Panetta: 'Strong possibility' Israel will strike Iran's nuclear installations in spring

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
2/6/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

U.S. Defense Secretary has advised Israel not to derail sanctions program

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta fears that there is a "strong possibility" that Israel will strike Iran's nuclear installations this spring. According to the Washington Post, when Panetta was asked about the possibility, "I'm not going to comment on that. David Ignatius can write what he will but with regards with what I think and what I view, I consider that to be an area that belongs to me and nobody else . Israel indicated they're considering this (a strike), we've indicated our concerns," Panetta added.

Israeli leaders accept the prospect of going it alone and demonstrating their resolve at a time when their security has been undermined by the Arab Spring.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The Post columnist said Panetta "believes there is a strong likelihood that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June before Iran enters what Israelis described as a 'zone of immunity' to commence building a nuclear bomb."

According to the editorial, U.S. President Barack Obama and Panetta are "said to have cautioned the Israelis that the United States opposes an attack, believing that it would derail an increasingly successful international economic sanctions program and other non-military efforts to stop Iran from crossing the threshold," he said.

"But the White House hasn't yet decided precisely how the United States would respond if the Israelis do attack."

Both Obama and Panetta reportedly have cautioned the Israelis that the United States opposes an attack, believing that it would derail an increasingly successful international economic sanctions program and other non-military efforts to stop Iran from crossing the threshold. But the White House hasn't yet decided precisely how the United States would respond if the Israelis do attack.

In response, the Obama administration is conducting intense discussions about what an Israeli attack would mean for the United States. The questions of whether Iran would target U.S. ships in the region or try to close the Strait of Hormuz and what effect the conflict and a likely spike in oil prices would have on the fragile global economy.

The administration appears to favor staying out of the conflict unless Iran hits U.S. assets, which would trigger a strong U.S. response.

Panetta in a recent television interview said that Iran needed "about a year" to produce enough enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon, and one or two more years to "put it on a deliverable vehicle."

All the while, Iran maintains that its nuclear project is peaceful and has threatened retaliation over the fresh sanctions, including possibly disrupting shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

In the meantime, Israeli television said Mossad chief Tamir Pardo raised the possibility of a unilateral strike on Iran during a visit last week to Washington.

In October of last year, the option of pre-emptive air strikes on Iran was opposed by the country's intelligence services, but favored by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

Israeli leaders accept the prospect of going it alone and demonstrating their resolve at a time when their security has been undermined by the Arab Spring.

"You stay to the side, and let us do it," one Israeli official is said to have advised the United States. A "short-war" scenario, which assumes five days or so of limited Israeli strikes, would be followed by a U.N.-brokered cease-fire. The Israelis recognize that damage to the nuclear program might be modest, requiring another strike in a few years.

� 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Israel, Iran, nuclear program, preemptive strike, Leon Panetta

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1 - 5 of 5 Comments

mgm.
1 year ago
Yeah I can just see the Iranians launching atomic armed missiles at Isreal were the third holiest site of Islam is located Jerusalem ,yes sireee if this do'nt get them big points in the rest of the Islamic world by dumping radioactive dust all over millions of Musllims or maybe even hitting Jerusalem by accident I do'nt know what will? anyway it will be short lived in minutes till the massive Isreali atomic counter strike arrives and kills Iranians in the millions.
Greg
1 year ago
Hey, if your neighbour kept telling you that you should be wiped off the map, are you gonna wait until it happens? What choice do they have? If Iran gets the bomb, they WILL use it. And any loss of life on their side will be considered martyrdom.

How can you talk common sense with radicals. God protect Israel.
abey
1 year ago
Jesus Christ Prophesied of the manner" There will be wars & RUMORS of wars(to serving their own purposes) etc, for these things have to come by, but the actual sign is the "The Abomination of desolation" which is to take place in the Holy Place, in other words Political & Physical happenings will take place as usual, but watch out for the "Spiritual Harlotry" which Panetta & the administration themselves are into, unfortunately.
JayKaye
1 year ago
The best thing this administration could do is give Israel our blessings in letting them take care of this matter on their own, vowing to aid the Israelis in the event of retaliation. Seeing that they only do enough damage to set back Iran's nuclear weapons effort in a few days, then back off, the US would stand only to save our own money while obtaining our objectives of keeping this madman out of the Nuclear weapons club. It's a dangerous task that must be carried out unless the much more dangerous alternative is achieved by Iran. Leaders displaying the instability of unpredictable aggression Iran boasts of, cannot be allowed weapons of this magnitude, which will be used to carry out an agenda that includes annihilation of any domain. The time to confront them has worn down and out, making the risks, ills and destruction of bombing their facilities an obligation.
andrew
1 year ago
As in the late seventies, all that will happen is that the price of gold will touch $2300 and BRICS partners will be left holding huge stocks of this highly overrated commodity.The cycle for gold is between 30 and 40 years. Iran knows this too, all too well. Seek first the kingdom of God, never, the golden calf.

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