(Ha'aretz) Gili Cohen - Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amos Yadlin, the former director of IDF Military Intelligence, said Tuesday regarding the Iranian nuclear threat, "We are headed toward a collision course by the end of this year." By this summer, the Iranians will certainly cross the "red line" drawn by Prime Minister Netanyahu during his speech last year at the UN, Yadlin told a conference at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies, which he now heads. Yadlin added that he believes Israel is capable of attacking Iran's nuclear facilities without outside assistance, and that Israel can withstand the repercussions of such action. He said Iran could reach a "breakthrough" within two months. Yadlin said the U.S. prefers the diplomatic track, but if the Iranians choose to forge ahead with their nuclear program, "the Americans will have to stand behind what the president said, or change their policy." However, "Israel will, in fact, be the first to have to reach a decision. It is not party to the negotiations [between Iran and the world powers]. At the Iranians' current rate of production, even to those who today are saying they won't cross the red line - there is no doubt that by the summer they will cross it." He said the Iranians have already enriched enough uranium at 3.5% to create six atomic bombs and enough uranium at 20% to nearly manufacture a bomb from that as well.
2013-04-24 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive