It's more than that. Backing up Israel in this case is not in our interest. IT WILL KILL HUNDREDS of Americans AT LEAST? Do you understand that? Do you realize that Iraq is not stable enough to handle this and a lot of us died to get to where we are? Do you want to throw that all away before we secure it such that it can defend itself?

-DA 

Israeli defense policy is a very unique one in that their sworn enemies have sworn to wipe them off the face of the Earth.  As far as the Israelis are concerned, the first war they lose will be their last one......ever.  Right now Israel's biggest ally in the world is the United States, but Israel's primary interest is its own survival and doing everything it can from preventing its enemies from acquiring the means to destroy it.  As long as America's interests include protecting Israel from its enemies, it is in Israel's interest to continue this close relationship, but as soon as Israel detects that the United States' interests are in conflict with Israel's survival in any way, shape, or form then Israel will act without consulting the US or particularly caring how it will affect our foreign policy interests in the region.  

Israel showed a tremendous amount of restraint during the 1991 Gulf War.  Iraq was launching Scuds into Israel, but did not retaliate because they knew that it would shatter the fragile coalition that the United States was depending upon to defeat Iraq.  In that particular instance our two interests were mutually beneficial, but had Iraq attacked Israel with chemical weapons then Israel would have responded regardless of how it would have affected the coalition or our mission of kicking Iraq out of Kuwait. 

 

The biggest thing that Israel has going for it is the support of not just the American Jewish community, but the American Christian community as well, particularly Evangelical Christians.  Christians are concerned with Israel's security for both historical and religious reasons, and as America becomes more secular those factors will begin to wane in significance.  I've heard a number of liberals openly advocate that we reduce our economic, military, and political support for Israel in order to curry more favor with the Arabs, and some are even openly hostile to Israel, declaring it to be the problem, and not so subtly saying that the world would be better off if Israel didn't exist at all.  President Obama is not a terribly popular figure in Israel right now because many Israelis suspect that Obama is not nearly committed to Israel's security and survival as past Presidents have been.  Judging by the things Obama has said to both Israel and the Islamic world, I feel that this sentiment is justified.  Obama may be willing to allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons if it will promote regional stability, but the Israelis will not...........nor should they. 

I think that we should allow access to the API (Application Programming Interface).  This would allow them to develop their own systems without knowing exactly how the original equipment works.

 

I thought the purpose of an "Open Architecture" system was the ease of adding components.

 

I am looking forward to their work with Conformal F-35 tanks and an active EW system.

Well said, I only wish our current administration knew the implacation of its actions in regards to the Middle East. I'm afraid to say that Obamas policies towards the Middle East, are the same as Chamberlain and Daladier were towards Germany before the war., it's sad but it is true.

What about the last one? NOTHING HAS CHANGED. Guys, this is bigger than Israel. God help them, but not at our expense. An American President has a duty to look after American interest first. That means before Israeli interest. President Bush Sr. understood this, President Clinton understood this, President Bush Jr. Understood as does President Obama. Even the Israeli leaders understand the limits which is why that have not acted overtly. THEY KNOW THEY CAN'T. Some times it takes more than the will and a bad attitude.

-DA 

Remember Syria. When the Syrians with Iranian and Nork help began building a reactor to develop it's nuclear ambitions, Israel successfully destroyed it with nary a peep from the region's Muslim leadership.  Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan all seemed quite pleased with the outcome. Is there any possibility that the Israeli's could find alternative routes to Iran without US/Iraqi involvement and still accomplish the mission?

 

A wink and a nod from the right countries could open a window of opportunity.

 

Check Six

 

Rocky

More complicated than that unfortunately. Iran can and will peep and the chances of Israel actually achieving the objective are not very good. It's not that we can't all get together and force the issue, it's more of an issue of will we. We being the US and a Coalition willing to work with the Israelis. No question we can bomb Iran, but we would be limited in our ability to contain the response which would require significant ground and naval forces

North Korea has demonstrated fission, throw and intent to some degree.  Iran not so much.  Why argue war on Iran but not North Korea?  Hawaiians need their Asia-manufactured TVs and their security too.

 

The reason is real simple, geography. Most of the Norths artillary is close to the dmz, and that brings it within reach of Soul. If a war was to start between the US and the North, within the first couple of days the north can rain steel on Soul and crush the whole city. There would be hundreds of thousands of dead and wounded, and that includes the 30,000 or so American troops in the country. We, as in America, and South Korea would eventually dafeat the the North within a couple of months, but the casualties on the civilain, military, economical and Industrail level would be so devastating, it will be a big no-no to satart a war like this. The only way a war between America and North Korea would come to fruition is if the North started it. There would be more American dead and wounded within 4 or 5 days of fighting the North then there would be in a war with Iran fought for four to five months. Plus Iran could not do anything like what the North could do to Soul. The human, economical, industrial, consequences of fighting North Korea and Iran is not even comparable. Plus the North those not have religious loons running the country like Iran.

 

More complicated than that unfortunately. Iran can and will peep and the chances of Israel actually achieving the objective are not very good. It's not that we can't all get together and force the issue, it's more of an issue of will we. We being the US and a Coalition willing to work with the Israelis. No question we can bomb Iran, but we would be limited in our ability to contain the response which would require significant ground and naval forces.

-DA 

 

Well then I'd suggest those boneheads in Washington start making plans DA. Israel is not about to let their very existence be threatened because it is *not* in Americas best interest to stop it from happening. Israel cannot allow Iran to obtain nukes and it's not because Iran may nuke them. It's because once that happens every other Arab nation in the mid east will then want nukes and Israel will find itself surrounded on every border with nuke armed Jewish hating Arabs and they are not about to allow that to happen. American support or not, Israel IS going to stop Iran. You can take that to the bank.

 

beazz

There are plans Beazzz. None of them involve unilateral Israeli action.

-DA