Pentagon examining chances of Israeli strike against Iran

While the administration advances on the diplomatic front regarding Iran by bringing the issue to the Security Council, which is expected to declare Iran in violation of nuclear treaty obligations, the Pentagon is looking into the possibility of Israel launching a strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The discussions, which were describes as intelligence-oriented and not policy-oriented, examined the likelihood of an Israeli pre-emptive attack against Iran and the method in which such an attack could be carried out. One of the main questions presented in these discussions was whether Israel would inform the US in advance in case such an attack is to take place and when would such an advance notice be given.

The sources pointed out that it is clear that Israel would have to coordinate with the US forces air control any attempt to fly over Iraq on the way to Iran, if Israel chooses to attack using the shortest route.

Last week, former Israeli Chief of Staff Moshe Ya’alon said in Washington that the West does have a military option against Iran and that a joint US-NATO-Israeli air strike against dozens of nuclear facilities in Iran could set back Teheran’s nuclear programs for several years.

The sources stresses that Ya’alon’s remarks were not the trigger for the Pentagon consultations about a possible Israeli attack but added that there is a sense in the administration that the Iranian issue is gaining urgency.

As scary as it may be, I very strongly doubt that diplomacy will work with Iran. Diplomacy at this point however is not the wrong decision. It will put us in a better position to take military action down the road. It will not be long before the administration will have to make a decision between military action or accepting a nuclear Iran.

Some are saying that the Iranian situation will not be resolved under the Bush administration. I agree with Paul Mirengoff at Powerline.

In my view President Bush will not pass this crisis on to the next administration, in part because that’s not his style and in part because it’s hard to see some of those with the best chance of succeeding Bush resolving the situation.

I would also add that accepting a nuclear Iran is not Bush’s style either. Iran will make this very difficult to resolve without military action. The signs are all there folks. If you can’t see them, you are not looking.

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