US Defense Secretary: Israel to make its ‘own decision’ to attack Iran

Published time: April 21, 2013 14:57 
Edited time: April 22, 2013 04:38

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel acknowledges that while Israel and the US share a commitment to ensuring Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon, there "may well be some differences" on the question of when it might decide to go for a bomb.

There is "no daylight at all" between the US and Israel’s stances on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapon, he said. But there could be a divergence in evaluating the timing of the threat from Tehran.

Hagel’s latest visit to Israel has exposed a widely-known secret that the Obama administration has reasons not to get drawn into a new conflict.

But the high status of the major US ally comes with the necessity to sugarcoat the bitter pill.

Hagel has arrived in Tel Aviv with two pieces of news: good and bad.

The good news is he brought a multi-billion-dollar arms package that will enable Israeli military with Osprey V-22 tilt-rotor transport aircrafts, air tankers and anti-radar missiles to eliminate enemy air defenses.

The supply of the newest American weapons to Israel is designed to show Tehran that a solution by force of the Iranian nuclear problem remains on the table.

"I don't think there's any question that's another very clear signal to Iran,” Hagel told reporters on Sunday.

Because Israel has no common border with Iran, it would need to refuel its bombers and fighter jets to get to the Iranian airspace. Iran also has deeply embedded air defenses, so taking it out would imply anti-radar air-to-surface missiles.

The bad news is that despite Hagel saying the US and Israel regard the nuclear threat from Iran"exactly the same", there is a difference between Washington’s and Tel Aviv’s perception of the timing and necessity to attack.

FULL STORY: http://rt.com/news/hagel-israel-iran-message-163/