Intro: "The United States is stepping up efforts to dissuade Israel from attacking Iran's nuclear facilities, with a strong public warning by the US military's most senior figure and the dispatch of two high-ranking officials to Jerusalem. General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said in a television interview that it was 'not prudent at this point' to attack Iran, and 'a strike at this time would be destabilizing.'"

General Martin Dempsey visited Israel last month to deliver a message of restraint. (photo: J Scott Applewhite/AP)

US Military Chief Cautions Against Israeli Attack on Iran

By Harriet Sherwood and Jill Treanor, Guardian UK

20 February 12

General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, says a strike 'at this time would be destabilising'

he United States is stepping up efforts to dissuade Israel from attacking Iran's nuclear facilities, with a strong public warning by the US military's most senior figure and the dispatch of two high-ranking officials to Jerusalem.

General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said in a television interview that it was "not prudent at this point" to attack Iran, and "a strike at this time would be destabilising".

But in a comment likely to fuel speculation about Israel's military plans, he added: "I wouldn't suggest we've persuaded them that our view is the correct view." The two countries were having a "candid, collaborative conversation" which was continuing, he said.

His concerns were echoed by William Hague, the British foreign secretary, who said it was "not a wise thing at this moment" for Israel to launch military action against Iran.

Reiterating comments made in a newspaper interview, Hague told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday: "I think Israel, like everybody else in the world, should be giving a real chance to the approach that we have adopted, of very serious economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure, and the readiness to negotiate with Iran."

Citing attempted attacks allegedly by Iranian agents against Israeli targets in Delhi, Tbilisi and Bangkok last week, Hague said Iran was increasingly willing to contemplate "utterly illegal activities in other parts of the world".

On Sunday Iran's oil ministry announced it had stopped selling crude oil to British and French companies, in apparent retaliation for EU sanctions imposed over Iran's perceived nuclear ambitions, including an oil embargo set to begin in July.

A spokesman, Alireza Nikzad, was quoted on the Iranian oil ministry's website as saying: "Exporting crude to British and French companies has been stopped … we will sell our oil to new customers. We have our own customers … The replacements for these companies have been considered by Iran."

Iran had warned last week that it might cut oil supplies to the Netherlands, Greece, France, Portugal, Spain and Italy.

Officials from the IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, are due in Tehran on Monday for another round of talks on Iran's nuclear activities, after they were denied access to certain nuclear sites and scientists on a visit last month.

Dempsey acknowledged Israel's sense of urgency that action was needed before Tehran moved its nuclear facilities beyond reach, deep underground. Israel's defence minister, Ehud Barak, who is believed to favour an early military strike, has termed this the "zone of immunity".

Dempsey, who visited Israel last month to deliver a message of restraint, said it was premature to "decide that the time for a military option was upon us". Economic sanctions imposed by the international community and diplomacy were beginning to have an effect.

Asked by the CNN interviewer Fareed Zakaria whether he would bet on Israel not launching an attack, Dempsey replied: "Fortunately I'm not a betting man."

In Tehran, the Iranian foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, dismissed western "propaganda warfare" and said Iran would continue with its nuclear programme "even in the worst-case scenario".

"Since we believe that we are right, we do not have the slightest doubt in the pursuit of our nuclear programme," he told reporters, according to Press TV. "Therefore, we plan to move ahead with vigour and confidence and we do not take much heed of [the west's] propaganda warfare … Even in the worst-case scenario, we remain prepared."

As part of continuing efforts to restrain Israel, Barack Obama's national security adviser, Tom Donilon, was due to meet prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday, as well as a clutch of senior government, military and intelligence figures during his two-day visit to Israel.

The purpose of the visit was consultations "about a range of issues, including Iran, Syria, and other regional security issues," the White House said.

Later this week the US director of national intelligence, James Clapper, will arrive for talks with Netanyahu, Barak and the chief of Israel's intelligence agency.

