Roubini/Fischer: Will Israel Attack Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Before the Election?

[Sapiens]

Air Force military and civilian chiefs to resign

Air Force military and civilian chiefs to resign
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080605/...force_shake_up

ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer
16 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - The military and civilian chiefs of the Air Force are resigning, U.S. officials said Thursday. Defense officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said that Defense Secretary Robert Gates asked Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley and Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne to step down. A public announcement was expected later in the day.

There was no immediate word on who would be nominated to replace Moseley and Wynne.

Press secretary Dana Perino said President Bush knew about the resignations but that the White House "has not played any role" in the shake-up.

Moseley became Air Force chief in September 2005; Wynne took office in November 2005.

Wynne is the second civilian chief of a military service to be forced out by Gates. In March 2007 the defense secretary pushed out Francis Harvey, the Army secretary, because Gates was dissatisfied with Harvey's handling of revelations of inadequate housing conditions and bureaucratic delays for troops recovering from war wounds at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

...

Mmmm, this is serious.

[metalman]

Re: Air Force military and civilian chiefs to resign

Air Force military and civilian chiefs to resign
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080605/...force_shake_up



Mmmm, this is serious.

maybe, or maybe gates is finally cleaning house. one criticism leveled at the administration is that 3 years into wwii hundreds of officers had been canned but 3 years into the iraq war hardly any. no one was too incompetent.

[sunskyfan]

Re: Roubini/Fischer: Will Israel Attack Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Before the Election

McCain has been Bush's lap dog since Bush kissed him out the head a few years ... no, I did not make this up.

In Bush's eyes this is not starting a war but expanding it.

The last few primaries have only shown that these groups would drether vote for a traditional Democrat and are unsure about Obama. The idea that these groups will vote for McCain when his right wing VP is in place is mistaken.

I remember Dukakkis very well. The idea tha Obama is in any way like Dukakkis is tough to see.

[zadok]

Re: Roubini/Fischer: Will Israel Attack Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Before the Election

Israel attack on Iran "unavoidable": Olmert deputy


JERUSALEM (Reuters) - An Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites looks "unavoidable" given the apparent failure of sanctions to deny Tehran technology with bomb-making potential, one of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's deputies said on Friday.
"If Iran continues with its program for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack it. The sanctions are ineffective," Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz told the mass-circulation Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
"Attacking Iran, in order to stop its nuclear plans, will be unavoidable," said the former army chief who has also been defense minister.
It was the most explicit threat yet against Iran from a member of Olmert's government, which, like the Bush administration, has preferred to hint at force as a last resort should U.N. Security Council sanctions be deemed a dead end.
Iran, which denies seeking nuclear weapons, has defied Western pressure to abandon its uranium enrichment projects. The leadership in Tehran has also threatened to retaliate against Israel -- believed to have the Middle East's only atomic arsenal -- and U.S. targets in the Gulf for any attack on Iranian turf.
Mofaz also said in the interview that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has called for Israel to be wiped off the map, "would disappear before Israel does."
Mofaz's remarks came as he and several other senior members of Olmert's Kadima Party prepare for a possible run for top office should a corruption scandal force the Israeli prime minister to step down.
Iranian-born Mofaz has been a main party rival of the Israeli prime minister, particularly following the 2006 elections when Olmert was forced to hand the defense portfolio to Labor, his main coalition partner, at Mofaz's expense.
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsO...25195820080606

[c1ue]

Re: Roubini/Fischer: Will Israel Attack Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Before the Election

The idea tha Obama is in any way like Dukakkis is tough to see

Let's see:

Harvard law school --- check
Son of immigrants and used this politically --- check
From politically insignificant state --- check

Oh, Dukakis did serve in Korea, while Obama is just too young for any of that.

Dukakis actually was a 4 term governor and executive, Obama also has none of that.

So perhaps you are right.

The last few primaries have only shown that these groups would drether vote for a traditional Democrat and are unsure about Obama. The idea that these groups will vote for McCain when his right wing VP is in place is mistaken.

They don't need to vote for McCain, they just have to not vote. Apathy is already the biggest challenge for an American politician.

College professor is not an endearing term for the blue collar voter.

