(Reuters) - A senior Israeli official said on Sunday the United States should not wait for Iran to decide on building a nuclear weapon before it considers military action against the Islamic Republic

"When is the point at which it should be stopped? Just when the bomb is assembled on the tip of the missile and is ready for launch?" Dan Meridor, deputy Israeli prime minister with responsibility for nuclear and intelligence affairs, said in a radio interview.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who sees a mortal threat to Israel from Tehran, has hinted he could resort to war unless Washington and other world powers give Iran an ultimatum on curbing its uranium enrichment programme.

U.S. President Barack Obama has rebuffed Netanyahu's lobbying, opening a rift between the allies although they agree that Iran has yet to take the final steps of purifying uranium to military grade and assembling a warhead.

Tehran denies seeking the bomb, saying its nuclear projects are for peaceful energy and medical purposes. Diplomatic talks between it and world powers have so-far proved fruitless.

Speaking on Israel Radio, Meridor praised the Obama administration for its insistence that it will not allow Iran to get nuclear arms. But such shows of resolve must be emphasized, he said.

Iran could reach stage of nuclear development which would allow it to make a warhead quickly years in the future when the world's guard was down, he said.

"This demands clarification, to my mind, to make clear that even an Iran that is a decision away from nuclear weaponry, be it within days or weeks, is a nuclear-armed Iran," Meridor said.

The Israelis have made clear they sees the window of opportunity to strike Iran closing as it digs in and defends its facilities.

While not explicitly stating when they would consider Iran close enough to the nuclear threshold to warrant a war, Israeli officials say they are watching the pace of its fortification, its uranium enrichment to 20 percent purity - just short of bomb-fuel grade, and its production of enrichment centrifuges.

"I think the question is when the crucial stage is passed beyond which you will be hard-pressed to stop Iran from assembling a nuclear bomb," Netanyahu said in a Jerusalem Post interview published on Sunday.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak accused Iran in May of pursuing a strategy that would allow it to build a bomb at 60 days' notice.

Israel refuses to confirm or deny its own nuclear capabilities, which are widely believed to include the Middle East's only atomic arsenal. Iran's eastern neighbor, U.S.-allied Pakistan, is also nuclear-armed.

....and now the leader of Israel will take his case for a USA-Iran war straight to the American people!




Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will begin a campaign to win American public support to draw “red lines” for Iran, regarding to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear aspirations. As part of his campaign, Netanyahu recorded interviews for American media programs on CNN and NBC.

During his interviews, Netanyahu will attempt to convince the American public that drawing red lines for Iran will not only discourage the nation from obtaining nuclear weapons, but also reduce the chances of a broader armed conflict.

Netanyahu is expected to mention recent attacks against American embassies in the Middle East. In a preview clip of the interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press”, Netanyahu said, speaking on what he called Iranian fanaticism, “it’s the same fanaticism that you see storming your embassies today. Do you want these fanatics to have nuclear weapons?”

Aides close to Netanyahu said on Saturday that the prime minister intends to stress that the is convinced that discussions of red lines will forge clear boundaries for Iran, and make it that much more difficult for the Islamic Republic to obtain nuclear weapons.

Also on Saturday, Foreign Policy published an interview with United States Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, who also discussed the ongoing debate between the U.S. and Israel regarding the setting of "red lines" for Iran.

He said that "Leaders of these countries don't have, you know, a bunch of little red lines that determine their decisions," he said. "Red lines are kind of political arguments that are used to try to put people in a corner.”

Israel should nut up and take care of it's own business. If Netanyahu wants a war with Iran then Israel should have at it instead of trying to goad the US into doing it for them. IAt the end of the day Israel will always have it's own interests prioritized ahead of those of the US. Israel has been spying on the US for years,. Has shot at and killed US servicemen. That said it has been in the US's interests to side with Israel for most of it's existence, but their act is wearing thin as they've gone more from victim status to aggression mode over the last 10-15 years..

The Mittster wants to enthusiastically do Israel's bidding, in the name of his beloved military industrial complex. Big government and deficit spending on weapons, war, and death is somehow viewed as a virtuous hobby and the natural order of things by the typical Republican chicken hawks. I expect Faux news will be parroting with ever increasing alarm, Netenyahu's line in the coming months. Netanyahu is actually trying to set the red lines for the US. I'd rather have Obama in the White House instead of the 12 lost tribes religious right wing whackos who are so enthusiastic about another war to justify further expanding the defense budget and keeping the revenue stream of the death merchants flowing.

