Israel claims to have permission from Saudi Arabia to use its airspace on a planned attack on Iranian nuclear sites. The head of Mossad, Israel’s overseas intelligence service, has assured Benjamin Netanyahu, its prime minister, that Saudi Arabia would turn a blind eye to Israeli jets flying over the kingdom during any future raid on Iran’s nuclear sites. Earlier this year Meir Dagan, Mossad’s director since 2002, held secret talks with Saudi officials to discuss the possibility. The Israeli press has already carried unconfirmed reports that high-ranking officials, including Ehud Olmert, the former prime minister, held meetings with Saudi colleagues. The reports were denied by Saudi officials. “The Saudis have tacitly agreed to the Israeli air force flying through their airspace on a mission which is supposed to be in the common interests of both Israel and Saudi Arabia,” a diplomatic source said last week. Although the countries have no formal diplomatic relations, an Israeli defence source confirmed that Mossad maintained “working relations” with the Saudis. John Bolton, the former US ambassador to the United Nations who recently visited the Gulf, said it was “entirely logical” for the Israelis to use Saudi airspace. Bolton, who has talked to several Arab leaders, added: “None of them would say anything about it publicly but they would certainly acquiesce in an overflight if the Israelis didn’t trumpet it as a big success.” Arab states would condemn a raid when they spoke at the UN but would be privately relieved to see the threat of an Iranian bomb removed, he said. Referring to the Israeli attack on an alleged Syrian nuclear facility in 2007, Bolton added: “To this day, the Israelis haven’t admitted the specifics but there’s one less nuclear facility in Syria . . .” Recent developments have underscored concerns among moderate Sunni Arab states about the stability of the repressive Shi’ite regime in Tehran and have increased fears that it may emerge as a belligerent nuclear power. “The Saudis are very concerned about an Iranian nuclear bomb, even more than the Israelis,” said a former head of research in Israeli intelligence. The Israeli air force has been training for a possible attack on Iran’s nuclear site at Natanz in the centre of the country and other locations for four years. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6638568.ece
? No. Where do you get that shit? The Iranians probably would make better allies than the Saudis, for the US - more democratic, less prone to fomenting terrorism, plenty of access to oil, and generally friendlier, more US-compatible people in my experience and by all accounts. An Israeli attack on Iran would be lousy for the US. But America's best interests and Israel's best interests are not the same, of course.
Red Herring. If you want to discuss the pros and cons of environmental legislation, you ought to begin another thread, rather than derailing this one. This thread is about Saudi approval (or willingness to allow) an Israeli air strike against facilities in Iran to prevent the Iranians from building a fission bomb. If you think that there would not be severe repercussions (of the sort that could cripple our fragile economic recovery) from this, you are delusional. Assuming they built one, who would the Iranians use it against? We know Israel has nukes, so they would and could return fire. And the Iranians know that we might well use a fusion bomb (or even a few dozen, we have more than we know what to do with) on Iran if they managed to set off a fission bomb on the territory of one of our allies. The Israelis have delivery capability, and could count on us for guaranteed air superiority. Deterrence from being invaded is the sole reason I can see for Iran to want a fission bomb.
If the air strike takes out the present government, then all is well - because the progressive ones will be in charge then....
I think it would be great for the ME if Iran has "The Bomb" - espeacially if they use it in the name of God.
Iran is misunderstood and misrepresented much of the time, but less prone to fomenting terrorism? Did you miss the 1980s? Hezbollah? Khobar Towers?
