According to one report, whose credibility I can't yet confirm, Ashkenazi was snubbed, unable to meet with either Defense Sec. Gates or his counterpart, Joint Chiefs head Mullen. Ashkenazi wanted to talk about the Iranian threat, but that runs counter to today's "outreach" to Iran. On a related note, Stuart Levey, who's headed the sanctions group in Treasury (dealing primarily with Iran and Syria) is out. Again, "outreach" seems to be the over-arching policy.

Don't kid yourselves. As long as the closet Muslim Obama is president of the U.S. it will never happen. In fact he is right now doing everything he can to weaken Israel, little by little. I hope I am wrong in what I believe to be true.

The muslim obama is not only trying to weaken Israel, but he is trying to weaken the USA. He wants to eliminate most of our nuclear weapons and he wants to stop funding the F22 among other weapons programs. This president is going to be the downfall of the USA and Israel and possibly the Judeo-Christian West.

power i.e the Bushy boy i.e Joke W. Bush ?

it seams that you ass hole know better than the rest of the American people ha?

You give him way too much credit and power. He is only a man. He can only go as far as the TRUE power, the ALL powerful El Shaddai, blessed be He, allows him to go.

I don't think Israel should depend on the fickle countries of the European Union or the United States (whose president wishes to ease ties to Iran). Time to give serious consideration to an exercise of Israel's military options. Obviously, it would not be a one-time lightning raid similar to that conducted on the Osirac reactor. But it can be done. Iran's air force and its defenses are old and out of date. The longer we wait; the worse the situation will become. It is time for Israel to assert her role as the pre-eminent power in the Middle East. To hell with what the Europeans or Americans think, or say. It's all talk anyway; everyone will breathe a sigh of relief once the Iranian threat is eliminated. It's not like Israel isn't already subject to unpopular press --- so it gets a little worse. So what? At least the Iranian threat -- which is the most serious one to Israel -- will have been dealt with. And three months after the fact, everyone will have forgotten.

Iran isn't just a threat to Israel its a threat to most of Europe now as Iran increases the range of its rockets. They are after ICBM range so one day the US could find itself with an Iranian ICBM with a nuclear warhead pointed at it. Israel can damage the nuclear program delaying it a little while but the US can destroy it once and for all. If the US needs an excuse to carry out air strikes without wanting to look like the argresor then let Israel take the first strike and provke Iran to hitting back and the US will feel they cannot sit back allow Iran to attack Israel as they have at least 2 carrier fleets on Irans front door. A few tomohawk missiles, air strikes from F/A 18s & B52 bombers within a week the US could have wiped out most the Iranian conventional military and turn their nuclear one into a dream that never came true. A responsible US president would consider something like this because they would know this goes way beyond Israel and their own interests are threatened as well. Israel is just the only one making an issue out of the Iranian issue but its not the only one who will be affected by a nuclear Iran and we have been playing the diplomacy and sanctions game for years now and its not gone anywhere. Iran continues to develop its nuclear program, we say here is a very reasonable offer if you agree to end the program. Iran says we will never end it. Then we say ok Iran its sanctions time and Iran then says we want to give diplomacy another chance and we go round and round in cirlces. We also have China & Russia who will use their Security Council veto to block any serious sanctions that are going to do any real harm to Iran. Air strikes are a one off action which destroys the entire program overnight, no more diplomacy games once its over its over. We are also not talking about sending a single US soilder into Iran just bombing runs carried out by superior US aircraft & cruise missiles.

You did not adequately consider the Russian element. Moscow will not sit idly by while Israel or US or anyone else attacks thier business partner. This is why GWB would not give Israel the air codes. The US is too bogged down in Iraq and Afghan wars to deal with a even a small event like Georgia, let alone a full Iran/Russian conflict vs Israel/US. The US and Isreal must rely on back-door efforts to undermine Iranian progress due to resource and logistic realities, as well as political vulnerability. The US certainly cannot afford the embarrassment a failure in Iran would cause. 1) The facilities in Iran are well distributed, numerous, buried and not all locations are known. At best, we could hope to set them back 5 years, while risking Iran taking a proxy role for Russia, China, or DPRK, or perhaps military action will provide the final incentive for radical groups to actually form a united front. 2) It is unlikely any effective change in Iranian government or policy would result, and rather the reverse is more likely. 3) The US would face the united opposition of Russia and China in the security council; Giving Russia and China a cause to unite against US interests would be the greatest strategic blunder in 50 years. This is not to mention Russian ships in the Med, with port agreements immediately to our north. Do we want Russian supplies going to Hezbollah too? Already Putin moves in all directions, desperate to increase energy agreements and petrol dollars. It is money he is after, and he will not sit idly by while anyone threatens his income.

