Breaking: US makes massive reduction to joint military exercise

The report quoted a senior Israeli military official speculating, "Basically what the Americans are saying is, ‘We don’t trust you.’”

The annual exercise, Austere Challenge 12, was originally slated to include some 5,000 US troops, according to TIME. Instead, the United States will send anywhere between 1,200 and 1,500 troops, TIME reported. Washington will still send the Patriot

www.jpost.com...

I'd be surprised if this goes on at all, due to the latest remarks from both sides.

IMO Israel is going to hold off, until the last week before election to see if US ACC's will send guided missiles in first before the Israeli jets.

I wonder. Does this send a message to Israel that the US is less likely to support them in a conflict? If so, doesn't that mean Israel will feel it's all by it's lonesome? Wouldn't that lead to a greater willingness to strike on it's own and less willingness to listen to anything Washington has to say about it?

I'm not sure this was a good move.

It's a game of chess.

The US are going to make it look like they aren't willing to strike Iran, while will embolden Iran and give them more confidence in their abilities so that when the inevitable US/Israeli strike comes Iran will be confused as to what happened.

I don't think it is going to work though. It will make Israel feel lonely and become more nervously aggressive and make the Iranians believe they are a true force to be reckoned with.

It basically heats both sides' rhetoric up and makes them more likely to go to war with each other.

Then the US has weakened Israel (a drain on their resources for colonialism in the Mid East) and destroyed the main opposition to them (Iran).

The US is showing its population that they are not willing to back a fight started by Israel.

Of course this is just a smoke screen as anyone here on ATS knows that the direct path from Israel to Iran is over Iraq, and as we know, Iraq is a no fly zone, so it will have to be with the support of the US turning a blind eye allowing the jets into restricted air space. of course Iran knows this, but Johnny six pack back home will not have a clue and when Iran retaliates it will look like they attacked the US first.

and of course if Iran doesn't bite and respond, there is always the possibility of an ally hitting an aging carrier in the gulf and blaming an innocent party.
or the other option of course is trying to open the straights of Hormuz

I would have to agree with Trajan. The US Military has a habit of portraying neutrality or a hesitance when approaching the major conflicts while ultimately being "persuaded to become involved". For instance WW2 when the U.S.A. was reluctant to become involved but eventually moved in based on morale obligation. Think of it this way, if the US wants Iran to attack they need to have confidence, and the US showing hesitation to declare support for Israel will certainly help to build that confidence. When it does happen, which it will, we will most certainly provide full military support for Israel but it will look like obligation not something the US was hoping for and President Obama will not look like a war monger. I don't think he is a war monger but never in history has a President of the United States been voted out of office when facing a second term in the time of a new war...

The worlds a stage. I dont believe a Single word any of these people say anymore be it American gov or Isreali or any other western bilderberg based "govern mente".

Originally posted by munkey66The US is showing its population that they are not willing to back a fight started by Israel.

Obama sayz: "You are spending your money on the wrong campaign!"

reply to post by TheMindWar
I must admit that I too am very confused now. There are way too many variables to keep things in perspective these days and I am losing sight of who are supposed to be the good guys and who are the bad guys.
Only time will tell I guess.