Both Americans are expected to impress on their interlocutors the need to give time for sanctions against Iran to have an impact. But, as the Guardian reported last week, there is a strong current of opinion within the administration that sanctions are unlikely to deter Iran and that their main purpose is to delay an Israeli strike.

Diplomatic traffic between Washington and Jerusalem has increased over recent weeks as Israel has agitated for tougher action against Iran, and the US has intensified efforts to persuade Israel against a military strike.

As well as a string of US officials travelling to Israel, visitors to Washington have included Barak, Avigdor Lieberman, the foreign minister, and Tamir Pardo, the Mossad chief.

Netanyahu is scheduled to visit the US next month to attend the annual conference of the pro-Israel lobby group Aipac. He is expected to meet Obama while in Washington.

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+66 # artful 2012-02-20 08:14

But how to contain Netanyahu? He's practically foaming at the mouth to launch an attack. Maybe if we were to tell him that he is free to do whatever he wants, but we will not be dragged into his fight, he might begin thinking again. The problem is our very own senators, such as old man McCain and his idiot friends, who also seem to be foaming at the mouth. The GOP does so love to launch wars.

+49 # maddave 2012-02-20 08:45

For the sake of the world these SOB's need to be brought to heel. We could begin by designating AIPAC for what it is: an active terrorist-support organization.

-23 # TG Powell 2012-02-20 12:05

One need not love Jewish people to realize that Ahmadinejad represents an existential threat to Israel.

He has repeatedly threatened to wipe Israel off the map, and a nuclear bomb or two is all he needs to do so.

-4 # barbaratodish 2012-02-21 00:07

Quoting

One need not love Jewish people to realize that Ahmadinejad represents an existential threat to Israel.

He has repeatedly threatened to wipe Israel off the map, and a nuclear bomb or two is all he needs to do so.

ANY existential threat is a cosmic joke on us! The joke on us is believing we HAVE any identity at all in the first place, because all our identities even our Jewish ones, HAVE US! Most of our identities are premature, so premature, in fact, that our identities are an illusion, and obnoxious arrogant ones (except for those few who embrace thier "dark sides") ! What is closer to our real identities is that we are mostly obnoxious human "viruses" in a COSMIC OPERATING PRINCIPLE (COP) http://readersupportednews.org/pm-section/263-arts/9922-are-we-human-or-just-viruses

+12 # X Dane 2012-02-20 18:49

Yes artful, you are right. Our own senators are a huge problem. In the "Lieberman article" there is a list of senators, who agree with him. There are 15 democrats on the list. Luckily my two senators, who are both Jewish, are not on the list. Still I am going to write them and I will urge them to persuade the democratic senators to reconsider, and take their name OFF the list.

I think it might make an impact, if we all here write our senators and tell them how we feel. If we send e-mails to all our friends and urge them to write their senators too, we just might make a difference.

Don't you think they would pay attention if we FLOOD THE SENATE WITH E-MAILS, AND TELL THEM THAT WE DO NOT WANT WAR.

I think we have to do SOMETHING, and organizing big marches, is very difficult.

We could do the e-mailing for a long time, to try to wear them out.

Please all of you here, what do you think? I would really like to know.

+2 # Barbara K 2012-02-21 11:19

X Dane, I agree with you. I think the best way for us to deal with this is to use the "money talks" mantra. Publish the list of names of all the Senators who are pushing for a war with Iran. Then encourage people to write letters to them and to circulate petitions with their names on, that they will be voted out of office at first opportunity. Senators are up for vote every 6 years. So that would work only on those up for election this time. Are any on the list up for election this time? Go after them with a vengeance. We can be reasonably sure that all Rs will be on the list. They won't want to lose their power. They are more interested in power than being Senators. Make sense to you? There isn't much more we can do legally. If we go OWS on them, we would be arrested and pepper-sprayed and some of us don't have the ability to do that.
So, what do you think?

+16 # MidwestTom 2012-02-20 08:17

If the General keeps this up, the duel citizenship boys at Goldman Sacks and in the Administration will have him removed, one way or another. Thankfully he not playing to their tune. Maybe Ron Paul should team up with him and give us two strong Americans against the war.