Israel will no longer rely on the US or Europe to bail it's sorry **s out of the numerous conflicts it instigates but will do battle on it own. 'Israel the pre-eminent power in the ME' will take out Iran on it's own. Go get em Sarah. Our young people will no longer be sacrificial lambs at the alter of Israel's greed and stupidity.

The Iranians have made it painfully obvious that if Israel attacks,them, they will hold the US personally responsible and with 150,000 of our young men and women still bogged down in Iraq and a hair's breath away from Iran, it's not rocket science, who will bear the brunt of Iran's retaliatory response. Israel might be willing to sacrifice OUR young men and women but Obama will never. Go grow a brain!

as long as he wasn't Bush last year. The planets were aligned for the democrats and he still did relatively badly....

do you want to publish ads about the strike? how silly you are. You must comment on the strikes, years after they took place, Schmuck !!!

The Shalit family has every right to press for his relative to be released, who woudnt, but to free Schalit, the soldier, in an exchange for terrorists, sends the wrong message, it is telling Israels enemies that terror works, and to try to kidnap more soldiers and civilians, it is an open invitation to keep doing it, how many lives are going to be lost by the action of the terrorists freed, to get one soldier back. Make Hammas pay, make every minute they keep Shalit unbeareable, to the Leaders and the population, send world public opinion to jump in a lake

There is only Christian West so from where you came up with this term ??? stop the BS ,the West is no Judeo , it's only Christian.

"At least the Iranian threat -- which is the most serious one to Israel -- will have been dealt with. And three months after the fact, everyone will have forgotten"

78% of American Jews voted for Hussein Obama. Question: Are those Jews (A) sorry; (B) very sorry; (C) realizing they signed their own destruction warrant; or (D) blissfully unaware that they cheered and elected the man who will probably accomplish his goal: Dismantling the USA and Israel as we have known them. I hate hamas, but they might be right about one thing: American Jews, as a group, might indeed be stupid. After hamas publically endorsed Hussein; after Hussein palled around with Rashid Khalidi PLO operative.... Jews STILL voted for him. So why are Jews shocked now that Hussein is giving $900 million to Hamas? You get what you vote for. Someone please tell the Jews in south Florida that Hussein is a marxist who doesn't like the USA very much, and apparently doesn't like Israel very much either. I'm a Christian, yet at least once every week, I have to lecture American Jews and explain all this to them. Why do I know more than they do on this topic? Why are they so naive?

Gates and Mullen need to keep their heads up after so many American soldiers killed in Iraq and the trillions of dollars spend for the war and they are looking very hard to come out of this mess respectfully and thats what Iran is giving them providing America gives up on Israel and accepts an Islamic Revoloutionary goverments rule without Americas interfer. OK ,but what about Israel? Do we owe America the security of Isreal? We were and maybe are still the most important ally for America but looks like Iran is getting ahead of Israel and thats what happening today. Sooner or later the reality will shows up and things will get tough, but Israel has no other choice than makes sure Iran won't become an atomic power and there is no but's or if's and the Jews all over the world know that. There are many tough desicions to be made in a near future for Both Isreal and America.

An irrational nuclear Iran in the region is not conceivable. A stable nuclear balance of power/balance of terror in the Middle East would be out of the question (nuclear proliferation in the M.E. could never create the same sort of stable equilibrium that was once obtained between the USA and USSR). Israel must remain the region’s only nuclear power. Moreover, Iran's program should not become a powerful proliferation driver, building on regional rivalry security concerns and one-upmanship. More at : http://xrl.us/h8ydt

now that iran has treaties with russia, after israel hits, russia will have to respond, if nothing else, to show the rest of the arab world that they too have some power and might.... then we have the EZEK 38-39 set up.... When russia attacks israel the LORD, HIMSELF will wip russia like a red headed step child....leaving only a 6th part....... it already been written......

on what is going in Iran, is Khatami's anouncement that he is dropping out of race. to me this is an indication of the clerics stating we are going to establish a very hard line additude towards any negoitations and watch the Obama spin his wheels. Then again maybe Khatami has a health issue and it is not that he was told to drop out.

