U.S. refuses Israel weapons to attack Iran

[Scurrilous]

Source: Reuters

<snip>

"The United States has turned down Israeli requests for military hardware to help it prepare for a possible attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, a frontpage report in Israel's Haaretz newspaper said on Wednesday.

The unsourced report said the Americans had warned Israel against carrying out any such attack and had refused to supply offensive military hardware. Instead they had offered to improve the Jewish state's defences against surface-to-surface missiles.

Interviewed on Israeli Army Radio, Defence Minister Ehud Barak did not deny the Haaretz story, but refused to discuss it. "It would not be right to talk about these things," Barak said.

The West accuses Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies this and says its nuclear programme is only to generate electricity. It has vowed to retaliate against Israel and the United States if attacked.

Israel, which is believed to have the Middle East's only atomic arsenal, says a nuclear-armed Iran could threaten its existence."

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKLD44338120080813

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U.S. puts brakes on Israeli plan for attack on Iran nuclear facilities

<snip>

"The American administration has rejected an Israeli request for military equipment and support that would improve Israel's ability to attack Iran's nuclear facilities.

A report published last week by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) states that military strikes are unlikely to destroy Iran's centrifuge program for enriching uranium.

The Americans viewed the request, which was transmitted (and rejected) at the highest level, as a sign that Israel is in the advanced stages of preparations to attack Iran. They therefore warned Israel against attacking, saying such a strike would undermine American interests. They also demanded that Israel give them prior notice if it nevertheless decided to strike Iran.

As compensation for the requests it rejected, Washington offered to improve Israel's defenses against surface-to-surface missiles.

Israel responded by saying it reserves the right to take whatever action it deems necessary if diplomatic efforts to halt Iran's nuclearization fail."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1010938.html

[Bob Dobbs]

1. Total prevarication.

We've already supplied them with more than enough to do the job, and will be using them as cover when we do it ourselves.

World War III, ho!

[jeff30997]

2. "Israel, which is believed to have the Middle East's only atomic arsenal"

Which is believed to?

Mordechai Vanunu spilled the beans back in 1986!

There's nothing to be believed here they have Nukes and lots of them:

Article from 2004:

"Mordechai Vanunu, it seems, can only be loved or loathed. Indifference to the former Israeli nuclear technician is impossible. For he is the man who, in 1986, took evidence to The Sunday Times of the full story behind Israel's secret nuclear weapons plant at Dimona in the Negev desert, complete with the total number of advanced fission bombs there - 200 at the time - and, even more disturbingly, complete with pictures. He said that Israel had mastered a thermonuclear design and appeared to have a number of thermonuclear bombs ready for use. He was subsequently lured by a girl from London to Rome and then kidnapped, drugged and freighted back to Israel by Israeli secret policemen. But in just six weeks' time, after 18 years of imprisonment - 12 of them in solitary confinement - the world's most famous whistleblower is scheduled for release."

Those are facts: Israel as a massive arsenal of nuclear weapons.

[Hulk]

3. Wouldn't it be something if WE DIDN'T provide the weapons for war???

That's our #1 export, however. That's the reason our economy is still running. We make bombs, Humvee's, flack jackets, guns, bullets, missiles, jet fighters....all of it. And we export "death" to the world.

We must be so proud. We truly are #1...at something.

[Magleetis]

5. Yep

As I have said before, we are the death star.

[maddezmom]

4. US against strike on Iran: Israeli defence minister

US against strike on Iran: Israeli defence minister 2 hours, 29 minutes ago

JERUSALEM (AFP) - The United States is at present opposed to any military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said on Wednesday.

"The position of the United States is well known. They do not want, for the time being, any (military) action against Iran," Barak told army radio.

"Our position is that no option is to be taken off the table but in the meantime we have to make diplomatic progress," he said.

Israel, the region's sole if undeclared nuclear armed power, considers Iran its main strategic threat because of its atomic drive, which Israel and its US ally suspect is aimed at developing weapons.

Iran has repeatedly denied the allegations, insisting its the programme is aimed solely at providing electricity for its growing population when its fossils fuels run out.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080813/wl_mideast_afp/irannuclearpoliticsisraelus_080813140221;_ylt=AvYvbELZt2WDMcxu.N7dQMGaOrgF

[Purveyor]

6. This wouldn't be propaganda to fake out the Iranians into lowering their defences now would it? n/t

[wvbygod]

7. No

Iran has no defenses that would even slow down Israel or the USA.

[happygoluckytoyou]

8. psssst....israel.....ask again after Nov 4....