With growing concern about the prospect of a US or Israeli attack on Iran, reports coming out of the Israeli media today say that a massive “defense drill” which was seen by many as part of the groundwork for such a war has been postponed.
Unnamed Israeli officials quoted on Israel’s Channel 2 say that the drill has been postponed because the US wants to “avoid causing further tensions in the region” and that it will now be held in the summer.
The deployment of thousands of US troops to Israel for the drill had raised red flags across the region, with many fearing that an attack was in the offing. The last time a drill anywhere near this size was held was in 2009, and that only involved about 1,000 US troops – this time reports had about 9,000 in Israel.
There was no indication from the reports what that US troops sent to Israel for the drill will do now that it has been postponed, as leaving them inside Israel for the next 6-7 months in anticipation of the drill would likely be provocative in and of itself.
I hope the new troops were all followers of islam
This was unexpected and might be a small step in the right direction for a change.
I mentioned that their timetable is out of whack a few days ago. This is further hammering that point home. Syria is proving a tougher nut to crack than they had anticipated and the rate they are provoking the Iranians has been increasing at an alarming rate. They might actually be afraid Iran might lose their cool and respond before Syria and Hezbollah have been neutralized.
Now that's a surprise. Perhaps someone in the US military still has a brain and managed to convince the idiots in this administration to cool it. Good the them, us, and the world. Now, let's hope that this is not just the calm before the storm.
Curiouser and curiouser, eh?
Maybe the Israelis prefer to fight in warmer weather? Oh, silly me- THEY won't be sending troops to Iran, what do they care?
But, if Iran is such a threat why aren't they gung-ho to get the war started and get Israeli boots on the ground in Iran? The only way to shut down Iran's nuclear facilities for good is to put Yaakov on the ground with a rifle- after any bombing takes place- to make sure it doesn't get rebuilt. Why the wait? And why the need for so many US troops in the area? Isn't Israel going to fight their war themselves? Or our troops there to defend Israel when Iran comes down on them like a sledgehammer to get some payback?
My explanation of this is that, in fact, the exercise is being postponed because it would clash with an expected US/NATO occupation of Syria.
"There was no indication from the reports what that US troops sent to Israel for the drill will do now that it has been postponed, as leaving them inside Israel for the next 6-7 months in anticipation of the drill would likely be provocative in and of itself."
Why would US troops in Israel lead to friction with our most trusted and true friend in the Middle East?
Why would US troops in Israel lead to friction with our most trusted and true friend in the Middle East?'
Remember the USS LIberty. Any US Military is at risk if they get within firing distance of insane people. Friends do not bribe law officials for their benefit. Friends do not take military secrets and sell it to people who will kill out children. Friends do not stand and watch when fighting needs to be done. So please do not try to act like we should trust someone who has proven over and over not to be worthy of trust.
I think Carroll was trying to be sarcastic.
You nailed it Jaime.
There is no alliance between the United States and Israel. Washington had offered one, but the aggressive racist regime in Tel Aviv refuses to define its borders something that a treaty would require. As the two nations are not allies why are there any American troops in the undefined zionist entity? Bring the boys home.
They might not be "allies" but they are "partners in crime."
Watch very closely what happens to those 9000 troops. I suspect that was the main objective. The cover story was the idea of a joint exercise with us.
9000 troops to Israel for a postponed exercise, that may or may not be resumed in 6-7 months.
Hope and Change.
Bait and Switch.
All samey-same.
Probably they will be waiting for things to calm down, and when people forget about them, they will be put to bad use.
I have to wonder at the hubris the US and Israel have towards arabs and persians. Kill scientist, use of drones, invasions, plots to overthrow their leaders and then we consider it a provaction for Iran to threaten the close the Strait of Hormuz. Thecurrent neocon policy seems to be…let's attack Iran before they get a nuclear weapon, afterwhich we can't risk attacking them. Which would make me think Iranians would think….Let's perfect the nuclear process to assure ourselves Israel or the US will not attack.