Gen. Dempsey: Keeping the Military Option in Mind on Iran

Claims 'Close Understanding' Reached With Israel

Fresh off a visit to Israel, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey claimed a “closer understanding” had been reached with Israel on the need to keep threatening Iran.

Gen. Dempsey insisted the US was keeping the option “in mind” and that he believes his meeting ended with Israel more confident of America’s belligerence toward Iran.

Dempsey’s Israeli counterpart, Benny Gantz, reported strong cooperation with the US and seemed pleased by what he termed “augmented assurances” about the US plans to attack Iran.

The US and Israel have often publicly spatted about Iran, with Israel condemning diplomacy in general and expressing dissatisfaction with the number of times the US threatens to attack, believing the US should do so much more often.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.