Report: Pentagon official says Israel has 'amber light' for Iran strike

[Subdivisions]

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1001526.html">Haaretz.com

U.S. President George W. Bush has given Israel an "amber light" to begin preparations for a military attack on Iran, a Pentagon official told The Sunday Times this week.

"Amber means get on with your preparations, stand by for immediate attack and tell us when you're ready," the official said.

The official told the Times that Bush informed the Israeli government he would back an Israeli plan to strike Iran's main nuclear sites with long-range aerial weapons if diplomatic talks over Tehran's contentious atomic program broke down.

Bush's voice of support comes despite U.S. military officials' opposition to the risks of an aerial strike on Iran, the official told The Times. However, the U.S. would not deploy American forces for such a strike nor would Israel be able to depend on U.S. military bases in Iraq for logistical support, the official said.

The U.S. would not necessarily give the "green" light for an attack without unquestionable proof that Iran is involved in military preparations of its own, the official told The Times.

-snip-

So, the very act by Iran of preparing themselves to defend against an Israeli/US attack is enough to pull the Israeli/US trigger?

Hooo boy.

[AndyA]

1. If we had a Congress that was worth a shit, they'd put a stop to this RIGHT NOW.

But we don't, which is why we have a criminal in the White House and a broken Constitution.

[fascisthunter]

2. Crazy Cowboy Syndrome... attack or else!

sick bastards hiding behind the illusion of defending themselves by pre-emptively attacking a nation for doing nothing more than what is legal.

Fascist pricks

[lovuian]

3. Its in the plans and Americans better get ready

it seems there is noone who is going to stop them

the Military did put their foot down
that we won't be the ones bombing them It will have to be Israel

[bdamomma]

4. do Israeli citizens even know what is going on, Olmert is on

shaky political ground right now.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. We'll still have to do something after the fact to get Israel's butt outta the sling

[yellowwood]

6. Crisis Alert!

I don't understand boards like this where many accept such reports as just another example of the Administration's dysfunctional behavior. Amid the outrage at magazine covers, etc, this kind of information just slips by.
I think that we need to acknowledge that once that first Israeli missile drops in Iran, we will be dragged into a full-scale war with Iran. Is that okay?

[jeff30997]

7. After reading this,those images popped in my mind:

Those peoples are completely insane!

:nuke:

[petronius]

8. Amber means "go real fast before it turns red"

WTF kind of inane, noncommittal, irresponsible message is this? It sounds to me like a CYA permission slip - "Don't do it (unless you can come up with a vaguely plausible excuse)..."