Israeli Lobbyists Upset At Bush Iran Plan

The Israeli Lobbying group, AIPAC, is upset with Pres. Bush's plan to back the Russian plan to work with Iran in developing its peaceful nuclear capabilities. It seems that the Bush admin. may have realized that there are moderate elements within the Iranian regime which the US can work with. This is a positive sign, especially if Shiites win in Iraq, as expected, and draw close to Iran.

On the other hand, Israel has put Washington on notice that it will not allow an Iranian nuclear capability...

According to the Washington Post:

U.N. nuclear inspectors are on the third year of an investigation of Iran's nuclear program. They have not found proof of a weapons program, but mounting evidence suggests that the Iranians have spent the past two decades acquiring the knowledge and technology that could be used to build an atomic bomb.

"This decision will facilitate Iran's quest for nuclear weapons and undermines international efforts to stop Iran from achieving such a capability," AIPAC told supporters and policymakers in a paper circulated after Thanksgiving. The position paper urged the Bush administration to work quickly toward reporting Iran's case to the Security Council, where it could face sanctions or an oil embargo.

As recent reports show, Israel defense forces have gone on high alert, which some inside the Israeli government have told reporters means that the Israeli air force may be called upon to attack Iranian nuclear targets in March 2006.

On the other hand, the US Army War College International Strategic Studies group has issued a recommendation that seems to envision a nuclear-capable Iran. Their report, GETTING READY FOR A NUCLEAR-READY IRAN, suggests ways to allow Iran to have nuclear power plants but not weapons of mass destruction.

Perhaps, the Israelis are concerned by one of the recommendations in this report: "Isolating Iran as a regional producer of fissile materials by encouraging Israel to take the first steps to freeze and dismantle such capabilities." This is certainly an overt reference to Israeli's own nuclear weaons stockpile. While Israel has never admitted that it has these weapons, it is widely acknowledged by experts that they do have a sizeable arsenal.

At the same time, Israeli special forces and Mossad agents have been working close to the Iranian border in northern Iraq, ever since the US invaded that country. Such actions can only be seen by the Iranians as provocations and perhaps as preliminary operations for some form of Israeli attack.

If the Bush administration has indeed changed its policy towards Iran and is willing to encourage the more moderate elements within that country through debate and compromise over its nuclear capacitiy, then Israel may indeed have no other choice but to back down on its own weapons of mass destruction program and to accept Iran as an equal in the region.