Clearing the path for US war on Iran (Asia Times)

[theHandpuppet]

Veddy, veddy interesting...

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HH10Ak05.html

Clearing the path for US war on Iran
By Gareth Porter

WASHINGTON - Israel has argued that the war against Hezbollah's rocket arsenal was a defensive response to the Shi'ite organization's threat to Israeli security, but the evidence points to a much more ambitious objective - the weakening of Iran's deterrent to an attack on its nuclear sites.

In planning for the destruction of most of Hezbollah's arsenal and prevention of any resupply from Iran, Israel appears to have hoped to eliminate a major reason the US administration had shelved the military option for dealing with Iran's nuclear program - the fear that Israel would suffer massive casualties from Hezbollah's rockets in retaliation for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.

One leading expert on Israeli national-defense policy issues believes the aim of the Israeli campaign against Hezbollah was to change the US administration's mind about attacking Iran. Edward Luttwak, senior adviser to the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, says administration officials have privately dismissed the option of air strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities in the past, citing estimates that a Hezbollah rocket attack in retaliation would kill thousands of people in northern Israel....

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[Phrogman]

1. Bleeding off some of the missiles before the balloon goes up.

Good article

[yurbud]

2. I think they hoped to neuter Hezbollah itself so they couldn't respond

to the coming attack on Iran

[yurbud]

3. Another reason to attack Hezbollah: make fake terror hit look plausible

When Dick Cheney asked the Pentagon to draw up plans for striking Iran last summer, he said it would be in response to a terrorist attack whether or not Iran was responsible.

The grievance of Hezbollah and general sympathy for Lebanon could be blamed as the proximate causes for the terrorist attack, which of course will require several times more deaths in response and the theft of Iran's oil reserves.

[IntiRaymi]

4. That is precisely it.

Everything happens with the tacit approval of the sheeple wing of the american people. What appears to be going on is just this: They are 'prepping' the psychology of the masses for what is about to come.
What is especially fascinating is that you are watching it in slow motion, as it happens.

[HereSince1628]

5. I think I read that Israeli military has claimed they are fighting Iranian

forces, not Hezbollah militia. Now that, in my fear, could be used by BushCo as a pretense to smack Iran with an air-sea assault.

[countryjake]

8. CNN has been running a clip with an IDF soldier saying just that...

I've heard it twice already and he clearly says Iranian militants, not Hezbollah.

It's all about twisting our perception, just as the pictures and the massacre in Qana are now being questioned.

[DemReadingDU]

6. K&R

[Nikki Stone 1]

7. Kick

:kick:

[teryang]

9. Twisted and ineffectual strategies

Why is the focal point of US strategy what is going to happen to Israel?

Why is the focal point of Iranian policy how to retaliate against Israel?

The real target is the energy infrastructure right there on Iran's doorstep.

I have wondered since I studied Persian Gulf targets why anyone would even bother with Israel. Attacking the source is the deterrent. Rockets are ineffective weapon systems. They aren't even aimed at any tactically significant targets. Why bother?

Clearly, anyone who pursues such a course knows little about fighting. The rocket attacks on Israel have political significance only. Militarily, they are a nullity.