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| Obama warns Netanyahu: Don't surprise me with Iran strike | ||||
| 2009-05-14 | ||||
| U.S. President Barack Obama has sent a message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding that Israel not surprise the U.S. with an Israeli military operation against Iran. The message was conveyed by a senior American official who met in Israel with Netanyahu, ministers and other senior officials. Earlier, Netanyahu's envoy visited Washington and met with National Security Adviser James Jones and with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and discussed the dialogue Obama has initiated with Tehran. The message from the American envoy to the prime minister reveals U.S. concern that Israel could lose patience and act against Iran. It is important to the Americans that they not be caught off guard and find themselves facing facts on the ground at the last minute. Obama did not wait for his White House meeting with Netanyahu, scheduled for next Monday, to deliver his message, but rather sent it ahead of time with his envoy.
The American concern that Israel will attack Iran came up as early as last year, while president George W. Bush was still in office. As first reported in Haaretz, former prime minister Ehud Olmert and Barak made a number of requests from Bush during the latter's visit to Jerusalem, which were interpreted as preparations for an aerial attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Following the Bush visit to Jerusalem, about a year ago the previous administration sent two senior envoys, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, and the former U.S. national intelligence chief Mike McConnell to demand that Israel not attack Iran. The previous administration also gave the message greater weight through Mullen's public statement that an Israeli attack on Iran would endanger the entire region. Since that statement, Mullen has met a number of times with his Israeli counterpart, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi. | ||||
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #24 Israel and Kurdish Iraq are are great friends, according to the rumours. I seem to recall stories of Mossad agents helping the Peshmerga in undefined ways. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-05-14 23:48 |
| #23 I, for one, am not looking forward to an Israeli destruction of Iranian nuke plants. It has to be done but I don't think we will enjoy the aftermath. The Onus is on the US and Europe for not putting a stop to the Iranian quest for nuclear weapons long ago. It should be obvious to anyone that talking to Iran does not accomplish anything. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2009-05-14 18:23 |
| #22 The Turks better pay attention too. I wonder how Israeli-Armenian and Israeli-Kurdish relations look these days? Everyone has neighbors - it pays to be nice to them. |
| Posted by: Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division 2009-05-14 16:56 |
| #21 Very interesting comments here, but perhaps POTUS O has essentially announced that Israel will attack Iran, and he won't be surprised. What other answer could he expect from Bibi? The IDF says you give us passage or we go the slightly longer way (Jordan/Saudi airspace) - how's that Libya/France thing working out, speaking of going the long way? |
| Posted by: Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division 2009-05-14 16:54 |
| #20 If he's surprised by an Israeli attack on Iran he really is a dumbass. Does he really think they should just sit and wait for the Iranians to nuke them? |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2009-05-14 16:06 |
| #19 U.S. President Barack Obama has sent a message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding that Israel not surprise the U.S. with an Israeli military operation against Iran. I'll tell you what, BO: Do your job and they won't have to "surprise" you. Perhaps what you are really worried about is that if Israel has to attack Iran then it would raise too many questions about your administration's efficacy? |
| Posted by: gorb 2009-05-14 15:09 |
| #18 Cockles. Heart. Warm. Soon, I hope, RJ. :-D |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2009-05-14 14:39 |
| #17 Now that we're on the subject, I see Israel blowing the Iranian nuke plant to atoms with conventional ezplosives leaving a radioactive junk heap, Time frame unknown. But I'm sure the plans are already worked out. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2009-05-14 14:07 |
| #16 NO. in fact I'm looking forward to it. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2009-05-14 14:04 |
| #15 A rhetorical question in reply to the post title: Would anyone here be very suprised if Israel attacked Iran? |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2009-05-14 13:59 |
