McCaffery says Israel may attack Iran with nucs.

McCaffery's PPT is presumably proprietary in nature since he briefed NBC as a consultant.  That means it is copyrighted.  Therefor, I will not quote it.

McCaffery judges that Israel may use nuclear weapons against Iran.

The military logic behind his judgment that Israel may use nuclear weapons is clear.  As I have repeatedly said, Israel is not capable of doing more than "moderate" damage to Itan with conventional weapons.  Therefore, they are pushed in the direction of nuclear weapons by their probably incorrect belief that Iran will be an existential threat to Israel based on; nuclear capability against Tel Aviv and Haifa,  parity of geo-political power with Israel once it has deliverable nuclear power, and a diminishing level of support for Israel arond the world except in the US where the sheeple still believe Israel to be America's friend.

The implicit (or explicit) threat of Israeli use of nuclear weapons is  certain to be a factor in the US-Israeli discourse on the subject.  pl

http://www.salon.com/2012/02/28/gen_mccaffrey_privately_briefs_nbc_execs_on_war_with_iran/singleton/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_McCaffrey

 

 

Comments

[blowback]

With the number of casualties that might result, it would most likely be the end of the "Holocaust industry" as justification for Israel's action.

[Paul Escobar]

Mr. Lang,

The sheeple have not been conditioned enough to accept Israel's use of nuclear weapons against Iran.

No matter the scale of damage, the culture has created symbolism around its use...its use is a symbol of madness & desperation.

The Israelis know PR. And they know nukes cannot be "spinned" like any other weapon.

This looks like a transparent bluff, meant more to raise the profile of the issue for Americans ("shouting fire in a crowded theater").

[charlie]

Absolutely.

Isreal has about 200 F16, no? How many can they afford to lose here? 20% 25% 35%

I doubt the Iranian air force can shoot one down, but you're going to need multiple attacks, and stuff happens.

A few well placed nukes will do the trick far better.

[Morocco Bama]

I agree with him, and you, pl, and I mentioned it on the other thread. IMO, it's the only way Israel can successfully attack Iran and inflict any kind of permanent damage, and I believe they are crazy enough to do it for the very reasons you state.

So, the question is, how will the U.S. and the rest of the world respond? That makes for some interesting conjecture, and there are a number of permutations.

Friends of Bibi here in the U.S. better have their exit plans ready, because the backlash against them here could be swift, overwhelming and deadly. I know a number of them and they are bat shit insane when it comes to Iran...even some of the more liberal ones. They are not rational actors.

[J]

Colonel,

There is a lot of speculation regarding secret logistical agreements between say Israel and Saudi for an Iran strike just to name one speculation that is out there, in addition to the very obvious Cacusus agreements. If such an agreement for an Iran strike were in place between the Israelis and the Saudis, wouldn't the Saudi populace be outraged if indeed there was such an agreement and it became public knowledge? My inquiring mind wants to know.

[J]

Colonel,

One has to wonder how the nucs in the mix is being swallowed in D.C. circles. Hmmm......

[Charles I]

Gee the little four star red flag on his PPT is just the right graphic emphasis for the red alert general.

[greg0]

Using nuclear weapons could result in the 'worst of all possible worlds'. Hopefully, there would be no automatic retaliation by Chinese or Russian armed forces on Israel.
Analysis of isotopes would be revealing as to the source of Israel's nuclear material: French or American?
Would the UN go the way of the League of Nations and dissolve before another great war?
Or is this just another escalation of Israeli propaganda? ("Look what you will make us do!")

[Sean McBride]

An exercise in thinking the unthinkable: would elements in the Israeli government be capable of contemplating the use of false flag ops to goad and trick the United States into using nuclear weapons against Israel's enemies?

The relentless drumbeat of inciting Clash of Civilizations rhetoric originating from neoconservative circles suggests a script with an apocalyptic climax.

[Matthew]

And then what?

