Israeli Army Chief Resisted DM’s Calls to Attack Iran
Outgoing General Warned War Would 'Bring Disaster'
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who portrays himself to the international community as the lone moderate in Israel’s far-right coalition government, drew up plans to launch an unprovoked attack on Iran last year, according to media reports.
His effort to do so ultimately failed, but only when Israeli Army Chief General Gabi Ashkenazi stepped in and warned that starting a major war with Iran would “bring disaster.” It was Ashkenazi’s opposition to starting the war, according to the report, that led to his repalcement by Gen. Yoav Galant. Ashkenazi is scheduled to retire next month.
Gen. Ashkenazi was revealed to have told the US in a WikiLeaks cable that Israel was planning a “large scale war” in late 2009, but also warned that Iran could hit Israel with missiles within 10-12 minutes in the event of an attack. This may well have been behind his reluctance to start such a war.
And, sadly, it may also be the reason behind Gen. Galant’s selection as his replacement, as he appears to be much less concerned with the consequences of such a war, and is seen as keen to go on the offensive across the region.
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sherban
January 12th, 2011 at 10:32 pm
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who portrays himself to the international community as the lone moderate in Israel’s far-right coalition government, drew up plans to launch an unprovoked attack on Iran last year, according to media reportsi".How unprovoked:Israel makes any possible provocation with US support other she didn't dare:Israel boosts Jundallah,a terrorist organization which did many attacks with many victims in the last time in Balucistan,Israel assassinated two scientists,Israel holds a chain of spies in Iran,Israel threaten Iran in a daily basis and all these is accepted as a right of Israel,all tis terror on Iran is considered by the "free world"as a right of Israel to defend herself.A new version of Orwell 1984 should be done with incited public shouting :Iran,Iran,Ira
solly
January 13th, 2011 at 5:10 am
LU-NA-TICS!
Roger Lafontaine
January 13th, 2011 at 9:12 am
I've been wondering what has been holding the warmongers back and now I know. The fate of the Iranian people was hanging by a thread and only Gen. Ashkenazi kept it from being severed. Now of course he is to be rooted out and replaced by the criminally insane so as not to deter the fascist agenda.
JAB
January 13th, 2011 at 12:47 pm
The Israelis are all F$*King crazies
thedissenter
January 13th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
How very commendable of him! Here, have a Matzo Ball and go fuck yourself.
tomofsnj
January 13th, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Israel has never attacked someone with advanced notice. The 1967 war was a sneak attack well planned to hit during the shift change. I am not sure why Israel believes the image showed in the movies is the truth in the real world. One recent phony movie had Brad and 6 of the chosen attacking the germany war machine and getting the attention of Hitler himself. In the real world at the time the 3rd US army lost 59,000 men just from the time they landed on the South France beaches to the Rhine river. They were lead by General Patton.
I wonder how much they think that the movie image of the superior warrior will carry the day. I would warnn them not to bet their lives on it. Another war might just be the next bridge too far movie.
mulegino
January 13th, 2011 at 2:18 pm
Not to mention what the Wehrmacht did to the Red Army. That is the great untold story of the war:
Operation Barbarrosa was not, as most historians like to think, a "treacherous sneak attack against a peaceful ally" but a preemptive strike against forces on the Polish frontier massing for an attack of their own. The Germans just decimated the Soviets, and they probably kept Western Europe from being overrun by the hordes of murderers and rapists.
The only reason that they ultimately lost was because they had to divide their resources between multiple fronts (France, Italy, the Balkans, and the East) and were simply unable to compete with American industrial might, untouched by the war.
tomofsnj
January 13th, 2011 at 3:08 pm
The more I learn the more I believe people like Charles Lindburgh and the American first were correct. We should have allowed hitler and stalin duke it out and then figured out what needed to be done. I can see why they hounded the lone Eagle. We are lucky that we actually won the war considering our Major ally the british were lead by Churchill who I cannot figure one victory the british had because of his leadership.
Jason Ditz « Antiwar Radio with Scott Horton and Charles Goyette
January 18th, 2011 at 9:49 pm
[...] party; the departure of IDF chief Gabi Ashkenazi, one of the few Israeli government officials to oppose an Iran offensive; why the West may be completely wrong about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad; and the prosecution of former CIA [...]