'Israel simulating attack on Iran'

Romanian gendarmes guard a path leading to the crash site



Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=137052§ionid=351020101


An open source intelligence report says the Israeli military helicopter that crashed in Romania last week was simulating a military attack on Iran.

On Monday, six Israeli soldiers and a Romanian flight captain aboard a CH-53 transport helicopter were killed when the chopper crashed in a mountainous region of central Romania.

The Jerusalem-based DEBKAfile cited a military source as saying on Friday that the crash had occurred in the last stage of a joint Israeli-US-Romanian military drill simulating an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.

On a straight line, the distance between Tel Aviv and Iran's nuclear facility in Nataz is 1,600 kilometers (1000 miles). The source said that the Israeli military is cooperating with counties like Romania, Greece, and Bulgaria, which have roughly the same distance with Israel.

The operations, which include risky dives into low altitudes and quick radar-evading maneuvers, are extremely hazardous, the source added.

The drills, dubbed 'Blue Sky 2010,' are underway based on Israeli allegations that Tehran is pursuing a secret military nuclear program, building a nuclear facility in deep tunnels beneath mountains with summits of above 2,000 meters.

Iranian officials reject both charges, stressing that Tehran is cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to keep its civilian nuclear program transparent.

They argue that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Iran has the right to peaceful nuclear technology.

This is while Israel -- reportedly the Middle East's sole possessor of a nuclear arsenal -- has so far defied international calls to sign the NPT.

Israeli has openly threatened to bomb Iran's nuclear installation for years. The likelihood of such an attack has significantly increased due to Tel Aviv's growing impatience with the United Nations Security Council sanctions and similar unilateral measures adopted by the US and EU, which have failed to change Tehran's stance on its peaceful nuclear issue.

Tehran says the sanctions are politically-motivated and stem from its refusal to give into 'global arrogance.'

Republicans push world toward WW III

US President Barack Obama (R) Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu


Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=136084


Republicans in the US House of Representatives have introduced a resolution voicing support for a possible Israeli military strike against Iran.

House Resolution 1553 declares full support for Israel to use all means to eliminate what it calls "nuclear threats posed by Iran," including military force.

The House Republicans also promised to provide Tel Aviv with critical economic and military assistance, including missile capabilities.

Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu called for more weapons during his recent visit to Washington.

Press TV discusses the issue with former US Senator Mike Gravel the following is the transcript of the interview:

Press TV: The introduction of the measure coincides with a pattern of renewed calls for military strikes that have escalated since President Obama signed the "crippling" Congressional Iran sanctions into law ,how much do you blame Obama's decisions for the recent measure taken by the congress?

Gravel: Well first off, I consider Obama's conduct to be absolutely irresponsible and [it] sets the stage for the Republicans caving in under the pressure of AIPAC, the house of representatives, to give license to Israel to go ahead and attack Iran.

This is probably the stupidest and craziest thing that the United States of America could be involved in.

Israel has no right to object to Iran's pursue of nuclear energy and there is no proof that there is any effort to weaponize it on the part of Iran.

So for them to turn around and possibly start a war with Iran over no factual data at all, the Republican conduct is caving and keep in mind these are the same people that started the Iraq war.

I cannot tell you how irresponsible this is, a war that is very, very serious. Iran is not Iraq. Iran is not Syria. If the Israeli's are fool enough to strike Iran, they will ruin the day and it could possibly trigger a third world war.

Keep in mind this would be an attack on an Islamic nation, unprovoked, and what would be the answer? Israel will get in deep trouble and as a result to that the US would be forced into a situation that now the rest of the Islamic communities will respond. Pakistan also has nuclear weapons.

This could just escalate beyond and Iran is no push over, they have missiles, they can strike back, and they will. They will retaliate. This could trigger a world economic depression.

This is the level of idiocy on the part of American leaders, and of course, Netanyahu is nothing but a war-mongering hawk.

Press TV: Neoconservatives who were instrumental in orchestrating the Iraq War, such as Bill Kristol, and Reuel Marc Gerecht, have led the stepped-up calls for military action.

In spite of enthusiasm from the neoconservatives, top US military leaders have warned of the many dangers of military strikes against Iran, I would like to know your comments on that too.

Gravel: Well they are at least more sober in this regard, keep in mind that we are having trouble fighting two wars and we are broke and we are risking the possibility of another war and so the military knows how stretched out we are and I think some of the military leaders share my view and that is that this could trigger a third world war between the Islamic world and the West.