+11 # Billy Bob 2012-02-20 10:45

If ron paul becomes the spokesman for the anti-war movement the war will last forever. He's too easily dismissed and discredited to be taken seriously about anything. The anti-war movement is too important to put all our wishes in his hands. It would be better to have a sane spokesperson instead.

+55 # Barbara K 2012-02-20 08:40

Doesn't this sound eerily like how we got into Iraq? The last thing we need is another war. We are going broke now and cannot afford another war and I think enough of our kids have been killed and maimed over the last 10 years. Enough is enough. Yes, it seems that the Republicans are war-hungry, after all they have lots of friends who get very wealthy off wars. Well, let them go fight the wars themselves and send their own kids and keep ours out of it. We've given enough already. No more wars.

+19 # teineitalia 2012-02-20 12:00

"Well, let them go fight the wars themselves and send their own kids and keep ours out of it. We've given enough already. No more wars."

Barbara, I couldn't agree with you more. Let the people who want war so badly go fight it themselves. The old men in Congress (douchebag Lieberman etc) who are so happy to start wars should be made to fight on the front lines, and work directly with the medics and the morgue. The disconnect between the words of war-mongers and the horror of war has never been greater.

and in the case of scum like Cheney, friend and former CEO of Haliburton... they just don't care. War is good business for these greedy bastards. They're making more money on defense contracts than they will need in three lifetimes.

+1 # X Dane 2012-02-20 20:52

Yes Barbara, it scares the daylight out of me. Please let me know what you think about my suggestion above.

+1 # Barbara K 2012-02-21 11:23

X Dane, I replied as you asked on your comment above. Tell me what you think, okay?

+2 # X Dane 2012-02-21 12:25

Yes Barbara, I agree. The list of all the senators is in the end of the Lieberman article. There are 30 altogether. That's almost a third of the senate!!

Unfortunately 15 of them are democrats, some of them, I believe are up for re-election. Yes we should get started on the letter writing. Thank you for your comments. I like to have a dialog, not just "adding my two cents"

+2 # noitall 2012-02-21 10:30

Sorry Barbara K, I agree with you wholeheartedly but the force is on their side. Not only were we lied into Iraq but have been into most modern wars. Our elected officials are not rocket scientists any more than we are although there are always those in the 'In', most are just rallying for their job (so that they can continue to do the good work). Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXg70qJQ6O0
The PsyWar folks manipulate US like nobody's business and what we are today is their product. Do you think a 'civilization' could exist if all they got was truth? I'd like to try!

+50 # maddave 2012-02-20 08:40

Thank God! Somebody in the USAis publicly realizing the gravity of the situation that's developed between the USA, Israel & Iran.

The ONLY long term solution to the problem is OBVIOUSLY for Israel to understand that it is no longer 1948! The world constantly evolves. Things change. One of those things is that Iran is now a major Middle Eastern power WHO IS NOT about to remain (essentially) unarmed under the (nuclear) guns of Pakistan & India to the east & Israel to the west.

USA, Israel and Iran must sit down and talk to one another as equal sovereign powers - like sane adults. Any--all--alternatives to such diplomacy will delay and exacerbate the problem--with predictably deadly consequences for all concerned.

+4 # Doubter 2012-02-20 19:33

What worries me is all the qualifiers: "..at this time,"..not prudent at this point." That seems to imply there will be a more favorable time to start a war. If I were Amawhatshisname I wouldn't feel reassured by such statements.
Can't these war mongers just leave all of us alone and make their profits by rebuilding our infrastructure?

+2 # Barbara K 2012-02-21 11:26

MadDave, I agree with you. I can understand the fear Israel lives under, but I hope no one "jumps the gun" and winds up in a war that drags us into it too.

+48 # ganymede 2012-02-20 08:58

Enough is enough. As an American Jew I say it's about time all of us put as much pressure on the neocon warmongers, many of whom are Jews to stop this insanity. Essentially, Israel is blackmailing the world over Iran. Everyone know that the blowhards in Tehran don't have and are not ever going to launch nuclear missiles on Israel. Fortunately, most American Jews are not falling for this garbage and will stick with Obama and our generals who know that an Israeli attack on Iran would be even worse than our Iraqi debacle. Most Israelis are also against this idiocy. Shame on the Israeli fascists and their American supporters.

+24 # maddave 2012-02-20 09:11

QUOTE:
Citing attempted attacks ALLEGEDLY (emphasis added) by Iranian agents against Israeli targets in Delhi, Tbilisi and Bangkok last week, Hague said Iran was increasingly willing to contemplate "utterly illegal activities in other parts of the world".
UNQUOTE

Whenever a terrorist's bomb (real or allegorical) explodes, stop, think and ask yourself: "Who benefitted from this act?" I did that regarding ALL of the recent magnetic car bombs detonated in & around Iran. The bulk--the most destructive--killed Iranian nuclear scientists & engineers in Iran, The others were seemingly random, half-assed attempts that were immediately pinned on Iran by the media. The probability is that these non-fatal "amateurish" attacks were after-thought-smokescreens laid by "somebody" to divert attention from the REAL attacks in Iran. Wanna' guess who-dunnit?

+11 # Pondering and Pandering 2012-02-20 09:42

Iranian elections are just less than two weeks away. The Iranian Regime is hyper sensitive to domestic political currents and will grossly overreact to anything outside nations do. An Israeli attack would be devasting. It is not needed now as Iran is many months if not a full year away from getting a bomb. There is time for diplomacy before anyone is killed. That is not what we want.

And, Republican candidates who urge a stronger verbal and military offensive against Iran and at the same time complain about gas prices are out of their fricking minds. Obama has said little to avoid it getting discussed even more in the American media just now. When the Iranian election or farce is over and our own version of that farce is a few weeks closer, it will be safe to yack about them.

+18 # C. Winslow 2012-02-20 09:58

I believe that the anti-Iran side is ginning up a maximal war scare to add to their diplomatic leverage with Tehran. But Israel has a real problem. Its zealots want the whole of Palestine (eventually), and they do not want to live under any kind of nuclear stalemate with their enemies. It would curtail their freedom of action in conventional war. Moreover, Israel cannot achieve escalation dominance in the regional nuclear equation. Maybe Israelis need to make use of OWS measures in Jerusalem. Of course, if Israel killed 20 million Iranians trying to get certain security, they would then have their own holocaust to explain to the world.

+17 # bpjking@comcast.net 2012-02-20 09:59

When discussing the controversy surrounding the Iranian nuclear program, I think it is always to remember the most compelling reason the reason the Iranians have for building a bomb: Fear of a nuclear strike on their country by Israel. Progressive Jews in the US should call for a nuclear weapons free Mid East (Including Israel.)

Brian King

Seattle

+7 # abdullahiedward 2012-02-20 14:59

Agreed. If anybody needed a nuclear deterrant it's Iran.

+6 # abdullahiedward 2012-02-20 15:23

All these so-called big shots from Washington and Tel Aviv keep saying that it's not the right time. As if the were talking about going to catch a train instead of the killing of a bunch of innocent people. Who died and left these people as GOD???

+20 # fayaz 2012-02-20 10:10

salam to all muslims , christians and jews................ it is good to see what most americans feel that war is not the solution of problems

+2 # X Dane 2012-02-20 20:50

It definitely IS NOT fayaz, We all MUST work together to make our representatives understand, that we will vote them out of office if they are war mongering. Please see my other remarks here, fayaz.

-5 # fayaz 2012-02-20 10:12

brian king
....... rearrange your thoughts please

+12 # bluepilgrim 2012-02-20 10:12

There is a good segment on Real News Network, http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=7963 with Dempey speaking, and discussion by Max Blumenthal.

Dempsey was saying that a military strike was unwise but sanctions are good. Well, sanction are NOT good -- they are an act of war too, designed to destroy Iran and a nation, and the US has no business seeking regime change, or trying to stop Iran from developing niclear energy. Iran has signed the NPT, and they are cooperating with the IAEA inspections. All of this talk about Iran developing "capability" to eventually making nuclear weapons is no better than propagandist speuclation.

What this is about is the old PNAC plan to take over the Middle East, along with the crazy zionists and Israeli right wing fanatasies, control of oil, and all the war mongers' grabs for power, especially with elections coming up. It more of the same imperialist insanity, greed, and lust ofor power we've seen all along.

If anyone hasn't heard about the coup againt democratically elected Mossadegh in 1953 by CIA and BP, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat or other references. The Iranians have not forgotten!

+5 # Youtube-GlobalPrison 2012-02-20 10:15

Does it really take an ageing Military man to point out the obvious???
The Afghan President and leaders of Pakistan and Iran met this week for co-operative work on peace with the Taliban. It appears Iran has other friends like China and Russia, who won't back sanctions or U.S/Israeli wars. Perhaps Europe should pay for the last 6 months of oil from Iran and defy America's sanctions altogether?

+26 # motamanx 2012-02-20 10:24

Inasmuch as the only thing we know about Iran is what Israel tells us, I would tend to believe that we should learn a lot more about the country of Iran before attacking them or allowing Israel to attack them. We certainly should not listen to anything that Senator Lieberman say about the issue! A nuclear war in the Mideast means the end of Peace on Earth.

+2 # Billy Bob 2012-02-20 10:33

"good cop / bad cop"

+12 # weiser 2012-02-20 11:38

This U.S. position of 'urging' Israel not to attack is ridiculous as everyone in the international community knows. The U.S. could stop any Israeli military attack if it wanted by simply telling the Israeli government the attack will result in a suspension of our military aid.

-3 # gfelder 2012-02-20 12:22

I take exception to your position .Given what been seen so far by this administration they don't have the balls for it. It is already rumoured that the bunker buster bombs have already been transferred. We have already seen the Congress in action when the Israeli's come on stage.

-21 # Martintfre 2012-02-20 11:46

Since when is it our responsibility to tell Israel how to defend its self?

When Israel took out Saddam's budding nuke program almost all of Congress (Ron Paul being one of the few exceptions) voted to condemn Israels action.

+16 # maddave 2012-02-20 12:32

Martinfre: What planet are you writing from? Whichever it is, Things are different here on Earth!

Israel is our protege: our intelligence source and attack dog in the Middle East. We - and our AIPAC - have defended Israel and her outrageous actions long past the point of common sense and sanity: to the extent that that there are few--if any--nations left on THIS Planet that see a clear division - much less a defined space - between US Foreigh policy & Israel's actions.

I lost my share of relatives to the Nazi's & the Holocaust but those days and atrocities happened the-better-part-of-a-century ago. All excuses for inappropriate behavior eventually wear thin! The world has grown weary of the perpetual chip that Netanyahu & Lakud carry on their collective shoulder.

+14 # bluepilgrim 2012-02-20 12:42

Israel's attack on Osirak was illegal under international law and the UN Charter.

An Israeli attack on Iran would not be self-defense, but illegal aggressive war, and, again, in violation of the UN Charter.

At the least, if the US want's to not tell Israel what it should do then it it stop funding it and giving it military assistance -- we could sure use that money here at home.

+13 # Sweet Pea 2012-02-20 11:54

It seems that war at "anytime" is destabilizing. Isn't that the reason that wars are started? Fortunately, for the wealthy though it can certainly help to stablilize their investments in the military complex.

-3 # Martintfre 2012-02-20 12:24

War is when all other forms of politics have failed - Von Clowsowitz

+2 # Manacha 2012-02-20 13:17

Are "they" (the Israelis, the armed forces, the press, etc.) trying to exhaust us with warnings about the war so we'll see it as "the chronicle of the war foretold" and be paralyzed into doing nothing? They are excelling at it and accomplishing their aim.

