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Attacking Iran: Did US just torpedo Israeli deal for a base in Azerbaijan?
Israel is developing a 'secret staging ground' in Azerbaijan for a
possible attack on Iran, reports Foreign Policy magazine. US officials
aren't happy with that, and may have leaked the story.
By Brad Knickerbocker,
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2012/0329/Attacking-Iran-Did-US-just-torpedo-Israeli-deal-for-a-base-in-Azerbaijan?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&u tm_campaign=Feed%3A+feeds%2Fusa+%28Christian+Scien ce+Monitor+|+USA%29
Staff writer / March 29, 2012
An Israeli F-16I fighter plane takes off from Ramon Air Base in
southern Israel in 2008. Foreign Policy magazine reports that Israel
is developing a 'secret staging ground' in Azerbaijan for a possible
air attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Gil Cohen/Reuters/File
.
52 and 90 The three-way tension between the United States, Israel,
and Iran became tenser this week with a widely cited report that
Israel is developing a `secret staging ground' in Iran's neighbor to
the north - Azerbaijan - for a possible attack on Iran's nuclear
facilities.
.Quoting unnamed senior US diplomats and military intelligence
officials, a lengthy article in Foreign Policy magazine asserts that
`Israel has recently been granted access to airbases on Iran's
northern border.'
"The Israelis have bought an airfield," a senior administration
official is quoted as saying, "and the airfield is called Azerbaijan."
RECOMMENDED: What sanctions? Top five countries buying oil from Iran.
Why would US officials be talking about this? Likely to slow down any
rush to war in an already volatile region, some speculate.
"I think this leak today is part of the administration's campaign
against an Israeli attack," former US diplomat John Bolton said
Thursday on Fox News.
"Clearly, this is an administration-orchestrated leak," Mr. Bolton
said, adding, "It's just unprecedented to reveal this kind of
information about one of your own allies.'
The challenge for Israel in planning such a strike is the long
distance to potential targets - some 2,000 miles round-trip - for its
F-15 and F-16 fighters. Planning for such strikes always involves
tradeoffs between fuel and bombs.
Bases in nearby Azerbaijan (including abandoned former Soviet
airfields) could be used for landing and refueling after any strike,
allowing Israeli jets to carry more ordnance. Such airfields also
could be a staging point for search-and-rescue helicopters that might
be necessary to recover downed Israeli pilots. They also could be used
to launch drone aircraft for bomb damage assessment once any strike is
concluded.
Israel and Azerbaijan have developed an economic military relationship
over the years.
Israel buys oil from Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan recently agreed to buy
$1.6 billion in military hardware from Israel, including drones,
antiaircraft, and missile-defense systems.
This week's report of a possible basing agreement with Israel does
nothing to improve the relationship between neighbors Azerbaijan and
Iran.
Tehran has accused Azerbaijan of working with Israel's spy services
suspected of assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists, and individuals
accused of plotting terrorist attacks with Iran have been arrested in
Azerbaijan.
"This information is absurd and groundless," defense ministry
spokesman Teymur Abdullayev told Agence France Presse (AFP).
"We have stated on numerous occasions and we reiterate that there will
be no actions against Iran ... from the territory of Azerbaijan,"
presidential official Ali Hasanov told journalists in Baku, AFP
reported.
So far, there's been no official comment on the Foreign Policy article
by Israeli officials, who may be just as happy to increase the
psychological pressure on Iran.
Early this month, President Obama made clear his position on Iran's
nuclear potential, both in meetings with Israel's Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu and in his speech to the American Israel Public
Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the prominent pro-Israel lobbying
organization.
`Iran's leaders should understand that I do not have a policy of
containment,' Obama told AIPAC. `I have a policy to prevent Iran from
obtaining a nuclear weapon.'
`I will take no options off the table, and I mean what I say," Obama
said, adding for dramatic effect, `There should not be a shred of
doubt by now: when the chips are down, I have Israel's back."
Still, the US continues to act as a diplomatic brake of sorts on any
rush by Israel to attack Iran. Which may be why John Bolton - a noted
hawk who served as UN ambassador in the most recent Bush
administration - could be right when he says that administration
officials leaked their concerns about any basing agreement between
Israel and Azerbaijan.
