Israel likely to deliver ultimatum to Obama on Iran's nuclear plans

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2012-03-04

Israel is likely deliver a strong ultimatum to the United States on Monday, demanding that President Barack Obama vow to use military force to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb.

Israel has said that if this demand is not met, it might take the situation into its own hands within months.

According to sources close to the Israeli security establishment, military planners have reckoned that the timing for a unilateral military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities is auspicious.

The real urgency comes from the fact that Israeli intelligence has said that it has only between six to nine months before Iran's nuclear facilities are immune from a unilateral military strike.

According to Israel's assessment, Iran will have acquired sufficient technological expertise to build a nuclear weapon by that deadline

It is an assessment based on the unforeseen consequences of the Arab Spring, particularly in Syria, which has had the result of significantly weakening Iran's clout in the region.

Israel has always known that there would be an enormous cost in launching an attack on Iran, with the latter capable of retaliating through its proxy militant groups, the Hamas and Hizbollah.

But with Syria preoccupied by a near civil war and Hamas choosing to leave Iran's orbit and realign itself with Egypt, Iran's options suddenly look considerably more limited, boosting the case for war.

"Iran's deterrent has been significantly defanged. As a result some of those opposed to military action have changed their minds. They sense a golden opportunity to strike Iran at a significantly reduced cost," The Telegraph quoted a source, as saying.

Netanyahu's might also demand that the US recognises Israel's "red lines", which requires the Obama administration to shift from a position of threatening military action if Iran acquired a nuclear weapon to warning of the use of force if Tehran acquired the capability of being able to build one.

Source: North America News.Net

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