+10 # ozken 2012-02-20 14:44

AN AMERICAN CORPORATION

You have two cows.
You sell one, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows.
Later, you hire a consultant to analyse why the cow has dropped dead.

A BRITISH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
Both are mad.

AN IRAQI CORPORATION
Everyone thinks you have lots of cows.
You tell them that you have none.
No-one believes you, so they bomb the ** out of you and invade your country.
You still have no cows, but at least you are now a Democracy.

AN IRANIAN CORPORATION
See Iraqi Corporation above

+10 # luvdoc 2012-02-20 15:51

The GOP, and all, war mongers are the dogs at the end of the corporate leash. Those greedy, inhumane, media controlling weapons making masters of war, give a tug, and the barking commences.

The harm they wish upon the people of Iran...may it fall upon their house as well.

Check out Mark Twain's "The War Prayer."

luvdoc

+7 # Eleanor Dwight 2012-02-20 16:04

Now is the time to seriously consider pushing for a NUCLEAR-WEAPONS FREE Middle East. There are five nuclear- weapons free zones in the world now. Both Israel and Iran would have to give up their nuclear weapons. This would prevent the inevitable proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region. Protocols for such agreements are in place and could be used in the Middle East. Going to war is just so much more fun than doing the tedious work of putting into place international agreements, however it is time we ask our "diplomats" to begin such discussions.

+2 # bpjking@comcast.net 2012-02-20 16:16

very true, Eleanor!

Brian King

Seattle

+1 # Billy Bob 2012-02-21 06:42

Israel has many nuclear weapons right now. Iran doesn't have any. Pakistan would also have to disarm, which would be impossible unless India gets rid of its nuclear arsenal too.

The biggest resistence you'd run into would be from American neo-cons who like things just as they are.

+3 # RMDC 2012-02-20 16:50

That's a pretty timid comment from the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He might have told Israel that it is on its own and he hopes that if Israel attacks Iran it will get is butt whipped good. The US will not help in any way. More than that, if Israel starts a war the US will file war criminal charges against all Israeli leaders and hunt them down and hang them -- as the Nuremberg principles still say is the appropriate punishment for those who start wars.

0 # X Dane 2012-02-21 18:55

RMDC. This is what he is saying for PUBLIC consumption! You can be sure he was a great deal more blunt in direct talks with Israel and Netanyahu. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall for that

-1 # ozken 2012-02-20 17:45

"not prudent at this point" to attack Iran.

"not a wise thing at this moment"
Hague said Iran was increasingly willing to contemplate "utterly illegal activities in other parts of the world".

Nothing about Israelis killing off scientists in Iran of course or their state terrorism against the Palestinian people.

All of this is BS of course and a pretend bow by the U.S. and Britain to the Muslim world. We told Israel not to do it they will cry!

Expect an Israeli attack anytime soon on Iran. How stupid do they think people are?

0 # fobsub 2012-02-21 01:27

The Israeli regime is Godless and we support it.

0 # fobsub 2012-02-21 01:31

The US is trying to wait til after the Nov election to attack Iran but Israel wants to do it now to drag in the Obama administration.

+1 # mjc 2012-02-21 08:47

One general doesn't make a "policy", and he is just one. X Dane writes about an email blizzard from those of us who don't want war with Iran of any kind. It is a good one. But the Israelis could still try an end run around public opinion and goad Congress to support THEIR attack. Congress just feels to inclined to give Israel all it wants...in the way of weapons for sure.

+1 # Pwarren 2012-02-21 10:41

An excellent book by Dana Priest and William Arkin
Top Secred America
So many situations explanined by the actions of the folks described in this book.

+1 # X Dane 2012-02-21 19:03

I remember William Arkin wrote a LOT of articles warning about, what would happen if we attacked Iraq. They were excellent articles and certainly didn't mince words.
He was very blunt. But of course Bush and CO. didn't listen.

Dana Priest is also a courageous journalist, and very factual.

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