Richard Silverstein, one of the foremost Jewish bloggers covering Israeli-Palestinian issues claims he was supplied details about "Bibi's Secret War Plan" via an official within the Israeli Defense Forces who leaked it in protest, describing the attack plan to be short-sighted, rash and far too rosy.
If true, this leak could represent a blow to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu and Ehud Barak who serves as Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister.
As framed by Silverstein, the report is a "sales pitch" designed to persuade key members of Israel's Shminiya, the eight-member security cabinet to approve the strike. The panel currently finds a 4-3 majority opposed to an Iran strike, meaning one flipped vote greenlights the operation.
The BBC covered Silverstein's claims Wednesday in print and on the air. Silverstein maintains the report reveals cutting edge technologies for warfare not yet shared with Israel's allies and over-estimates the ease of the operation, leaving out contingencies for counter strikes by Iran or the possibility of a protracted conflict. It is alleged to promise minimal Israeli casualties and complete neutralization of Iran's war making capabilities within a 30 day window.
Silverstein also charges that almost every senior military or intelligence officer in Israel opposes this war plan.
War For Political Gain
Here in the US, we have seen the proposition of war with Iran heighten tensions, with Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney all but promising war with Iran, if elected. Romney paints President Obama as soft on Iran, though Obama has employed economic sanctions and cyber-attacks against Iranian computer networks.
The US has denied involvement in the assassination of Iran's nuclear scientists, but a new lawsuit by surviving family members nonetheless names the US as a co-conspirator.
In US media, anti-Iranian rhetoric is on the rise, with numerous reports continuing to repeat the "wipe Israel off the map" mistranslation of President Mahmoud Ahmadinijhad. More accurately translated, Ahmadinijhad said, referring to Ayatollah Khomeini: "Our dear Imam said that the regime occupying regime Jerusalem should vanish from the page of time".
This familiar brand of fear-mongering and war-mongering, employed against Iraq, renders facts of little import. In 2002, over half of Americans falsely believed Saddam Hussein had ties to the 9-11 attacks. The same propagandists are telling us today that we are in immediate danger, along with Israel, despite being proven horribly wrong.
Playing Into Iran's Hands
Ahmadinijhad has been unpopular since his fraud-riddled re-election in 2009, yet it is believed that an attack against Iran today would only galvanize Iranians behind their President and their true rulers, the council of elder Mullahs, who would restrict hard-fought liberties in the name of national security, setting back progress and social reforms immeasurably.
Ahmadinijhad promises swift retaliation, with an Israeli strike giving them the excuse to attack, making pre-emptive war a self fulfilling prophesy.