[Fred]

I truly loved his last slide. 78% of Americans trust the 'military' and only 12% trust Congress, therefore implying trust McCaffery, because the constitutionally elected representatives of the American people can't be trusted. Congress has had low ratings forever and the reelection rate of incumbents is still over 80% every year.

Why the hell does this man have access to anyone in elected office, he's clearly undermining the constitution in pushing a war with inflated bull sh*# to make a buck. Isn't he rich enough already, or does he put the national interests of a client state ahead of the USA, too?

[Fred]

Maybe they should wonder about that 'false flag' warning and ask just where are all of Israel's nucs.

[Fred]

Sean, speaking of false flags where are all of Israel's nucs?

[rjj]

78% of Americans trust the 'military' and only 12% trust Congress, therefore implying trust McCaffery ...

also implies he could have a secret epaulette fetish.

[Cal]

I think McCaffery is shilling for the Israelis on this. Pushing the fear of what Israel might do if the US doesn't bomb Iran for them. Typical Israeli blackmail in other words.

[Paul Deavereaux]

All debts of any kind would be immediately marked paid in full -- forever.

[Pirate Laddie]

McBride's "false flag" fear is also my own. Either an attack on a US floater in the area or a dirty nuke in a freighter at a US port. The isotope issue is good, but too analytical to affect the immediate blind rage that would result.
We no longer live in a "Gulf of Tonkin" culture, where military action has to be run thru the Congress before being implemented. I can't imagine a self-inflicted attack in Israel or their use of nucs (but for a "last of days" scenario), but then my experience with religious crazies is pretty much limited to snake handlers a generation back.
I also don't think Obama would be spooked by an Israeli threat to go nuclear. One hopes his folks would see it as a sign of weakness and part of the Zionists full-bore persecution complex.

[505thpir]

This is a leaked "story" to leverage an alternative ie. US intervention early on once the Israeli's go. "If we go it alone, we use nukes" (political weapon), Beginning and end. McCaffery is just whoring himself out. Shame on him.

Sure is an effective attention grabber though!

[Lars]

That looks like one of those "trial balloons" that are so popular with the political elites. Hopefully the Israelis realize that if they use their nukes as indicated, it is questionable whether they will survive politically afterwards. Even their supporters in the US will run for cover and they will hand their numerous enemies an incredible gift.

[turcopolier]

All

This is about McCaffery's consulting business and nothing else. pl

[Charles I]

and I take it this was business, i.e. NBC paid for this er, stuff.

[Morocco Bama]

Here's a better picture of him. You don't want to piss this old bird off or else he will breath some of that fire down your throat.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mg7D3kYysfw/SzPS8nQ4lMI/AAAAAAAAPKI/f5_Hc1j85qk/s400/610x.jpg

[MRW]

Sure, let Israel nuke Iran. The fastest way to bring global anti-semitism down on their heads. Israeli seem stupidly and inexplicably incapable of understanding consequences, which are results that they can’t control. Unfortunately for them, they haven’t tested this in an internet age. I am already hearing the strains of anti-semitism for the agita and time they are taking away from the House and Sneate, who should be fixing America’s domestic problems.

[rjj]

tangent -

http://israelinenglish.blogspot.com/2011/12/jerusalem-post-annual-conference-april.html

[Patrick D]

"Friends of Bibi here in the U.S. better have their exit plans ready, because the backlash against them here could be swift, overwhelming and deadly."

Regarding a backlash, maybe, but I doubt it.

That aside, as general awareness of current foreign policy issues demonstrates, any backlash will not be considered and informed, i.e. against hard-core Zionists, but against Jews.

This scenario should be seen in its proper context. A backlash against Jewish-Americans is not a risk to Israel but among its national interests. A project to create a Jewish state out of thin air needs Jews. Most in the diaspora don't get with the program until moving to Israel is the least bad option.

I ran across a website dedicated to raising awareness of the expulsion of Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews from Arab countries after the establishment of Israel. Its authors are baffled at the "conspiracy of silence" surrounding the events because they don't see what was bad for those Jews was a net good for Israel.