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Admiral James Winnefeld

Top US military official visits Israel

Admiral James Winnefeld expected to meet with defense establishment, IDF colleagues. Among issues up for discussion: Iran, upcoming joint military drill

The US Army's vice chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff secretly arrived in Israel just days after Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey declared that he did not want to be complicit in any Israeli strike against Iran,

 

Admiral James Winnefeld, who is in Israel for a working visit, has been holding a series of meetings with his IDF and defense establishment counterparts on Israeli security and defense issues. The senior officer is the guest of his counterpart Brigadier General Yair Naveh.

 

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During his visit, Winnefeld is receiving up to date reviews of the current situation in the Middle East. The Iranian issue, which is a source of discord between Washington and Jerusalem, is set to be one of the issues which will be discussed.

 

Last week General Dempsey reiterated his stance that the IDF cannot stop Iran's nuclear program, Dempsey added, "I don't want to be complicit if they (Israel) choose to do it."

 

Even before that Dempsey stressed that an Israeli strike against Iran's nuclear facilities could only delay its nuclear program. He told Britain's The Guardian that an attack would "clearly delay but probably not destroy Iran's nuclear program".

 

Winnefeld's visit will be followed by another visit from a senior US Army official. Next week Lieutenant General Craig Franklin, who currently serves as the commander of the 3rd Air Force, US Air Forces Europe, is due to arrive.

 

Franklin's visit is meant to prepare the ground for the joint military drill between the IDF and the US army which is set to take place next month.

 

Last week Time magazine published a report claiming that the Americans significantly downsized the drill.

 

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 09.06.12, 11:02
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