ISRAEL'S ambassador to Australia has described his country's military offensives in Gaza as a "preintroduction" to tackling the military threat posed by a nuclear-equipped Iran.
Israeli ambassador Yuval Rotem told a meeting of Sydney's Jewish community yesterday that he expected Iran would soon pose a major nuclear threat.
Seven News reporter Sarah Cummings reported that after telling a camera operator to turn off his camera, Mr Rotem told those gathered he expected Iran to stockpile enough uranium over the next 14 months to "be at the point of no return".
Who will stop Israel? This is a country that is completely out of control, and cannot be contained by anyone. Well, it could be contained by the United States, but for some reason which is an enormous mystery, the United States seems to be Israel's "bitch".
I mean, Israel just does NOT listen to the United States. This was from November 24:
U.S. officials have asked Israel to refrain from launching any major military action in the region during the waning days of the Bush presidency, Israeli sources have told TIME.
And this was the result -- entire villages wiped off the face of the earth:
Although, if you listen to Israel, they did show restraint by not starting World War Three and attacking Iran during this time:
Previously, some Israeli military officials had hinted to the media that if Israel were to carry out its threats to strike at Iranian nuclear installations, it might do so before Barack Obama enters the White House in January. But now a Defense Ministry official says, "We have been warned off."
Gee, thanks, Israel, for being such team players. Not.
Israel has made it very clear they intend to attack Iran. The question is "when", and can they do it without the blessing of the United States?
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- An Israeli Cabinet member said the Jewish state "will attack" Iran if it doesn't halt its efforts to develop nuclear weaponry, according to a newspaper report Friday.
"If Iran continues its program to develop nuclear weapons, we will attack it," Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz told Yediot Ahronot, Israel's largest mass-circulation daily. "The window of opportunity has closed. The sanctions are not effective. There will be no alternative but to attack Iran in order to stop the Iranian nuclear program."
Their actions in Gaza make have sent a strong message to the world, and especially to the United States, that they have no intention of listening to anyone.
They were "shocked and disappointed" back in December of 2007 to learn that Iran might be less of a threat than they had previously hoped. Yes, hoped.
Never mind that an attack on Iran would put tens of thousands of United States military personnel at risk in neighboring Iraq. And never mind that most of the plane to attack Iran involve flying over Iraq, requiring permission of the Americans and, now, the Iraqis. No, never mind that, because the Israelis have it all figured out:
(from December 8, 2008): Last week the United States was reported to have warned Israel against launching any attacks against Iran until after President-elect Barack Obama takes office in January. The report came hot on the heels of the Israeli military’s annual security assessment, which urged the nation to quietly work on plans to launch an attack against Iran while trying to prevent the US from reaching any deals with the Iranian government that would undermine Israel’s agenda.
But Israeli military sources are now suggesting that the nation is drawing up plans for an attack on Iran’s civilian nuclear plant that would not require coordination with the US. The officials described such an attack as difficult, but not impossible to execute without American assistance.
Ah, you would think the new team in Washington would have their hair on fire over this, but no. They seem to be quite ready to support Crazy Uncle Israel do-or-die, business as usual:
The White House warned Iran last night that military action is still one of its options despite the "hand of friendship" offered by President Obama.
Officials moved to cool fevered expectations - and assuage lingering European concerns - about plans to thaw a 30 year freeze in US relations ....
Asked if the use of force was still possible, he replied: "The President hasn't changed his viewpoint that he should preserve all his options." Mr Gibbs added that the US needed to address Iran's sponsorship of terrorism and its threats against Israel, as well as an "illicit nuclear programme".
Because dontchaknow, Iran is the boogeyman. Iran, who hasn't attacked any of its neighbors in (hmm, let me think ...) quite a long time ... compared to Israel, who just slaughtered a whole LOT of its neighbors just a couple of weeks ago.
So who is the threat to world peace?
Who is the "Rogue State"?
Who needs to be contained?
It's not Iran.
I'll just end this with a nice little news report about how the Israelis, in their recent orgy of violence into Gaza, went out of their way to destroy the residents' ability to feed themselves -- deliberately bulldozing citrus farms, destroying fields of 75-year old fruit trees, and bombing strawberry farms. The people of Gaza can't even grow their own food now, thanks to the IDF.
Gaza farmers devastated by war
What is the world going to do about Israel? And what are we going to do about our own country, who continues to support this threatening and exceedingly dangerous behavior?