Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Interview: The Israeli author- journalist describes Israeli thinking about Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and the mystique of Israeli Intelligence

Via WarandPiece, here. (Excerpts)
MJ: How good is Israeli intelligence on Iran?
YM: Israeli intelligence on Iran's nuclear capabilities is not bad at all. It has improved in the last five years. Unfortunately the intelligence is less updated and tuned in to Iran's internal questions. Israeli intelligence on Iran led by the military intelligence is no longer talking about the point of no return. It believes that there is such a point. You can always reverse trends and events. The military intelligence and Mossad are now talking about the "technological threshold" which Iran may cross. It may happen in April 2008.
MJ: Last summer, Israel suddenly found itself fighting a war against Hezbollah in Lebanon—a situation that came as a surprise at least to many in the U.S. How much do you think that war demonstrated that the U.S. and Iran are already fighting a proxy war in the region?
YM: Indeed Iran and the U.S. are on a confrontational course because of Iran's desire to have nuclear weapons and its involvement in arming militias in Iraq. The U.S. is trapped. It may reach an agreement with Iran over Iraq—to stabilize Iraq and reduce terrorism and political violence—but the U.S. will have to pay a heavy price for it. It will cost the U.S. to accept nuclear Iran

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