nuclear-news

Don’t let’s attack Iran, let USA do it – says former Israeli Prime Minister

Former Israeli PM calls for U.S. to lead any Iran strike April 30, 2012 – (CNN) — If international efforts to halt Iran’s nuclear program fail, any military action against Tehran should be led not by Israel, but by the United States, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said this week.
“The last resort is a military action,” Olmert told “CNN
International’s Amanpour” in an interview that was shot Sunday and
aired Monday. “And I prefer that it would be an American action —
supported by the international community — if all the other efforts
would fail.”
Olmert added that the U.S. government should also decide on the extent
and the scope of any military action. “Israel certainly could be part
of the effort, but Israel should not lead it,” he said.
Olmert’s comments came days after the former head of the Shin Bet,
Israel’s internal security service, slammed Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak for their handling of Iran,
saying neither inspires confidence…..
Olmert said there is no immediate need for military action against
Tehran. “I know one thing: that the Iranian leadership has not gone
beyond a certain line for the time being of developing the nuclear
program,” he said. “And that shows that they are at least thoughtful,
which means that they are not rushing, but they are calculating their
steps.”….
In addition, “all the assessments made by all the intelligence
agencies that I’ve heard — and I’ve heard all of them — is that Iran
will react and that may trigger a regional war in the Middle East,
which would impact the stability of the Middle East, the economic
situation, which would have far-reaching consequences.”
Olmert also implied that he did not trust the current leaders of
Israel to make the right decisions. ….. remarks by Israel’s top
general, who said last week that Iran is led by “very rational people”
and doesn’t appear poised to build a nuclear bomb.
Iran “is going step by step to the place where it will be able to
decide whether to manufacture a nuclear bomb,” Chief of Staff Lt. Gen.
Benny Gantz told Israel’s Haaretz newspaper. “It hasn’t yet decided
whether to go the extra mile.”….
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/30/world/meast/israel-iran-us/index.html

May 1, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general