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Unfinished Business

Israeli Army Radio via JPost: Bush intends to attack Iran before his term ends.  Bush admin; no, we don’t. 

The White House on Tuesday flatly denied an Army Radio report that claimed US President George W. Bush intends to attack Iran before the end of his term. It said that while the military option had not been taken off the table, the Administration preferred to resolve concerns about Iran’s push for a nuclear weapon “through peaceful diplomatic means.”

Army Radio had quoted a top official in Jerusalem claiming that a senior member in the entourage of President Bush, who concluded a trip to Israel last week, had said in a closed meeting here that Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were of the opinion that military action against Iran was called for.

The official reportedly went on to say that “the hesitancy of Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice” was preventing the administration from deciding to launch such an attack on the Islamic Republic for the time being.

The Army Radio report, which was quoted by The Jerusalem Post and resonated widely, stated that according to assessments in Israel, the recent turmoil in Lebanon, where Hizbullah has de facto established control of the country, was advancing an American attack.

“Called for” and gonna do it are two very different things. It’s entirely called for. Strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and Quds Force training camps and headquarters. Any more crap out of Iran, and follow-on strikes on the oil and transportation infrastructure Iran uses to support and facilitate terrorism in Iraq and elsewhere. It’s long overdue.

There’s the matter of Iraq, where Iran is most likely to respond. American and Iraqi troops have to be ready, and in fact are probably already well positioned as a result of recent initiatives in Baghdad and Basra. Any normal nation would have expelled diplomats from a nation that was actively fomenting violence and factionalism within its borders. Iraq may be inching in that direction but probably isn’t there yet. But Iraq isn’t anything like a normal nation yet.

As a matter of domestic U.S. politics, it’s a dicey matter. The ground has to be prepared and timing and message are everything.  None of which have really been the Bush admin’s strongest suits. The hardcore Obamists will fret and froth no matter how much sense it makes. It’s a question of whether moderates are pushed into that camp. Does it work as an October surprise, or a May, June, July, August or September one? Like everything else in the last eight years, the best guess is, who knows?

Israel Matzav thinks stupid Obama statements make it more likely.  I hope they are not basing any decisions on what comes out of that guy’s mouth.

Topics: Iran

  Posted by Jules Crittenden at 10:30 am on Tuesday, May 20, 2008

5 Responses to “Unfinished Business”

1. Blogs of War: Army Radio in Israel: Bush Plans to Attack Iran Before Term Ends Says:
   May 20th, 2008 at 11:38 am

   [...] III: Jules Crittenden is ready: “Called for” and gonna do it are two very different things. It’s entirely called for. [...]

2. Fatty Bolger Says:
   May 20th, 2008 at 2:17 pm

   “I hope they are not basing any decisions on what comes out of that guy’s mouth.”

   That’s for sure.

   “They [Iran] don’t pose a serious threat to us.”
   - Barack Obama, 05/18/2008

   “I’ve made it clear for years that the threat from Iran is grave.”
   - Barack Obama, 05/19/2008

   http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives2/2008/05/020554.php

3. Robert Says:
   May 20th, 2008 at 2:37 pm

   I may be wrong, but I think this is wishful thinking on the part of some Israelis. I very seriously doubt, if Bush has any plan to attack Iran unless the Iranians do something like send tanks into Basra.

4. Plumb Bob Blog » War With Iran? Says:
   May 20th, 2008 at 3:22 pm

   [...] against Iranian supply lines into Iraq have been “called for” for years. However, as Jules Crittenden points out, “‘Called for’ and gonna do it are two very different things.” He also [...]

5. Michael Lonie Says:
   May 21st, 2008 at 12:59 am

   Nothing will be done to prevent the Iranian Islamic Republic from getting nukes.

   When they get nukes the’ll toss some at Tel Aviv to destroy Israel. I can only pray that Israel’s anti-missile defenses work to thwart that. They also intend to destroy the US and Britain, I suspect they plan a massive, clandestine series of simultaneous nuke terror attacks. I can only pray we break the conspiracy before it acts.

   Nuclear retaliation will then fry Iran.

   If the Iranians don’t want to be fried they must overthrow the Pharaohs of Tehran now, as soon as possible. Waiting until they’ve got nukes will be too late. The Iranians put those genocidal swine into power, the Iranians’ consent, active or passive, keeps them in power, the primary responsibility for removing them rests with the Iranians. Act or die.

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