Israel's military chief says 'accelerating' Iran strike plans

[Phil the Kilibuster]

Source: al-Jazeera

7 Sep 2021

Military plans dealing with Iran’s nuclear programme have been “greatly accelerated”, Israel’s military chief warned, as questions on the ability to revive a landmark accord limiting Tehran’s weapons development continue to grow.

Preparations for possible action against Iran are being intensified, Chief of General Staff Aviv Kohavi said in an interview, adding “a significant chunk of the boost to the defence budget, as was recently agreed, was intended for this purpose”.

“It’s a very complicated job with much more intelligence, much more operational capabilities, much more armaments. We’re working on all these things,” Kohavi told Walla news.

He also said efforts were under way throughout the Middle East to check Iran’s allies.

The main objective is “minimising Iranian presence in the Middle East with an emphasis on Syria … But these operations take place throughout the Middle East. They’re also against Hamas, against Hezbollah”, said Kohavi.

Read more: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/7/israels-military-chief-says-accelerating-iran-strike-plans

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I told you there was nothing to worry about, military-industrial complex. Now turn that post-Afghanistan frown upside-down!

[Ford_Prefect]

1. Our foreign aid to Israel buys the weapons and feeds the military potential,

and begs the question how much more will we enable? How much more will be spent to steer US foreign and domestic policy? How much more will we enable the apartheid of the Israeli RW?

This in no way advocates the elimination of our relationship with Israel. However it does appear to need substantial reconsideration.

Likewise we need to disconnect from the pipeline wars of the region, no matter how much the MIC may feel that stunts their financial future.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. The other nest of war mongers is full.

[Elessar Zappa]

3. We better stay out of it.

Israel will do what they do but we shouldn’t help them.

[Chainfire]

4. We have not seen a war we wanted to stay out of since the War to End All Wars.

It is who we are and it is what we do.

[Elessar Zappa]

7. With Biden getting

us out of Afghanistan, I have hope that his administration will avoid the kind of misadventures that previous administrations embarked on.

[Lonestarblue]

5. Israel does not want Biden to make a new deal with Iran after Trump blew up the last one.

So they are doing everything they can to blow up any possibility of a deal the US wants. The US supports Israel to the tune of billions of dollars a year, yet Israel is actively working against US interests. What’s wrong with this picture? !!!

[dalton99a]

11. They should spend their own money and fight their own damn war

[zuul]

12. Yep.

Their leaders sure are war hawks when they know they can get the US to fight their wars for them.

[rickyhall]

6. And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, our next war, and we won't start it.

[Beastly Boy]

8. interesting. Biden met with Israel's prime minister just a couple of weeks ago.

Their meeting, the first one bewteen the two leaders, was focused, in large part, on Iran:

Bennett got everything he wanted from Biden in terms of public pledges, first and foremost the president’s declared “commitment to ensure Iran never develops a nuclear weapon.” Bennett’s people breathed sighs of relief and exchanged smiles, and then heard Biden add that while the United States would prioritize diplomacy to block Iran’s nuclear program, “If diplomacy fails, we’re ready to turn to other options.”

When Bennett’s turn came to address reporters, he thanked Biden for his promises and reiterated them to ensure that Tehran was paying attention, too.

Read more: https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/08/bennett-biden-meet-feature-friendship-and-understanding-iran#ixzz75mqtk8hn

Looks to me like Bennett is doing Biden's (and Saudi Arabia's) bidding to pressure Iran into negotiations with the US.

On edit: It is very uncharacteristic of Israel to advertise their military plans in the news media, unless their goal is to apply political pressure rather than take military action.

[Steelrolled]

13. Exactly, I was even surprised at the level of public support for Israel (regarding Iran)

Israel has clear support from the US for this kind of action, beyond the supply of military gear, and the world knows it. In my view, the statement that America would "prioritize diplomacy" was in fact a message to Iran that we would not prioritize diplomacy. President Biden is turning up the pressure.

[Beastly Boy]

15. There are more nuances to this move.

The most important of them is that the conflict in the Middle East has turned from Arab-Israeli to Shiah-Sunni, with Israel being the tie-breaker power player who is currently acting in support of Sunni coalition of powers against Iran, who are predominantly Shiah. A nuclear Iran is as much a danger to Israel as it is to Saudi Arabia, or Turkey or Egypt, or Jordan. It's not just the US that supports Israel's opposition to Iran, but much of the Middle East.

The second one is that prioritizing diplomacy does not preclude military threats. In prioritizing diplomacy, it is very advantageous for the US to outsource all the military threats to Israel and play the "good cop" with diplomatic moves and covertly coordinating with Israel on the military front. It is also advantageous for any Middle Eastern Sunni state to leave the threat making to Israel, since none of them can legitimately threaten Iran militarily.

[Bayard]

9. For gawdsakes!

Enough wars! Diplomacy is the only way to go, and I will be aghast and disappointed if we get sucked into another one.

[dalton99a]

10. Another clusterfuck they're trying to draw us into

[modrepub]

14. Weird Dynamic

Part of the US support for Israel comes from the Evangelical wing of the Republican party. In their eyes, a war in the Middle East hastens Armageddon and the second coming of Jesus.