[WDCRob]

Re: Roubini/Fischer: Will Israel Attack Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Before the Election

From this afternoon's FT.com:

A senior member of the Israeli government has stated that an attack on Iran is becoming “unavoidable” if Tehran is to be stopped from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The blunt warning that Israel’s government is ready to strike at its chief rival in the region was given by Shaul Mofaz, transport minister and a deputy prime minister, in a press interview published Friday.

He said: “If Iran continues with its programme for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack it. The sanctions are ineffective.”

The Iran-born Mr Mofaz added that “attacking Iran, in order to stop its nuclear plans, will be unavoidable”.

The remarks by Mr Mofaz, a former military chief of staff and ex-defence minister, reflect rising concerns in Israel and the US over Iran’s nuclear programme. But they are also made against the backdrop of a fierce succession struggle in Israel’s governing Kadima party. Mr Mofaz is positioning himself as an uncompromising defender of the country’s security interests.

Ehud Olmert, the prime minister and current Kadima leader, is facing intense pressure to resign over an investigation into allegations that he accepted illegal funds from a US Jewish businessman. His troubles have set off a race among senior Kadima officials to succeed him both as party leader and prime minister.

Tzipi Livni, the foreign minister and the figurehead for Kadima’s centrist wing, is widely seen as the frontrunner, with the hawkish Mr Mofaz emerging as her main rival. Mr Mofaz has a reputation for being a hardliner on security matters and is relying strongly on his military experience to win the backing of Kadima members.

Meanwhile, Mr Olmert issued a tough warning on Friday to Hamas, a main ally of Iran. The Palestinian Islamist group rules the Gaza Strip, from where it and other militant organisations regularly fire rockets on nearby Israeli towns. One rocket killed an Israeli man this week.

Mr Olmert said: “According to the information we have now, the pendulum is closer to a decision to embark on a harsh operation in the Gaza Strip than it is to an agreement with the terror organisations.”

Israel’s prime minister returned Friday from a trip to Washington, where his meetings with senior US officials were held amid increasing speculation that the Jewish state favoured a military strike on Iran.

Washington continues to back the current international diplomatic strategy based on sanctions and an offer of greater co-operation if Iran reins in its nuclear programme.

However, frustration with the current approach is growing in Washington. Many diplomats believe that Iran will reject or ignore an offer due to be made to Tehran next week by Javier Solana, the European Union’s foreign policy chief.

They also discount the prospects of a new round of United Nations sanctions this year, largely because of Russia’s reluctance to back measures while President George W. Bush is still in office in Washington.

The near impasse has been reached as Iran proceeds to build up its capacity for uranium enrichment, a process which can produce both nuclear fuel and weapons-grade material. Tehran insists its programme is purely peaceful.

[krakknisse]

Re: Roubini/Fischer: Will Israel Attack Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Before the Election

Significant uneasiness internally in Israel on Mofaz's comments.

Haaretz, 8. June 2008: Mofaz's Iran comments too high a price for party politics
Since Kadima's leadership contest has not officially begun, and no date for the primary has even been set, it is hard not to be impressed with the activity of candidate Shaul Mofaz: In a single week, he moved to the Golan Heights, set up a new cabinet and bombed Iran - all with his mouth. The latter move single-handedly caused the sharpest one-day increase in history in the price of a barrel of crude: $11.
...Mofaz does not say things haphazardly. He apparently reached the conclusion that most of Kadima's members (as opposed to most of its voters) are increasingly leaning to the right, and he is making a bid for their support.

This may also be Tzipi Livni's calculation. Several days ago, the foreign minister told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that the "military option is on the table" in relation to Iran. This was a less dramatic and bombastic declaration than the one made by Mofaz, but it also reflected a verbal escalation.

...Mofaz is the person who may replace Ehud Barak at the Defense Ministry if Labor leaves the coalition. But on Saturday, some in Labor sounded reluctant to leave. "If everyone is losing their mind," a senior Labor figure said, "it might be best for the only mature party" - Labor, of course - "not to rush to leave this government."

[sunskyfan]

Re: Roubini/Fischer: Will Israel Attack Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Before the Election

Dukkakis = Obama ... sorry ... Dukkakis had the charisma of a turnip. Obama is one of the most extradinary pols to come along in some time in this regard. Obama is about a generational shift more than anything else ... Kennedy is easily the best comparison here. Besides you seem to be making a Liberal vs Conservative argument. Good luck with defining what conservative means after the last eight years.

