BOLTON: ISRAEL MAY HAVE TO STRIKE IRAN SOON By Gil RonenArutz Sheva [Israel National News]

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/125007
Former American Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton hinted broadlyTuesday that Israel will have to strike Iran's nuclear program on its own,and soon. Speaking at the Eighth Herzliya Conference, Bolton said anIsraeli strike could be the last resort against Iran. Former DefenseMinister Shaul Mofaz, who also spoke at the conference, hinted that themilitary option is growing more likely with time.Ambassador Bolton devoted the first part of his speech to an attempt to pushthe Israeli press into revealing details of the strike against the suspectedSyrian nuclear facility four months ago. "There is a lot that we don't knowabout the facility because of the veil of secrecy that the Israel governmentand the American government have tried to throw over it," he said."We don't know for example exactly what the facility was -- whether it was aclone of the Yongbyon reactor; whether it was a uranium enrichment facility;whether it was a storage location for North Korean plutonium or plutoniumbased weapons," he added, and explained that he could speak freely at theconference because the American Constitution's First Amendment applied tohim even when he was abroad (this elicited laughter from the audience).

BOLTON CALLS ISRAELI PRESS 'TIMID'

Bolton went on to list his conjectures: "We don't know if it was NorthKorea in effect renting space in Syria to recreate the North Korean program.We don't know if it was a sale of technology or equipment from North Korea
directly to Syria and we don't know whether it was a joint venture perhapsbetween Syria and North Korea working together," he said."Our governments, however, do know the answers to some of these questions."He continued with a jab at Israel's media: "What I don't understand reallyis the timid nature of the Israeli press which I know knows a lot more aboutthis strike than it's been willing to talk about. I am sure somewhere inthe Israeli press there is a John Peter Zengler who is willing to risksomething in order to give the public more information about this."John Peter Zengler was an 18th-century publisher who was arrested forlibelous sedition after printing criticism of the governor of New York andthen acquitted, in what is considered a landmark trial in the development ofthe freedom of the press in the U.S.Bolton explained that this information is being withheld for fear that if itcame out that North Korea once again, following its game plan, was engagedin nuclear proliferation contrary to its obligations, it would embarrass theU.S. which is seeking ways to back off of North Korea.

IRAN 'NOTICED' IAF RAID

Regarding the IAF Syria raid, Bolton said: "The daring and successfulIsraeli military strike . . . has obvious significance for the potential ofa military strike against Iran's nuclear program. I think, given thedebacle caused by our National Intelligence Estimate, that it's close tozero likelihood that President Bush will authorize use of military forceagainst Iran's program before he leaves office, absent some dramatic newdevelopment."He concluded: "Certainly in Teheran you can bet that they took carefulnotice of what the Israeli Defense Force did. Penetrating Russian-suppliedradars very similar to the air defenses that Teheran has; using techniques
that could be very useful for a long-range strike against Iran; this is thekind of operation that the Iranians need to continue to worry about.Because I think with the collapse of American policy, the Israeli strikeagainst the Syrian / North Korea facility is the harbinger of what may be --absent regime change in Teheran -- the last resort. . .. Unless you are prepared to see Iran proceed unmolested toward a nuclearweapons capability, which this NIE has given them free rein to do in myjudgment, you are coming very close to a decision point in this country ofwhether you will use military force to stop Iran."

MOFAZ: NEXT 2 YEARS CRITICAL

Minister Shaul Mofaz hinted that Israel may indeed attack in Iran in orderto prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.Mofaz noted that the warming of relations between Arab countries like Egyptand Saudi Arabia with Iran is "moving fast very quickly, while the world notonly is not moving ahead -- it is moving backwards.""This reality," Mofaz said, "is a clear deterioration in the effort to haltIran by diplomatic means and therefore the likelihood of the other optionsrises." He did cite a window of opportunity for diplomacy,however: "We have to find other ways to renew the momentum which hasweakened. . . . The diplomatic timetable is getting shorter, the next twoyears are critical to halt Iran using diplomatic methods," he estimated.Mofaz added: "Reality is complex but the picture is very clear: Iran maybe leading in points but the final whistle is still far ahead. . . . It isclear that the current trend must be reversed; and all the means arejustified. This is a historical time. . . . This time, no leader will beable to say 'we didn't know, we didn't understand the importance of thistime.' The world must do everything that is necessary in order to assure a
future of peace and prosperity for the next generations as well."