"We're watching what Iran does closely," one of the US intelligence
sources was quoted as saying in the Foreign Policy article. "But we're
now watching what Israel is doing in Azerbaijan. And we're not happy
about it."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Israel is developing a 'secret staging ground' in Azerbaijan for a
possible attack on Iran, reports Foreign Policy magazine. US officials
aren't happy with that, and may have leaked the story.
By Brad Knickerbocker,
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2012/0329/Attacking-Iran-Did-US-just-torpedo-Israeli-deal-for-a-base-in-Azerbaijan?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&u tm_campaign=Feed%3A+feeds%2Fusa+%28Christian+Scien ce+Monitor+|+USA%29
Staff writer / March 29, 2012
An Israeli F-16I fighter plane takes off from Ramon Air Base in
southern Israel in 2008. Foreign Policy magazine reports that Israel
is developing a 'secret staging ground' in Azerbaijan for a possible
air attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Gil Cohen/Reuters/File
.
52 and 90 The three-way tension between the United States, Israel,
and Iran became tenser this week with a widely cited report that
Israel is developing a `secret staging ground' in Iran's neighbor to
the north - Azerbaijan - for a possible attack on Iran's nuclear
facilities.
.Quoting unnamed senior US diplomats and military intelligence
officials, a lengthy article in Foreign Policy magazine asserts that
`Israel has recently been granted access to airbases on Iran's
northern border.'
"The Israelis have bought an airfield," a senior administration
official is quoted as saying, "and the airfield is called Azerbaijan."
RECOMMENDED: What sanctions? Top five countries buying oil from Iran.
Why would US officials be talking about this? Likely to slow down any
rush to war in an already volatile region, some speculate.
"I think this leak today is part of the administration's campaign
against an Israeli attack," former US diplomat John Bolton said
Thursday on Fox News.
"Clearly, this is an administration-orchestrated leak," Mr. Bolton
said, adding, "It's just unprecedented to reveal this kind of
information about one of your own allies.'
The challenge for Israel in planning such a strike is the long
distance to potential targets - some 2,000 miles round-trip - for its
F-15 and F-16 fighters. Planning for such strikes always involves
tradeoffs between fuel and bombs.
Bases in nearby Azerbaijan (including abandoned former Soviet
airfields) could be used for landing and refueling after any strike,
allowing Israeli jets to carry more ordnance. Such airfields also
could be a staging point for search-and-rescue helicopters that might
be necessary to recover downed Israeli pilots. They also could be used
to launch drone aircraft for bomb damage assessment once any strike is
concluded.
Israel and Azerbaijan have developed an economic military relationship
over the years.
Israel buys oil from Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan recently agreed to buy
$1.6 billion in military hardware from Israel, including drones,
antiaircraft, and missile-defense systems.
This week's report of a possible basing agreement with Israel does
nothing to improve the relationship between neighbors Azerbaijan and
Iran.
Tehran has accused Azerbaijan of working with Israel's spy services
suspected of assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists, and individuals
accused of plotting terrorist attacks with Iran have been arrested in
Azerbaijan.
"This information is absurd and groundless," defense ministry
spokesman Teymur Abdullayev told Agence France Presse (AFP).
"We have stated on numerous occasions and we reiterate that there will
be no actions against Iran ... from the territory of Azerbaijan,"
presidential official Ali Hasanov told journalists in Baku, AFP
reported.
So far, there's been no official comment on the Foreign Policy article
by Israeli officials, who may be just as happy to increase the
psychological pressure on Iran.
Early this month, President Obama made clear his position on Iran's
nuclear potential, both in meetings with Israel's Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu and in his speech to the American Israel Public
Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the prominent pro-Israel lobbying
organization.
`Iran's leaders should understand that I do not have a policy of
containment,' Obama told AIPAC. `I have a policy to prevent Iran from
obtaining a nuclear weapon.'
`I will take no options off the table, and I mean what I say," Obama
said, adding for dramatic effect, `There should not be a shred of
doubt by now: when the chips are down, I have Israel's back."
Still, the US continues to act as a diplomatic brake of sorts on any
rush by Israel to attack Iran. Which may be why John Bolton - a noted
hawk who served as UN ambassador in the most recent Bush
administration - could be right when he says that administration
officials leaked their concerns about any basing agreement between
Israel and Azerbaijan.
"We're watching what Iran does closely," one of the US intelligence
sources was quoted as saying in the Foreign Policy article. "But we're
now watching what Israel is doing in Azerbaijan. And we're not happy
about it."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress