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Israel plunged into unprecedented debate about war
JERUSALEM — To attack or not to attack? With Israeli politicians warning repeatedly that Iran is secretly pursuing nuclear weapons, this question has spawned an unprecedented amount of agonizing even in a country accustomed to war and incessant debate.
The teeth gnashing plays out everywhere from the halls of parliament to news talk shows to people’s living rooms. Should Israel undertake a risky mission to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities? Should it trust the United States to do the job if necessary? Can it live with a nuclear Iran? Should politicians even be talking about this in public?
“A country that is debating whether to attack or not to attack usually doesn’t spill its guts,” said veteran Israeli journalist Motti Kirshenbaum. He noted that Israel’s usual pattern is to dissect a military offensive after it happens – not discuss it beforehand.
The public appears to be largely taking the furor in stride, in part because some suspect Israel’s leaders are essentially bluffing in order to compel the world to get serious about the issue. But there is a growing sense of foreboding: Even Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who is believed to favor an attack, says hundreds will die in the counterstrike, and there is awareness of the global security and economic mayhem that war with Iran could unleash.
Never in Israel’s history has there been so much talk about an impending war, security affairs analyst and Iran expert Yossi Melman wrote in a column on the Walla! news website on Monday.
“It’s one thing for the media to blather about it, but why are leaders and senior officials chattering themselves to death?” he asked.
Although Israel’s leaders frequently lament about all the Iran “chitchat,” make no mistake: It’s they who are fueling the discussion.
REad More http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20120813/ml-israel-iran/
