Bush: I would understand if Israel chose to attack Iran

By Yossi Verter, Haaretz Correspondent

The United States lacks sufficient intelligence on Iran's nuclear facilities at this time, which prevents it from initiating a military strike against them, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has told European politicians and diplomats with whom she has recently met.

Rice mentioned three reasons why the United States is currently unable to carry out a military operation against Iran: the wish to solve the crisis through peaceful means; concern that a military strike will be ineffective - that it would fail to completely destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities; and the lack of precise intelligence on the targets' locations.

Bush also said that if such an attack were to take place, he would understand it.

U.S. President George W. Bush and President Jacques Chirac of France met several weeks ago. Bush told his French counterpart that the possibility that Israel would carry out a strike against Iran's nuclear installations should not be ruled out.

In recent talks with their Israeli counterparts, French government officials estimated that Iran would reach the "point of no return" in its nuclear program by spring 2007, in approximately five months.

In talks with Israeli sources several days ago, a French government official asserted that an Israeli military attack against Iran would be "a total disaster" in terms of its implications for the entire world.

Didn't that happen before - 'a lack of intelligence'?

Most likely, it has become clear to Bush that Europe won't support a US/Israeli campaign in Iran. Besides, attacking Iran would be total suicide and the situation in the Middle East would escalate so badly that I personally wouldn't be living in Israel.
The use of dirty bombs against Israel should not be ruled out nor do we know with what kind of weapons Hezbollah is supplied.

In any way, it would be the last straw to create total destruction of the Middle East.
But probably it won't come that far as Israel lacks the capabilities of fighting a full-scale war against Iran, Syria and Hezbollah on its own.

As horrible as it is, Mdv2, I feel it's only a matter of time before the powers that be use "inadequate" or lacking intel to justify another war.

Keep your eyes open for some crazy stunt, perpitrated by our governments, to get the ball rolling and to cloud the eyes of the ones that disagree with their position. They'll get their way, come hell or high water.

Peace out.