[Peace-discuss] The real war debate

[C. G. Estabrook]

[From Ha'aretz, July 8, 2008]

...U.S. analyst: Mullen made clear Israel has no 'green light' to attack Iran

A senior U.S. strategic analyst says the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of 
Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, sent Israel an unequivocal message stating that 
Israel does not have a "green light" from the U.S. to attack Iranian nuclear 
facilities.

Professor Anthony Cordesman of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Strategic 
and International Studies foreign policy think tank is considered a leading 
researcher in the area of U.S. national security. In the past he served in 
senior positions in the Defense Department, and was Senator John McCain's 
National Security Assistant.

Cordesman is visiting Israel this week, and gave a lecture Monday at Tel Aviv 
University and at Hebrew University on Sunday. He talked about Mullen's comments 
last week in Washington when the Admiral said such an Israeli attack would be 
dangerous and could destabilize the Middle East.

Mullen spoke after returning from a visit to Israel, during which he met with 
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi and other senior IDF officers.

Cordesman said Mullen came to Israel to deliver a message that Israel did not 
have a green light to attack Iran and that it would not receive U.S. support for 
such a move.

According to Cordesman, Mullen was expressing the official opinion of the U.S. 
administration, including that of President George W. Bush and the National 
Security Council. [NOTE OMISSION OF VP CHENEY. --CGE]

Mullen said last week that the president, Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs 
of Staff said they are choosing to work for now through diplomatic channels to 
put pressure on Iran: "The best way to solve it diplomatically is for the United 
States to work with other nations to send a focused message, and that is that 
you will be isolated and you will have economic hardship if you continue trying 
to enrich," explained Mullen.

Cordesman explained that senior American officers do not make such public 
statements without permission from the White House.

In his Jerusalem lecture, Cordesman said the U.S. has a plan for a military 
attack on Iran, but is continuing with diplomatic efforts for now. He estimated 
that if a change were to be made in the U.S. position on an attack against Iran, 
it would only be made during the next administration.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1000091.html