Hagel, in Israel, Presses U.S. Agenda on Iran
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel opened a weeklong visit to the Middle East on Sunday by pressing an American agenda focused on deterring Iran — including a significant new weapons deal for Israel — coupled with a strong caution that it was premature for the government in Jerusalem to opt for unilateral strikes on Tehran’s nuclear program.
Mr. Hagel, who was subject to intense, even hostile scrutiny during his confirmation process over his support of Israel, hailed the “very special relationship” between Washington and Jerusalem. He also repeatedly emphasized Israel's right to defend itself “in a very dangerous, combustible region of the world.”
In preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, the United States has said that all options are on the table, including military action. But President Obama and his national security team have argued for time to pursue diplomacy and economic sanctions. Some Israeli leaders say the timeline for Iran to build a nuclear bomb is short, and they regularly speak of unilateral action.
In recent days, Israeli officials have again discussed their right to act against Iran. But American national security officials and military officers say it is unlikely that a go-it-alone attack by Israel would be sufficient to terminate Iran’s nuclear program or halt any ambitions by Tehran to obtain nuclear weapons.
Mr. Hagel acknowledged Sunday that there might be “minor” differences between the United States and Israel on timelines in which Iran might develop nuclear weapons.
“I think it’s important that we all keep our eye focused on the objective," he said. ‘'And there is no daylight there at all — that Iran is prevented from acquiring that nuclear capacity.”
The current regime of multilateral economic sanctions on Iran is among the toughest, most effective ever applied, Mr. Hagel said. ‘'We know through many measurements that those sanctions are hurting Iran — significantly.”
Even so, he acknowledged that diplomacy and sanctions were not guaranteed to succeed.
“Military options, most of us feel, ought to be the last option,” he said.
During his travels, Mr. Hagel will be pushing forward with a $10 billion arms package intended to further increase Israel’s military edge over any other powers in the region while also bolstering the armed forces of two important Persian Gulf allies, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Included in the weapons deal for Israel are tilt-rotor Osprey aircraft, which can be used for transporting troops and patrolling borders and nearby seas, as well as advanced radars for Israeli warplanes.
The United Arab Emirates will be allowed to purchase two dozen F-16 warplanes, and both Saudi Arabia and the Emirates will be allowed to buy precision air-to-ground missiles. Those missiles are in a class of weapons described as “standoff,” meaning they can be launched from a safe distance against ground targets, like in Iran.
And two systems to be sold to Israel — a new generation of aerial refueling tankers and advanced missiles that hone in on radars to destroy air-defense sites — would be important in any attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Mr. Hagel said the weapons sales served as “another very clear signal to Iran.” But American officials also made it clear that the new arms should not be interpreted as tacit approval for Israel to accelerate planning for an attack on Iran.
Source: NYTimes