Netanyahu to ask Obama for weapons to strike Iran

[-Fallen Angel-]

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will use a visit to Washington this week to press the U.S. to release advanced weapons needed for a possible strike on Iran's nuclear sites, the Sunday Times reported.

Ahead of his departure Sunday night, Netanyahu bowed to U.S. demands and promised the administration of U.S President Barack Obama that Israel will make several goodwill gestures toward the Palestinians.

For the first time since Operation Cast Lead, Israel has agreed to ease the blockade on the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu has also agreed to discuss all core issues during the proximity talks, with the condition of reaching final conclusions only in direct talks with the PA.
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But according to the London weekly, Netanyahu will also seek returns for the concessions, asking Israel's closest ally to provide the IAF with sophisticated 'bunker-buster' bombs needed to break through to Iran's nuclear enrichment installations, many of which are buried underground.

Israel and the West accuse Iran of using its enrichment program to build a nuclear bomb, a charge Tehran denies.

Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush, is believed to have refused previous Israeli requests for the GBU-28 bombs, as well as for upgraded refuelling tanker aircraft that would enable a long-range airstrike on Iran.

But Netanyahu may have a tough task before him in persuading Obama to arm Israel for a strike and current U.S. strategy appears to favor a diplomatic, rather than a military, solution to the Iran's dispute with the West.

On Sunday Obama used the occasion of the Persian New Year to send a video message to Iranians in which he renewed last year's American offer of engagement to end the nuclear standoff.

So far, Western attempts to lure Iran into a compromise have met with little success, however, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has rejected offers to enrich his country's uranium abroad.

On Saturday Ahmadinejad issued his own, more combative New Year's address to Iranians, in which he said that Iran would resit Western pressure even more determinedly in the coming year.

"Enemies have tried to weaken our country but they have failed and in the coming year we will stand even more firmly against them than before," he said.

Reports on Saturday that United States was transporting 387 of the high-tech bunker-busting bombs to its air base on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean appeared to indicate that despite his diplomatic efforts, Obama has not ruled out an American strike in Iran.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1157844.html

[Joe98]

……Netanyahu bowed to U.S. demands and promised the administration of U.S President Barack Obama that Israel will make several goodwill gestures toward the Palestinians.

What are these “US demands” in favour of the Palestinians????

So far, Western attempts to lure Iran into a compromise have met with little success, however, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has rejected offers to enrich his country's uranium abroad.

"Enemies have tried to weaken our country but they have failed and in the coming year we will stand even more firmly against them than before," he said.:raging: :raging: :raging:

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[marwen]

If the US stops supporting Israel and lessening to its demands, the world may be more peaceful.
In fact, the US has no problem if Iran developes nuclear weapons, because there is a lot of other countries having nuclear bombs (pakistan, india, france, russia, china, ...) and the US has no problem with that. But the problem is that Israel doesn't whant Iran to make nuclear industry and it is pushing the US to strike Iran. If the US will not control itself, it can make its bigger mistake in this century (a third wolrd war :0)

[Rabi Mansur]

:sl:


I don't see Netanyahu having any leverage with Obama. Especially with the fiasco that occurred when more settlements were announced while Biden was in town.

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[-Fallen Angel-]

If the US stops supporting Israel and lessening to its demands, the world may be more peaceful.
In fact, the US has no problem if Iran developes nuclear weapons, because there is a lot of other countries having nuclear bombs (pakistan, india, france, russia, china, ...) and the US has no problem with that. But the problem is that Israel doesn't whant Iran to make nuclear industry and it is pushing the US to strike Iran. If the US will not control itself, it can make its bigger mistake in this century (a third wolrd war :0)

Indeed. Israel is worried Iran may end up top dog in middle-east; because we all know Israel talks the talk but can't walk the walk. They pick on defenseless countries to attack (Palestine, Gaza). Let's see them live up to their promise and attack Iran, but US is their b*tch, always have been.

[Argamemnon]

We are divided therefore they are able to threaten us. Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Indonesia (and others) are perfectly capable of developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. Imagine if we did and we were united against Zionist and western hostilities and threats. Undoubtedly, "Israel" would immediately recognize Palestine. A balance of power is necessary. That's how you deal with enemies, but we have chosen to suffer. We have preferred the worldly concept of nationalism to Muslim brotherhood.