Israel mulling military option against Iran

[Number19]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080807/..._striking_iran

Some excerpts:

"...The Jewish state has purchased 90 F-16I fighter planes that can carry enough fuel to reach Iran...the issue of Iran's nuclear program took on new urgency this week after U.S. officials rejected Tehran's response to an incentives package...Israel, itself an undeclared nuclear power, sees an atomic bomb in Iranian hands as a direct threat to its existence..."

"...in Iran, multiple atomic installations are scattered throughout the country, some underground or bored into mountains — unlike the Iraqi and Syrian installations, which were single aboveground complexes...Israel would have to contend with upgraded Iranian defense capabilities, including 29 new Tor-M1 surface-to-air missile systems Iran purchased from Russia last year in a $700 million deal..."

"...an Israeli strike would require manned aircraft to bombard multiple targets and heavy precision bombs that can blast through underground bunkers — something Israel failed to do in its 2006 war against Hezbollah. It's widely assumed that Israel is seeking to obtain bunker buster bombs, if it hasn't already done so..."

[Liberty Star]

They have been mulling for years now ever since start of Iraq war. They can mull all they want as long don't crash US economy and wnat us to pay for their wars.

From another thread about June 4-6 oil price movements:

Obama's AIPAC speech shocks Arabs

By SANA ABDALLAH (Middle East Times)
Published: June 05, 2008

AMMAN -- Palestinian and Arab hopes were dashed by a speech that U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama gave to a pro-Israeli lobby, in which he promised his full support to Israel and went further by adopting Israeli policy that sees Jerusalem as the "undivided capital" of the Jewish state.

Millions of Arabs were able to watch the address to the powerful American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which was aired live on some Arab television networks, serving as a "rude awakening" that the United States, regardless of its leadership, would continue to favor Israel at the expense of Palestinian and Arab rights.

Arab governments usually remain silent during U.S. elections, officially saying the polls are an internal American affair, but this year they are closely observing and privately taking sides according to foreign policy campaign pledges.

...

"I'll do everything in my power to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Everything," Obama told the pro-Israel lobby at a conference in Washington, only hours after securing his party's nomination"

http://www.metimes.com/International...ks_arabs/9021/


Oil surges $11 to record $138

Last Updated: June 6, 2008: 4:41 PM EDT

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Oil prices shot up nearly $11 a barrel and settled Friday at a record $138.54 on geopolitical jitters, a dollar decline and a forecast that oil would hit $150 by July 4.

Concerns about instability in the Middle East flared after hawkish comments from Israeli Deputy Prime Minister, Shaul Mofaz, about possible attacks on Iran.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/06/news...ion=2008060616


08/06/2008
Mofaz's Iran comments too high a price for party politics

By Yossi Verter, Haaretz Correspondent

Since Kadima's leadership contest has not officially begun, and no date for the primary has even been set, it is hard not to be impressed with the activity of candidate Shaul Mofaz: In a single week, he moved to the Golan Heights, set up a new cabinet and bombed Iran - all with his mouth. The latter move single-handedly caused the sharpest one-day increase in history in the price of a barrel of crude: $11.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/990942.html



Oil price rise sinks market
Dow plunges 394 points as anxious investors jettison stocks

From wire reports
June 7, 2008

NEW YORK - Stocks plunged yesterday, sending the Dow Jones industrials down nearly 400 points, after oil prices shot up by more than $11 a barrel and neared $140 a barrel - and wiped out investors' recent optimism about the economy in the process.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business...,3873878.story

[Perry]

Who cares! Israel is a foreign country. We don't get entangled in foreign affairs remember? As Ron Paul supporters let's not be hypocritical by picking and choosing which foreign affairs we should or shouldn't stick our nose into.
I think we have enough worries with our own leadership.

[auctionguy10]

Who cares! Israel is a foreign country. We don't get entangled in foreign affairs remember? As Ron Paul supporters let's not be hypocritical by picking and choosing which foreign affairs we should or shouldn't stick our nose into.
I think we have enough worries with our own leadership.

Well the problem is that we are already entangled in Israeli's foreign affairs- very heavily. When they are mulling a military option against Iran- you can bet 100% they will have our logistical, financial, and military support. If we weren't involved at all- then it wouldn't be an issue.