Who are the "12 lost tribes [of Jews] religious right wing wackos who are so enthusiastic about another war", presumably involving Israel and Iran?

Name them! Call them out for us!

Where can I find info on this? I'm interested in finding out what facts and accounts of this happening that you would make such claims and accusation.

^4. It's me. Sorry fellas. We had a big meeting at this summer's Jew convention. It was voted on and approved.

So, are you goung to be able to be able to influence Romney to "give the go" alone?
Or, will it take a Minyan?

where? I thought The Catskills resorts were shut down

If I told you, it would no longer be the *secret* Jewboree now would it?

I'm sort if against having other countries dictate our foreign policy.

It's also why the UN is a joke.

USS Liberty

http://www.gtr5.com/ 

Google USS Liberty. It's not a claim or accusation, it's fact.

These guys:

http://www.10losttribes.com/dominionism.html 

WHERE ARE THE RED LINES?!



By The Associated Press and Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Sunday that Iran would be on the brink of nuclear weapons capability in six to seven months, adding new urgency to his demand that President Barack Obama set a clear "red line" for Tehran in what could deepen the worst U.S.-Israeli rift in decades.

Taking his case to the American public, Netanyahu said in U.S. television interviews that by mid-2013, Iran would be 90 percent of the way toward enough enriched uranium for a bomb. He urged the United States to spell out limits that Tehran must not cross or else face military action - something Obama has refused to do.

"You have to place that red line before them now, before it's too late," Netanyahu told NBC's "Meet the Press" program, saying that such a U.S. move could reduce the chances of having to attack Iran's nuclear sites.

The unusually public dispute - coupled with Obama's decision not to meet with Netanyahu later this month - has exposed a deep U.S.-Israeli divide and stepped up pressure on the U.S. leader in the final stretch of a tight presidential election campaign.

America's ambassador to the United Nations says there's "no daylight" between the United States and Israel when it comes to stopping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. But Susan Rice also says U.S.-Israeli intelligence indicates that the two nations have "considerable time" before that happens.

Rice tells CNN's "State of the Union" that economic sanctions are working.

Tehran insists its program is peaceful.

Rice says President Barack Obama has been clear that it stands with Israel and "will do what it takes" to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. But, she adds, "we are not at that stage yet."

Armada of British naval power massing in the Gulf as Israel prepares an Iran strike

The Strait of Hormuz is only 21 miles wide at its narrowest point Picture: ALAMY

An armada of US and British naval power is massing in the Persian Gulf in the belief that Israel is considering a pre-emptive strike against Iran’s covert nuclear weapons programme.

Battleships, aircraft carriers, minesweepers and submarines from 25 nations are converging on the strategically important Strait of Hormuz in an unprecedented show of force as Israel and Iran move towards the brink of war.

Western leaders are convinced that Iran will retaliate to any attack by attempting to mine or blockade the shipping lane through which passes around 18 million barrels of oil every day, approximately 35 per cent of the world’s petroleum traded by sea.

A blockade would have a catastrophic effect on the fragile economies of Britain, Europe the United States and Japan, all of which rely heavily on oil and gas supplies from the Gulf.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most congested international waterways. It is only 21 miles wide at its narrowest point and is bordered by the Iranian coast to the north and the United Arab Emirates to the south.

In preparation for any pre-emptive or retaliatory action by Iran, warships from more than 25 countries, including the United States, Britain, France, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, will today begin an annual 12-day exercise.

The war games are the largest ever undertaken in the region.

They will practise tactics in how to breach an Iranian blockade of the strait and the force will also undertake counter-mining drills.

The multi-national naval force in the Gulf includes three US Nimitz class carrier groups, each of which has more aircraft than the entire complement of the Iranian air force.

The carriers are supported by at least 12 battleships, including ballistic missile cruisers, frigates, destroyers and assault ships carrying thousand of US Marines and special forces.

The British component consists of four British minesweepers and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Cardigan Bay, a logistics vessel. HMS Diamond, a brand-new £1billion Type 45 destroyer, one of the most powerful ships in the British fleet, will also be operating in the region.

In addition, commanders will also simulate destroying Iranian combat jets, ships and coastal missile batteries.

In the event of war, the main threat to the multi-national force will come from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps navy, which is expected to adopt an “access-denial” strategy in the wake of an attack, by directly targeting US warships, attacking merchant shipping and mining vital maritime chokepoints in the Persian Gulf.

Defence sources say that although Iran’s capability may not be technologically sophisticated, it could deliver a series of lethal blows against British and US ships using mini-subs, fast attack boats, mines and shore-based anti-ship missile batteries.

