Prospect of Israel Taking Preemptive Military Action Against Iran’s Nuclear Sites Appears More Likely in Recent Weeks

Bush and Olmert to meet over Iran's nuclear ambitions
From The Times
November 21, 2008
[link to www.timesonline.co.uk]

President Bush is to hold White House talks with the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday after publication of a nuclear watchdog’s report this week showing that Iran may have stockpiled enough enriched uranium to make a nuclear bomb.

The timing of the talks, between two lame duck leaders with only weeks to go before they leave office, is intriguing. Israel has stated repeatedly that it would be unacceptable for an Iranian regime to acquire nuclear weapons. Altough Tehran insists that its uranium enrichment programme is for peaceful purposes, President Ahmadinejad has vowed to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.

During his visit to Washington, which begins on Sunday, Mr Olmert is expected to meet the Vice-President Dick Cheney, the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Robert Gates, the Defence Secretary.

Intelligence sources have told The Times that the prospect of Israel taking preemptive military action to knock out Iran’s nuclear facilities appears to have become significantly more likely in recent weeks. Such an operation would require at least tacit US cooperation because it would almost certainly involve Israeli warplanes flying through US-controlled airspace in Iraq.

Barack Obama is known to have raised this issue when he visited Israel last summer. Diplomats in Washington have confirmed that he discussed with European leaders concerns that the first months of his presidency could be thrown off-course by such a military crisis.

The White House, announcing the meeting with Mr Olmert, gave little indication that Tehran’s nuclear ambitions would be at the top of the agenda. Mr Bush’s press secretary, Dana Perino, said that they would discuss “the continuing efforts to bring peace to the Middle East and a wide range of international issues”.