Should the US be Dragged Into a Third Asian War by Israel?

Netanyahu equates disapproval of Israel with hatred of Jews. He states that Israel is unique in the World in the threat that it faces from a possible nuclear Iran. He argues that Israel can only afford its military prowess by a strong entrepreneurial society that can fund the burden of defense.

Netanyahu argues the birthright of all Jews (in the US) is bound and tied to Israel. He then goes on to define the threat of Iran to the United States, demanding that the US must lead the World community and make clear by word and deed that it will not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Netanyahu by implication is making the extraordinary claim that the US is bound to Israel and Israel cannot allow Iran to have nuclear weapons.

That sounds like an Israeli claim against the military assets of the US to join Israel in an inevitable showdown with Iran.

The United States, through huge expenditure and extraordinary defense commitments, has adjusted to the acquisition of nuclear weapons by first Russia, China, Pakistan and North Korea. It has done so without military action against any of these powers. Netanyahu argues that things are different this time because of the unique threat of Islamic terrorism.

The conclusion to be derived from Netanyahu's argument is that to not be anti-Semitic, to be opposed to militant Islam and against Iranian development of nuclear weapons joint action must be taken and led by the United States. The implied threat is that without such action, Israel will go alone.

This is patent nonsense. Israel is a massive nuclear power in its own right. It has forward deployed nuclear assets capable of destroying any single or combined nuclear threat from any islamic state. Israel also has advanced anti-missile defense systems developed with support of the United States. Israel has an intelligence capability that has riddled every layer of Iranian society. The possibility of Iran being capable of planning and executing a nuclear attack against Israel and Israel being preemptively destroyed by Iran without an Israeli response is an outright fabrication.

Netanyahu boasted at his prowess in chess. He should know that to exchange a queen, two knights and both bishops for a pawn just ain't going to happen. The United States should make it very clear to Israel that if she takes on Iran preemptively there will be no automatic call on US support.

A third Asian war involving the United states will not protect Israel or make it stronger. it would be a calamity and a disaster for the US. It would result in the final assault on overextended and exposed US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq and every other place on the planet by inflamed Islamic crazies.

It would be the final straw in the destruction of the US financial system. No US president should ever agree to such a reckless venture. Netanyahu needs to hear that and understand if he goes it alone, he goes it alone.

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U.S., Israel at Odds Over Iran Policy
Published November 08, 2010 | FoxNews.com

Though military action against Iran remains an option, the threat of force is not the only way to stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turned up pressure on the U.S. to take a tougher line.

Meeting with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Sunday in New Orleans, Netanyahu said that only a ‘credible’ threat of military action will ensure Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons, a senior Israeli official said.

Although sanctions have hurt Iran, Netanyahu told Biden that Tehran will be determined to produce nuclear weapons unless it thinks a military strike is a real option, Israeli media reported Monday.

"Sanctions are important. They are increasing pressure on Iran. But so far there has not been any change in the behavior of Iran and upgrading of international pressure is necessary," Mark Regev, Netanyahu's spokesman, quoted Netanyahu as telling Biden.

If Israel concludes that Tehran is close to a bomb it could launch its own military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities within months.

Speaking in Australia, Gates rejected the notion that Iran will only listen if it thinks it's about to be attacked.

The latest international sanctions are hitting Iran harder than that country's ruling regime had expected, and should be allowed more time, Gates insisted.

President Obama's administration, while not ruling out a military option against Iran, has so far stressed sanctions and diplomacy as its preferred course for dealing with Iran's nuclear program.

Iran insists its nuclear program is designed to produce energy, not bombs.

Israel, like the West, disputes Iran's claims that its nuclear program is energy driven. In the past, it has said it prefers to block the Iranian threat through diplomacy, though it has not ruled out a military strike.

Israel sees Iran as its fiercest threat because of its nuclear program, its ballistic missiles capable of hitting the Jewish state and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's repeated references to Israel's destruction.

The Associated Press and Newscore contributed to this report.