[metalman]

Re: Roubini/Fischer: Will Israel Attack Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Before the Election

Dukkakis = Obama ... sorry ... Dukkakis had the charisma of a turnip. Obama is one of the most extradinary pols to come along in some time in this regard. Obama is about a generational shift more than anything else ... Kennedy is easily the best comparison here. Besides you seem to be making a Liberal vs Conservative argument. Good luck with defining what conservative means after the last eight years.

a modern conservative is an intellectual cross between newt gingrich and paris hilton, with the moral certitude of oliver north and the spending and saving habits of ed mcmahon.

obama will never pose for a picture to look like something he isn't the way dukkakis rode in a tank to look commanding... he has fine judgment.

still, i wonder if he has the full measure of what he's getting himself into.

[sunskyfan]

Re: Roubini/Fischer: Will Israel Attack Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Before the Election

Very good ... I might also add that I find the best description of Bush II's person and life is that he is an evil Forrest Gump.

As to Obama's understanding of what he is getting himself into I think their we his ego at work. I think that he sees himself as the one with the best chance to bring the transition that must come with the happening crisis.

[c1ue]

Re: Roubini/Fischer: Will Israel Attack Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Before the Election

As to Obama's understanding of what he is getting himself into I think their we his ego at work. I think that he sees himself as the one with the best chance to bring the transition that must come with the happening crisis.

I hope you are right - that Obama really has a both the clues and the will to carry out policies to start fixing the situation, and of course can win when it counts. As much as a jerk as McCain is, he doesn't hold a candle to Hilary in the 'most hated' department.

Unfortunately, it is much more likely that, if elected:

a) Obama tries to do what can't be done: a la Schwarzenegger trying to rein back teacher/fireman/policeman salaries in California, getting squelched, then moving on to distractions of the public. Now the Gubernator is trying to spend future lottery earnings to make up for this year's budget shortfall. How the mighty have fallen.

Then again, wasn't Kennedy the one who started both Vietnam and the Moon landings? Lovely distractions. Then there was the Bay of Pigs.

Moon landings:

"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth."

Vietnam:

"Now we have a problem making our power credible and Vietnam looks like the place,"

GHU if we get another Kennedy...

b) He pays up for all the gigantic contributions from the usual suspects by appointing cabinet ministers and department heads with the 'appropriate' credentials.

That's the great thing about having no experience and having a platform consisting of 'can't we all just get along?' - we just don't know.

Has Obama managed people? Set policies? Balanced budgets? The list goes on and on.

[sadsack]

Re: Roubini/Fischer: Will Israel Attack Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Before the Election

Has Obama managed people? Set policies? Balanced budgets? The list goes on and on.

"Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve"

--George Bernard Shaw

In an idiocracy, only the greatest fools shall govern . . .

It hath been foretold . . .

[sunskyfan]

Re: Roubini/Fischer: Will Israel Attack Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Before the Election

You make good points about Obama. He did manage to out organize Hillary Clinton and took the nomination from her. That was no small feat.

Cudos on Arnold ...

Closing the circle on the original post ... yes .. distractions = Attack on Iran

Just for the record ...

Bay of Pigs was a plan Kennedy inherrited from the previous administration and, ironically, was the product of actions began by Nixon as VP.

Though incomplete due to the assasination the record seems to indicate the Kennedy was going to pull out of Vietnam. We will never know :confused:.

One last thought ... Kennedy greatest achievement IMO was the atmospheric test band treaty. The havic that atmospheric testing was having on the global environment was huge and if not for the TBT it would have continued and been catosrophically large. And, again, to close the thought with respect to the original post. Even a local nuclear war say between Iran and Isreal or Pakistan and India could well create enough smoke to radically alter the climate for several years (not to speak of fallout). Ironically, non-proliferation, like energy policy, may be a better sell environmentally.

[Verrocchio]

Re: Air Force military and civilian chiefs to resign

Military operations in Iraq are Army (and USMC), with minimal involvement of the Air Force. If Gates wants to sack officers, he's after the wrong service branch.

If we're searching for a motive for firing the USAF Secretary and Chief, corruption is the top candidate.

[GRG55]

Re: Roubini/Fischer: Will Israel Attack Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Before the Election

"Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve"

--George Bernard Shaw

In an idiocracy, only the greatest fools shall govern . . .

It hath been foretold . . .

"The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with a voter."
--Winston Churchill--