| #14 Has Obama cut off information to Israel? Lack of communication 'not normal practice' Posted: May 10, 2009 6:10 pm Eastern By Aaron Klein © 2009 WorldNetDaily Barack Obama JERUSALEM – Unlike the Bush administration, the staff of President Obama is not coordinating its policy on Iran or the greater Middle East with Israel and has not been informing the Jewish state of its plans or recent diplomatic developments in the Mideast, according to sources in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office. Since you will not talk to Israel, why should they talk to you? |
| Posted by: Zorba Sponter1623 2009-05-14 13:31 |
| #13 If I was Israel, I woudn't say thing to Barry. His track record of betrayal and under-bus-throwing would put the operation (and Israel) at risk. |
| Posted by: spiffo 2009-05-14 12:03 |
| #12 Good point about sources, Depot Guy, but I'm so used to this with all the articles we read and post to the Burg that it was just in the background for me. Of course there were no sources. Most news articles don't have any; they're all anonymous. Few people (outside the military) speak on the record any more. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2009-05-14 11:34 |
| #11 First, I expect that Netanyahu will ask what he gets in return, or even what America will do if informed of an imminent strike. The response will determine Israel's stance, and actions. This is the second article in two days that I have seen pre-announcing Obama's discussion points with Netanyahu (the other being about stopping settlements). The administration is using the media to establish its negotiating position and to communicate to its domestic base. |
| Posted by: DoDo 2009-05-14 11:08 |
| #10 What Obama wants from Israel roll over and just wait to be killed? Is how America treats an old friend? |
| Posted by: Ana 2009-05-14 10:15 |
| #9 No surprises, eh? Reminds me of the advanced warning given to Saddam before the bombing started. Also, Dick Morris claims there is ongoing friction between Obama and Clinton--Obama's a control freak and prolly resents her meeting with Netanyahu's envoy to discuss his "dialogue initiated with Tehran". |
| Posted by: Lumpy Elmoluck5091 2009-05-14 09:41 |
| #8 Meeting with him next week and he punks Netanyahu out to the media. Is he trying to encourage a Netanyahu cancellation? Besoeker, Do you find it interesting that this article doesn’t have a single source? Not even the obligatory “anonymous source”. Also the third paragraph begins with the lead in “It may be assumed that Obama”. This type of …uhem…”journalism” should be viewed as nothing less then speculation. The reporter’s assertion may seem plausible. But it’s just as likely the motivation for crafting this narrative was to simply arouse negative emotions towards Obama. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2009-05-14 09:36 |
| #7 The looming question remains the authorization for an IDF Iranian strike mission to overfly Iraq. You think the Saudis want a nuclear Iran? The Israelis have had the capacity to hurt the Saudis for a long time but haven't felt threatened enough to do it and the Saudis know it. The Iranians and Saudis have, shall we say, a millennium grudge and the willingness to play suicide with bombs. Sometimes your enemy's enemy can be your useful friend [for the day]. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-05-14 08:45 |
| #6 The looming question remains the authorization for an IDF Iranian strike mission to overfly Iraq. If the answer from Washington and Balad is NO, then what? Potential indicator: IDF planning largest-ever drill to prepare Israel for war |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-05-14 08:23 |
| #5 That punk from Chicago sure is arrogant. If I were Bibi I'd send 0bama a very short message: STFU. |
| Posted by: Parabellum 2009-05-14 08:14 |
| #4 Obama did not wait for his White House meeting with Netanyahu, scheduled for next Monday, to deliver his message, but rather sent it ahead of time with his envoy. Meeting with him next week and he punks Netanyahu out to the media. Is he trying to encourage a Netanyahu cancellation? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-05-14 07:13 |
| #3 It's better to give than to receive suprises. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-05-14 05:36 |
| #2 Stuff it, junior. Adults and adult issues are in play here. Some foreigners aren't as supine and clueless and cowardly as the US political class, business elite, and electorate have become. Good reminder of how far the previous admin. had fallen. The 'stache termed it a "complete intellectual collapse," I believe, and save for steadfastness on Iraq (which mostly served to highlight the perfidy of American voters and the contemptible irresponsibility of most Dems and many many GOP), it sort of was. Perhaps the greatest and most regrettable about-face of Dubya's 8 years was the gigantic step back from overdue moral and strategic clarity (Rose Garden statement in 03) to the standard-issue idiotic indulgence of the Paleos and the brain-dead policy class (second term). Here's to hoping Bibi & Co. aren't averse to public hardball and putting these embarrassing unfit lightweights in their place. |
| Posted by: Verlaine 2009-05-14 04:00 |
| #1 Gettin' mighty pushy there, Bambi. Don't annoy the nice man, he's smarter than you. |
| Posted by: mojo 2009-05-14 00:25 |