Immediately, I have only been trying to tell people this for 9 years now. America in the 80s went through a "conservative revolution" fostered by the Reagan "awakening". In short - these guys are ultra patriot xitian zealots who equate prosperity to "blessing" and loss to "disfavor" with their jesus deity. This whole philosophical paradigm culminated in the Presidency of GWB. These evangelical dominionist have suffered what they perceive great tragedy and loss in the form of loss of power, wealth and authority, mostly political and financial. president Obama in an attempt to be pragmatic and garner acceptance from the very evangelical community that finds him repulsive for racial reasons, has retained many of the "Neo-Cons" in key posts. I am telling you if the state of Israel makes even one move that can even be remotely twisted or perceived as uppity, rebellious, rude or disobedient, these last remaining key evangelicals are going to promote a complete "containment surge" by further exerting martial implements and instruments already positioned at an ever growing financial expenditure. In other words the acts of "perfidious Jews" will just validate the polemic so clearly stated in their Holy Books and will provide them and opportunity to regain favor and ascension. It's like the line in the movie Schindlers list where the SS General says "that's what Jews do, they weather the storm" and the other SS guy replies "ah yes but this storm is different, this storm is the SS"

that Iran plans a lunar mission in 2021? the mission objectives are to prove the Sun doesn't exist and establish a base from which to attack Jew-piter. HA!! i love that one.

what a load of crap, WHERE will the tanker aircraft come from ??? You only have 2 WHERE will the CSAR coverage come from when flying over IRAQ ?..both direcions .. WHERE will the IFF Codes come from (those u may have), the EFF you could do with UAV's IF you overfly IRAQ/US bases.. in December you had to wait for the shipment of the bombs from Baltimore before you atacked south, this cannot happen in a vacuum and like that shipment cannot happen without the US who I dont belive wants war with IRAQ..

Just be patient and wait for that time soon or late will happen and when they will start the entire Sunniest nations going to be involve and they will destroy each others ,

I decided I better talk to G*d you know the guy that helped Moses Joshua well he told me this is highly confidential but that THE SYRIANS ARE THE NASTYS and so the IRANS ARE THE GOOD GUYS LIKE ISRAEL... I suggest you believe me G*d hold off any pre emptive strikes against Iran over aledged nuclear weapons and so strike go to war with Syria Hizbulah Hamas who are backed solely by Syria not by Iran also too SYRIA FEEDS ISRAEL FALSE INFORMATION TO MISLEAD YOU THUS EVENTUALY GET YOU NUKED IN 10 20 YEARS ... I got this straight from G*d so you better believe it... other wise you will may be NUKED ANNIHILATED BY BELIEVING SYRIA FED FALSE INFORMATION ABOUT IRAN... it is Syria who are the nastys the bad guys not Iran SO SIMPLE WHY IS IT ONLY I SEE ANALYZE UNDERSTAND IT SYRIA BAD IRAN GOOD WAKE UP ISRAEL FIGURE IT OUT RIGHT ALSO TOO... OTHER WISE BOOM NUKED BY YOUR OWN MISTAKES LIKE 39 - 45 ONLY FAR F A R WORSE RIGHT ??? Thank You... M. S.

If Israel wants to do what it wants to do and you people want it to do what it wants to do. Go to Israel. Live over there, stay over there and do it with your own damn money. I'm fed up with MY tax money being shipped off to AIG and the likes of places like Israel. And if Israel gets into that mess they won't be able to finish it. It will obviously open a big can of worms and America will break it's back trying to pull the country back out of harms way.

The question is you and your military don't have the balls to do it and that's why you went to the US to beg them to do it. They snubbed you and you left. End of story.

You say: "Air strikes are a one off action which destroys the entire program overnight, no more diplomacy games once its over its over." I think it would be very hopeful to expect air raids to destroy the entire program overnight. The Iranians are not stupid, they will have hidden and disguised nuclear facilities, not to mention deep underground installations. They are not going to be easily wiped away. I wish it were that easy.