What to know about the conflict between Israel and Iran, and the US intervention

[Dulcinea]

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The United States inserted itself into Israel’s war against Iran, bombing three of the Islamic Republic’s key nuclear sites overnight. U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that the sites were “completely and fully obliterated,” and warned there would be additional strikes if Iran retaliates.

The U.S. attacks came after a week of open conflict between Israel and Iran, sparked by Israel’s sudden barrage of attacks against Iran’s nuclear and military structure.

Israeli strikes began on June 13. Targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites, they killed several top military officials and nuclear scientists. Iran retaliated by firing hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel, some of which penetrated the country’s vaunted multi-tiered air defense system. The war so far has killed hundreds of people and wounded more than 1,000 in Iran and killed two dozen and wounded hundreds in Israel.

Iran insists its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. But Israel views Iran’s nuclear program as an existential threat and has said its military campaign is necessary to prevent Iran from building an atomic weapon.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-attack-iran-strike-nuclear-us-news-5adea3ffa51264e0c7c803d8acfde338

[WSHazel]

1. I wish the media would stop repeating Netanyahu/Saudi talking points

This attack is about regime change, not degrading Iran’s nuclear program that is still primitive and not going anywhere. I am not completely against knocking the Iranian regime out if there is a window to do so, but Israeli and American governments need to be honest about objectives when going to war, or a single setback can turn the tide. The moral high ground is critical in any conflict, and the U.S. and Israel actually risk losing it right out of the gate against an enemy that has supported some of the worst terrorist organizations of the last quarter century.

Lies create a debt to the truth that eventually needs to be repaid.

[gab13by13]

2. Very well said

One has to be very particular where one gets his/her news.

I listened to Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson 2 days ago say that Iran is nowhere near getting a deliverable nuclear weapon.

Our memories must be pretty damn short. I seem to remember Colin Powell and Condi Rice and Paul Wolfowitz and Shrub make the same claim about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction.