Secret Israeli Meeting on Iran Attack Leaked

							Secret Israeli Meeting on
Iran Attack Leaked
MEL FRYKBERG
Published: June 23, 2008




Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (center) and his close adviser and
cabinet secretary Massoud Zaribafan (right) peer into a metal container as bid by
the president of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Reza Aghazadeh, at the
Natanz uranium enrichment facilities some 200 miles south of Tehran in February
2006. (ParsPix/Abaca Press via Newscom)

JERUSALEM -- The Israeli government has been forced to acknowledge a
top-secret meeting held last Friday between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and
Aviam Sela, the chief architect of Israel's 1981 attack on Iraq's Osirak
nuclear reactor, after the media got wind of the details.

Unlike the recent ostentatious military exercise that the Israeli Air Force
(IAF) carried out over eastern Greece - involving over 100 F15 and F16
fighter jets - which was meant to be picked up by Western intelligence
agencies and thereby spread Israel's message to the Europeans, the
Americans, and the Iranians in particular, that Israel meant business about
halting Iran's nuclear program, Friday's tete-a-tete was not meant to hit the
headlines.
The Mediterranean exercise also included Israeli helicopters that could be
used to rescue downed pilots. The helicopters and refueling tankers flew
more than 900 miles, which is about the same distance between Israel and
Iran's uranium enrichment plant at Natanz, American officials said.

Apart from sending Iran a very loud message, some experts say that
another Israeli objective was to practice flight tactics, aerial refueling and all
other details of a possible strike against Iran's nuclear installations and its
long-range conventional missiles.

Israeli officials refused to be drawn into debate about the details of the
exercise but merely stated that the IAF, "regularly trains for various
missions in order to confront and meet the challenges posed by the threats
facing Israel."

Despite Olmert going to extraordinary lengths to withhold details of Friday's
meeting by not even recording the meeting in his diary, the Israeli media
reported that Olmert and Sela had discussed the details of a potential attack
against Iranian nuclear facilities.

This followed initial denials from government sources who eventually
admitted that the meeting had taken place but went out of their way to
downplay the significance of the event although they confirmed that Sela
had detailed his vision for a potential military attack on Iran from a technical
standpoint.

Sela's expertise includes fathering the technique of refueling warplanes from
the air. He had originally been slated for a high-level appointment in the IAF
before he was implicated in the Jonathan Pollard spy scandal.

Pollard was a dual American-Israeli citizen and was jailed in the U.S. for
espionage after he passed classified American intelligence information on to
Israel.

Prior to last week's military dummy-run over the Mediterranean, Israel
appeared to be giving out mixed signals regarding an impending attack on
Iran.

While Olmert vowed during Israel's passover that Iran would not turn
nuclear and several weeks ago Israeli Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz stirred
up a hornet's nest when he stated that, "If Iran continues with its program
for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack," other Israeli officials
attempted to make soothing noises.
Mofaz was criticized by other Israeli politicians as seeking to enhance his
own standing as questions mount about whether the embattled Olmert can
hang on to power, while other officials told the Americans that Mofaz's
statement did not represent official policy.

However, the same officials also explained that Israel was preparing plans
for a strike on Iran and would carry them out in the event of diplomacy
failing.

And Iran appeared to be getting the message loudly and clearly as it beefed
up its air defenses over the last couple of weeks and went as far as to
intercept and double-check an Iraqi civilian flight on its way to Tehran from
Baghdad.

Israel is of the firm belief that Iran is approximately two years away from
developing the technology that would enable it to develop nuclear weapons.

This is contrary to last December's U.S. National Intelligence Estimate (NIE)
on Iran which assessed that Iran had ceased is nuclear weapons program.

The Israelis were visibly dismayed by this assessment and Olmert followed
up the NIE's report with a quick visit to Washington where he outlined
Israel's concerns and attempted to override the view of America's
intelligence agencies with the Jewish state's perspective.

Furthermore, during U.S. President George W. Bush's recent visit to Israel
the subject was again broached by Olmert, who this time provided Bush with
alleged evidence to support Israel's conviction that not only was Iran a big
threat but a far more immediate threat than envisioned.

Bush promised that he would discuss Israel's concerns with his intelligence
agencies on his return to the United States.

Many analysts are now commenting that it is not a question of if, in regard
to an Israeli offensive operation against Iran, but when.

However, even if Israel does strike, the chances of it successfully eliminating
Iran's alleged nuclear program is highly questionable with experts arguing
that at best an attack would delay or minimize the program only.

Much of Iran's nuclear program's infrastructure is buried under earth and
concrete and installed in long tunnels or hallways, making precise targeting
difficult. There is also concern that not all of the facilities have been
detected. To inflict maximum damage, multiple attacks might be necessary,
which may be beyond Israel's ability at this time.

Israeli officials have countered that waiting itself is an error and that if
immediate action is not taken then it may be too late to halt the
advancement required to enrich sufficient amounts of uranium required for
nuclear weapons.

However, an Israeli doctor of political science from Jerusalem's Hebrew
University told The Middle East Times that Iran would strike back heavily if
attacked, but it was unlikely that Iran would strike first as it had the option
of closing the Straits of Hormuz, thereby choking the West's supply of oil as
leverage, without having to resort to military action.