d) the "only man standing" strategy of Israel to destroy ...
... to destroy any potential competitor in the region (Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Iran), after neutralizing Jordan and Egypt, and with whispered talk of overthrowing the Saudi's. If I were Iranian, I would feel an "existential" threat.
So Israel once again fed the US a pack of lies to fraudulently induce us to take actions which we otherwise would not. Where's the news in this? Lesson to US: Never trust Israel.
The news in this is that it has been publically acknowledged that this is what Israel does. Lies about something in the hope that it creates a reaction which serves it's national interests.
"no dangers from the Germans,stay calm" ,then fled themselves.
Saudi was desperate for the US to attack Iran. Plus Iran has missiles that can reach Europe and that they got them North Korea. You should thank Israel for trying to stop this menacing regime.
Bomb Bomb bomb Iran It is all they want to talk about.
Netanyahu is a PR man with formal education in Marketing. If you trust him, it's your own problem. Since when is a marketeer believable? Such people will say anything in order to make the sale. For statesmen it is not useful to tell a lie that is easy to falsify, but this was not taught to Netanyahu in college. I bet he is also the source of the quote that Ahmadinejad is a "Hitler". Might have worked on the Bush crowd, but not on the Obama group.
Or you believe that the Iranian missiles (nuclear too) will not hit you in Tel Aviv, only the settlements?
From the New York Times: "Crown Prince bin Zayed, predicting in July 2009 that an Israeli attack could come by year’s end, suggested the danger of appeasing Iran. “Ahmadinejad is Hitler,” he declared." How much were you betting Netanyahu was the source of that quote? The biggest 'secret' revealed is just how much the Arab world supports action by the US and/or Israel against Iran.
let the world powers rise up to this challenge by iran before they get the entire world embarrassed.
let the world powers rise up to this challenge by Israel before they get the entire world embarrassed.
let the world powers rise up to this challenge by Israel before they get the entire world embarrassed.
let the world powers rise up to this challenge by N. Korea before they get the entire world embarrassed.