That's why they are pushing Obama to do it. They know that the US Air force is the only Air force that has strategic capabilities to level Iran without nukes. Israel has a great tactical Air force if not one of the best in the world, however it lacks strategic depth.

we can see what value an air force gerneal like halutz's opinion is worth-notmuch. -like baidetz who wanted to return golan to syria for peace, both ends being of no trusted value to israel since syria will not be a friendly state no matter if assad is replaced as historic assyrian enmity is consistent with modern behaviour. like barak who signed off on paintball guns to the marmora and who ran from lebanon, and was against nuclear reactor hits. -ashkenazi is flat wrong no matter the price tag-first it is more israeli than it was ever syrian- second the plateau offers some advantage as well space for fighting. Ashkenazi is wrong in his thinking. Generals do not make good national leaders. I have doubts of the senior officer's opinion. Israel can set iran back 3 years wiht sustained cruise missile and airplane strikes.

Do you think, a nuclear armed Iran is in the very own interest of the USA (not Barakeh Hussein Obama)?

The Iranian nuclear program can be seriously disrupted. The senior IDF officer is simply blowing smoke. Without employment of nuclear weapons, the enrichment facilities can be disabled through repeated hits with the bunker busters; the accuracy of alignment of the rotating hardware is critical. With a nuke its fairly straightforward. Don't forget though the need to pay attention to Pu production and reprocessing; a few kinetic weapons could disrupt now w/o spread of much radioactivity. Clandestine insertion of boots on the ground could be considered also. Qn. for leaders is it worth the sacrifice. Don't pay attention to NYT or others re: upsetting Obama's re election plans. When will Israel wise up. Progressives are not your friends.

Disabling Iran's national power grid would give the biggest bang per Sheqel.

The capabilities of the IAF is limited. The bombing of the Iraqi reactor (which in itself was miraculous) was child's play compared to taking out Iran's facilities. with regard to Iranian nuclear facilities hidden deep in the mountains, there really is no Israeli military option. As for bunker-busters (even if Israel had them), now you're really off track. Israel has no heavy bombers that could carry the bombs heavy enough to take out nuclear facilities buried in a mountain. The only bunker-busters F-15s can carry are far smaller/lighter and SLCMs (sub launched cruise missiles) would also be ineffective. Only the USAF can do the job.

It is inconcevable that a high level Israeli officer would reveal highly secret cabinet discussions on such a sensitive subject to any outsider not to speak of a magazine like Time. Unless there is a hidden military/political objective by either the US or Israel or both to fool Iran or to follow in the footsteps of former Mossad chief Meir Dagan in trying to get Israeli public opinion to oppose any assumed government plan to preemptively attack Iran`s nuclear sites.

Report: IDF officer told cabinet 'we can't stop Iran nuke program' Time magazine says senior officer told ministers last fall strike on Iran would delay nuclear program by no more than a year Comment - If this is not for show only this senior officer is an imbecille. Israel has the Means to totaly stop Irans Nuclear program for to attain Nuces, and Israel will do just that. Arn.Sweden.

Too many big time players have an interest in making sure it never happens. How we reach that point is up for conjecture. I still think the Iranians will screw up in the Gulf and bring the wrath of Allah against themselves.

lem.... and by implication/extension USA job. Israel must maintain a MAD deterent . Iranians must know any false move and Teheran and all other main Iranian Cities will be vapourised.Its like the US and USSR Cold War.There must be no ifs or buts. I dont believe Iran wants that ,no matter how much they say they will not lose much... they will lose PLENTY. Remember Pakistan also has Atomics and they are Muslim.They are infested with Taliban and other Terror types-but nobody gets excited. They are as much a danger if not more so ... look at the Mumbai Hotel Terror strike! Its not an ideal situation (admittedly) but its practical to limit action to vigilence and counterstrike!

sorry but no !!!! israel hasn't the means !!!!

Israel certainly has the capability to seriously disrupt/destroy Iran's nuclear ambitions. You underestimate Israel's military capabilities. Iran is vulnerable to both coventional and non-conventional means of response. Do you really think the military has been sitting on its collective thumb lo these months?

...state itself and tear it down from top to bottom, from the bottom to the top, stripping Iran of it's economy and wasting it's leaders on all levels. Also a successful attack implies attacking nuclear scientists which is already happening. Another way is to cripple Iran's entire defense - radar installations, computer programs, with computer viruses turning Iran's missiles and rockets onto itself. Another way is to carpet bomb every square inch of Iran with nukes. Another way is to kidnap Iranian scientists and pump them on useful info. There is no lack of ideas of how to attack Iran. Unless this IDF officer's statement is just for show, like Arn from Sweden said, this IDF officer is an imbecile.

OF EARTH AND SO ON... IRANIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS THE/A BUSINESS OF THE IRANIAN PEOPLE. FOR EXAMPLE THE UNITED STATES, ''ISRAEL ALSO HAVE A NUCLEAR ARSENAL SINCE 1945/1948 RESPECTIVELY A.S.O... VIVA SUCH AN INSTITUTION AS THE ENTIRE UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION AND THE PLANET OF EARTH WITH IT''S COMPLETE POPULATION/PEOPLE A.S.O...

...no one believes Israel has the capability to deliver a decisive blow to Iran's nuclear program. Hence their continued whining and begging to both the US and others to do it for them. But the US is, quite rightly, reluctant. Far away, powerful US isn't at risk no matter what Iran does--nor are US leaders as paranoid as Israeli leaders At the end of the day this will be resolved by Iran sending nuclear materials abroad and Iran will be greatly rewarded for it--Iran doesn't want a nuclear weapon, they just want the goodies that are going to come from having the Israelis think Iran wants a nuclear weapon.

You dont knowe anything about War, as this Senior Officer cant leave his old manner of thinking. This comming War will make and end of older Military thinking regarding Tactic and Strateg, and change War forever. By Ignorant. Arn.sweden.

Why would this so-cfalled "officer" talk to a viorulently anti-Israel publication?

can do the job. Don't kid yourself.

the nature of the question determines the answer. this discussion centres around the effectiveness of an airstrike on iran's known nuclear facilities, and whether such an airstrike will delay iran's nuclear programme by (at least) 2 years. but the question itself is flawed. a direct attack on a hardened target doesn't have a high chance of success, and the broken toys can be replaced fairly easily. but there may be softer targets, harder to replace elements (such as expert personnel), and more effective means of attacking them. and then there's the issue of why 2 years? it's a rather arbitrary figure. perhaps it should be 5 years? or 1 year? even assuming that it's based on some solid reason, like the deployment of new weapons, that presupposes that those weapons will be delivered on time, which is not a good assumption, and that they will perform as planned, which is rarely the case in combat. but the biggest flaw in this thinking is that it begs the question: what's the alternative? will it be easier, or less risky, for the idf to handle a nuclear-armed iran?

israel MUST pay attention to president obama's re-election plans. or, more accurately, israel must be seen to not interfere in the election, because to do otherwise is self-defeating. any hint of meddling would only give obama's campaign support, from the natural reflex to protect a sitting president against attack by outsiders. and it would only give more ammunition to the anti-semites who blame israel and the jews for everything. let's hope that israel's leaders understand this, and don't do anything that can be seen as interfering in any way.

how might (ret) gen. ashkenazi have answered the question: "would the threat of a single strike on the mosque at qom, rendering it inaccessible for 10,000 years, deter the regime in tehran for at least 2 years?"

not comment 9, do not underestimate anything "'we can not stop Iran nuke program" does not come out of his mouth but from your own army ! or maybe you know more than your generls "Do you really think the military has-been sitting on ITS collective thumb thesis lo months"? no one thinks so, but the Iranians also are not sat idly by! iran is fantastic he buried her in the shelter her N UKE facility , foiled stuxnet, the assassination. congratulations to this proud nation, yes bravo!

in the same way that a massive attack on the Wailing Wall inaccessible for 10 000 years! !

...God will take-care of it! Again, it's interesting that 90% of Iran is on major earthquake fault-lines. Just something to ponder over. God bless Israel; praying for the peace of Jerusalem!

I.A.F. to buy the F-15s they need for an attack. Just take out the iranian government, police and the r.guards. Also their air force, navy and missiles. If we have to spend $10b to equip the air force and another couple of billion for more anti missile systems, it is worth it. Better than giving away money to non Zionist groups.