Report: Iran may prompt other Mideast states to go nuclear

[Behind the Aegis]

In a comprehensive report, most of which is top secret, a military-civilian committee has determined that other Muslim countries in the Middle East could follow Iran in equipping themselves with nuclear weapons.

Endorsing the report, outgoing Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said in remarks quoted by Army Radio on Monday that "For the first time since the days of the nation's founding, an official document has been placed before the leaders of Israel, setting out a comprehensive security viewpoint, both current and long-range."

The committee, chaired by former minister Dan Meridor and appointed by former prime minister Ariel Sharon, recommended to Mofaz on Sunday that Israel should maintain its policy of nuclear ambiguity, that as Jordan has strategic importance for Israel, its stability should be supported, and that the National Security Council should become the government's central military planning authority.

The 250-page report, addressing strategic issues for the next decade, is considered top secret; only an elite few will be allowed to read its entire contents. After its has been redacted, it will be highly classified. It has not been decided if portions of the report will be published to familiarize the public with the Israeli defense outlook. The report recommends that defense premises be reexamined at five-year intervals and that a mechanism be established to monitor the implementation of recommendations.


more...

[shenmue]

1. Shall we play a game?

Looks like there are no winners...

[radfringe]

2. COMING IN NOVEMBER 2006

Shucks 'n' AWWWW part ONE TWO
IRAQ IRAN- the Liberation
WMDs NUKES threaten America

[Behind the Aegis]

3. good analysis...

...the "victim" is the 'correct' one. Maybe it is a case of asking for "too much, too soon?"

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

4. I think people often forget...

...that Israel is not Iran's only enemy or competitor in the ME. It seems completely reasonable to assume that others will follow Iran's lead.

[Behind the Aegis]

They haven't forgot...

...they don't give a shit! They are the same ones that "bitch" about a "Jewish" nation, but pay no heed to the 14 "Muslim" nations!

Personally, I don't think Iran is close to anything but "bullshit talk." However, two groups are loving this "build-up" of sabre-rattling...the far-right (they need Israel to control Jerusalem for their apocalyptic fantasies) and the far-left (who love to exert that Israel controls the US and any action in the ME is at the behest of Israel).

Honestly, if, G-d forbid, Israel was wiped out, do you think many would give a rat's ass?!

NOPE!

And those that do care, well, we MUST be "Rethugs!" :eyes:

[salin]

11. I can not believe the insanity

if you sent me back six years, I could never have predicted that we would even be having these conversations.

Per more nukes in the Mideast - sadly, I believe the rhetoric and actions of our govt over the passed five years may push more countries into believing it is the only possible way to prevent becoming the next target of madGeorge. Thus out of insanity more volatile insanity may emerge?

Moreover the polarization of the conversations makes it harder and harder to have sane policy conversations. Not that any conversations anywhere outside of madGeorge's head seem likely to make much of a difference per the insanity.

BTW, I do hope that your assessment that few would care is somewhat off. The whole situation is so complex - and those that discount the real dangers - even if one is against a strike against Iran (for fear of an even bigger hornets nest being stirred than already has occured and concern for 'unintended consequences' that would emerge) - the reality of the dangers posed has to be considered in formulating any policy for their to be any hope for stability, and security for all in the region and in the world.

[Ecumenist]

5. Wow, the Sentational Simian hasn't exactly brought

peace, roses and love throughout the Middle East, has he? Nice , bush, just swell.

[still_one]

6. here is the real issue

who is supplying the nuclear material to these countries?

The U.S. is itself violating the NPT by the agreement it made with India.

The problem is our administration.

After 9/11 the country AND THE WORLD WAS UNITED WITH US

Instead, bush and the neocons polarized the world against us. When we should have been working with other countries we were telling them you do it our way or the highway.

bin laden should have been dead or captured by now at tora bora

It is time we start to work with the world community instead of preemptive strikes which we WILL ultimately fail.

How come Russia, Asia, and the EU are trying to establish a dialog with Iran, and all we do is throw fuel on the fire.

This administration has NOT been right about one thing. If there is a nuclear detonation, no one wins.

It is time to become part of the world community again.

[Behind the Aegis]

7. Answer (IMHO)

"How come Russia, Asia, and the EU are trying to establish a dialog with Iran, and all we do is throw fuel on the fire."

We (the US) have a PERFECT scapegoat! All you have to do is read many of the posts here about this situation to see that very fact.

[still_one]

8. I understand what you mean, and unfortunately that will only get worse

thanks to what our administration has done.

They lied about Iraq, and I have know doubt that both sides of the aisle may utilize the PERFECT scapegoat

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/04/23/60-minutes-cia-official-reveals-bush-cheney-rice-were-personally-told-iraq-had-no-wmd-in-fall-2002/

I can hear the pat buchanans now blaming libby, perle, and Wolfiwitz, but ignoring rumsfeld, cheney, bush, rice, and those that were in charge

[Behind the Aegis]

9. Don't...

You don't have to hear the "...the pat buchanans now blaming libby, perle, and Wolfiwitz, but ignoring rumsfeld, cheney, bush, rice, and those that were in charge." Because, you will see those charges in the most "unlikely" places by the most "unlikely" people.

[oblivious]

10. Opening paragraph assumes Iran is equipping itself with nuclear weapons.

I wonder if they have more proof than the IAEA has found.

More propaganda.

[Bandit]

17. Exactly..start with a false presumption and build on it...

The Republican way of things.

[leesa]

12. Oh right IRAN is doing that, huh? Not US/Israel threatening everyone

in the neighborhood with vaporization for years on end.

[Roland99]

13. It's Iran's fault for saying they want to see Israel vanish.

Nothing at all to do with western imperialism.


:sarcasm:

[superconnected]

14. I see millions in tax payer monies for war propaganda is

still chugging away. Cut the press GW. Nobody believes you. Even your ratings can't be brought up with your propaganda now.

[area51]

15. "Iran may prompt other Mideast states to go nuclear"

I think it's more like we prompt other nations to go nuclear, since we tend to attack nations w/o nukes. :eyes:

[xchrom]

16. any country who has nuclear weapons prompts other countries

to procure them as well.

but -- oh yeah right -- it's all irans fault.