How Has the Obama
Administration's Tone on Iran Changed in the Last 96 Hours?
* I'll be on Fox News on Sunday (details on blog)
* New endorsements for "Damascus Countdown" from fmr. CIA director,
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister & Steve Forbes
By Joel C. Rosenberg
(Washington, D.C., March 8, 2013) -- As
we come to the end of the first week of the media tour for Damascus
Countdown, I'm seeing a significant change in tone in the comments of
senior U.S. officials -- past and present -- concerning Iran. Officials
who have long been hesitant about the use of military force against Iran
are now reluctantly suggesting it may not be possible to avoid war after
all.
Listen carefully to the comments of current leaders such as Vice
President Biden, Secretary Kerry, and the Commander of CENTCOM - as well
as to icon of U.S. national security policy such as Henry Kissinger -
and to former senior White House advisors such as Dennis Ross and Elliot
Abrams, and this is what you will hear:
* The nuclear crisis with Iran is coming to a head.
* Diplomacy and sanctions have not succeeded and may have run their
course.
* The Iranians are not making concessions.
* Instead, Tehran is accelerating its nuclear efforts and is dangerously
close to building nuclear warheads.
* North Korea just tested a nuclear warhead with Iranian nuclear
officials present, and the two countries may be working hand in glove to
get Iran ready to build and deploy The Bomb.
* President Obama still does not want the U.S. to take the lead on a
military operation - naming Chuck Hagel as SecDef underscored this
point.
* Israel, however, believes Iran is getting dangerously close now to the
very nuclear "red line" that Prime Minister Netanyahu warned of at the
U.N. last fall.
* Netanyahu will soon have a new government enabling him to take action
if necessary.
* Netanyahu is likely to appoint Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon as Defense
Minister - Ya'alon is a former IDF chief of staff, has been intimately
involved in getting Israel ready for a possible war; Ya'alon has been
hesitant about force, preferring covert means, but my sense is he is
becoming resolved that force may be inevitable.
* A top former Israeli military official said publicly this week that a
preemptive strike on Iran's nuclear facilities would a "one night
operation."
* President Obama is heading to the Middle East soon, and is signalling
that Iran and Syria are his top two issues to discuss with Israeli and
Arab leaders.
* The question is whether Mr. Obama still intends to pressure Israel not
to strike Iran, or will give Israel the "green light."
On the blog, I provide more analysis of these questions. Also on the
blog:
* Like a scene ripped from "Dead Heat," North Korea threatens nuclear
strike on U.S.
* Israeli Dep. Foreign Minister & fmr Delta Force commander endorse
Rosenberg books, "can't wait to read this new one, Damascus Countdown"
* How has the Obama administration's tone on Iran changed in the last 96
hours? Video of my interview with CBN News.
* "Syria is spiralling towards full-scale disaster," says UN. One
million refugees & 90,000 dead. Is the worst yet to come?
* Fmr. Director of CIA - and fmr. CIA operative in Iran - endorse
Damascus Countdown
* Significant change in tone: U.S. officials concede war with Iran may
be unavoidable. Countdown to Israeli action?
* Centcom commander: Sanctions not working. Believes Iran can be
dissuaded. But not considering role Shia eschatology playing in Tehran's
calculus.
* Santorum, Forbes, Limbaugh endorse Damascus Countdown
[To read the rest of this article -- and more about DAMASCUS COUNTDOWN;
or to find links to the latest news and analysis of events and trends in
the U.S., Israel, North Africa, Russia, and the Middle East -- please go
to:
http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/.]
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