Next month, Iran will stage massive military manoeuvres of its own, to show that it is prepared to defend its nuclear installations against the threat of aerial bombardment.

The exercise is being showcased as the biggest air defence war game in the Islamic Republic’s history, and will be its most visible response yet to the prospect of an Israeli military strike.

Using surface-to-air missiles, unmanned drones and state-of-the-art radar, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and air force will combine to test the defences of 3,600 sensitive locations throughout the country, including oil refineries and uranium enrichment facilities.

Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili, commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya air defence base, told a conference this month that the manoeuvres would “identify vulnerabilities, try out new tactics and practise old ones”.

At the same time as the Western manoeuvres in the Gulf, the British Response Task Forces Group — which includes the carrier HMS Illustrious, equipped with Apache attack helicopters, along with the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle - will be conducting a naval exercise in the eastern Mediterranean. The task force could easily be diverted to the Gulf region via the Suez Canal within a week of being ordered to do so.

The main naval exercise comes as President Barack Obama is scheduled to meet Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, today to discuss the Iranian crisis.

Many within the Obama administration believe that Israel will launch a pre-emptive strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities before the US presidential elections, an act which would signal the failure of one of Washington’s key foreign policy objectives.

Both Downing Street and Washington hope that the show of force will demonstrate to Iran that Nato and the West will not allow President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian leader, to develop a nuclear armoury or close Hormuz.

Sir John Sawers, the head of MI6, the Secret Intelligence Service, reportedly met the Israeli prime minister and Ehud Barak, his defence secretary, two weeks ago in an attempt to avert military action against Iran.

But just last week Mr Netanyahu signalled that time for a negotiated settlement was running out when he said: “The world tells Israel 'Wait, there’s still time.’ And I say, 'Wait for what? Wait until when?’

“Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don’t have a moral right to place a red light before Israel.”

The crisis hinges on Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme, which Israel believes is designed to build an atomic weapon. Tehran has long argued that the programme is for civil use only and says it has no plans to an build a nuclear bomb, but that claim has been disputed by the West, with even the head of MI6 stating that the Islamic Republic is on course to develop atomic weapons by 2014.

The Strait of Hormuz has long been disputed territory, with the Iranians claiming control of the region and the entire Persian Gulf.

Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps recently boasted that “any plots of enemies” would be foiled and a heavy price exacted, adding: “We determine the rules of military conflict in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.”

But Leon Panetta, the US defence secretary, warned that Iranian attempts to exercise control over the Strait of Hormuz could be met with force.

He said: “The Iranians need to understand that the United States and the international community are going to hold them directly responsible for any disruption of shipping in that region — by Iran or, for that matter, by its surrogates.”

Mr Panetta said that the United States was “fully prepared for all contingencies” and added: “We’ve invested in capabilities to ensure that the Iranian attempt to close down shipping in the Gulf is something that we are going to be able to defeat if they make that decision.”

That announcement was supported by Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, who added: “We are determined to work as part of the international community effort to ensure freedom of passage in the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz.”

One defence source told The Sunday Telegraph last night: “If it came to war, there would be carnage. The Iranian casualties would be huge but they would be able to inflict severe blows against the US and British.

“The Iranian Republican Guard are well versed in asymmetrical warfare and would use swarm attacks to sink or seriously damage ships. This is a conflict nobody wants, but the rhetoric from Israel is unrelenting.”

The fact that I don't think lockstep rubber stamping of what Netanyahu wants as US policy is a good idea and that I believe that the religious right political elements in the US are opportunistically playing up solidarity with Israel (Disingenuously using certain Judeo Christian religious themes they've invented, which btw I don't think most Jews would find particularly appealing either) in order to bang the war drum and keep the military industrial complex's revenue stream strong, doesn't mean I'm anti-semetic. I'm not sure why your response is to play the anti-semite card on me when there's nothing anti-semetic about my posts.

There are in fact christian rightwing politicians that espouse support policies based on Christian Zionism:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Zionism 

While those policies are supportive of Israel, I'm not sure that most people of Jewish faith or ethnicity would appreciate the brand of Christian theology behind it unless you think that ultimately converting to Christianity is a desirable scenario.

You are going to have to quote or point out what you have referred to. I breezed through the first and second papers, but saw nothing of what you write

I did not say or imply you are anti-semetic.

^16. Anti-Semite card? WTF? Nowhere in that post did I accuse anyone of being anti-Semitic. It's called a joke, and the reason that it is a joke is because there isn't really a Jew convention, get it?

Maybe you're just feeling guilty? I dunno.

My reply was to Mathen