Fallon talks sense into Israel on Iran

Press TV
December 19, 2008

A former senior US commander says Israel should overcome its “fear” that a nuclear Iran would pose an existential threat to Tel Aviv.

Retired navy admiral William Fallon, the former commander of US forces in the Middle East, said in an interview with the Jerusalem Post that Israel must give a rest to its claims about Iran’s nuclear program.

Israel, the possessor of the sole nuclear arsenal in the Middle East, alleges that Iran has “plans” to develop a military nuclear program.

Iran denies the allegations, insisting that its work is directed at the civilian applications of the technology.

Fallon, who abruptly resigned in March after he reportedly broke ranks with the White House over the policies of the Bush administration on Iran, said he is unable to understand why Iran would even contemplate using nuclear weapons against Israel.

“Do they wish to go away?” he asked, insinuating that such a move would provoke a military response by the US.

US secretary of state-designate Hillary Clinton said in April that in case of an Iranian attack against Israel, Washington would be left with no choice but to “totally obliterate” the country.

• A d v e r t i s e m e n t

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for his severe criticism of Israeli acts against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, has been accused of having genocidal plans against Israel.

Tehran, however, insists it does not intend to wage war against any nation. In July, the Iranian president himself confirmed that Iran “has no plans to attack Israel.”

In September, he told CNN’s Larry King that as a result of its crimes, Israel would disappear in the same way as apartheid South Africa and the Soviet Union.

Under its claim that Ahmadinejad is anti-Semitic, Tel Aviv insists Iran has plans to “wipe Israel off the map” and has threatened to militarily take out Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

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This article was posted: Friday, December 19, 2008 at 11:35 pm

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