The carefully-worded caveats surrounding the veracity of our earlier piece were unnecessary: despite earlier prevarication, the Pentagon has confirmed that the US were sending 3000 tons of munitions in 25 containers from Greece to Israel, timed to arrive at the end of January. This volte face obviously had nothing to do with the leaking of this information and the possibility of questions in Congress about its chain of authorisation (which certainly included Robert Gates, retained by the new guys). (Thus passim).
These GBU-39 bunker busters weigh around 2.2 tons each. How many are in the 3000 ton shipment now en route to Israel and is Iran their final destination?
Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that the US have cancelled plans to ship the 3000 tons of munitions from Greece to Israel (that it wasn’t sending) ‘due to the Gaza conflict’. This confirms the earlier speculation that the weapons were not requisitioned for the Gaza operation. Before we all breathe a sigh of relief and applaud the new direction of the incoming Obama diplomats, however, the same report also says that the US will find a different way to deliver hundreds of uranium-tipped bunker-busting WMDs for the ‘missile defence system’ in Israel. According to Pentagon spokesman Lt Col Ryder: ”I can confirm that the U.S. munition shipment has been delayed and that EUCOM (U.S. European Command) is developing an appropriate course of action to deliver the items to the U.S. stockpile in Israel.” (Reuters) For security reasons, he declined to elaborate further, but the fact that its existence is now out in the open means that the Obama administration in waiting is both aware of and has condoned this shipment.
Hilary/Chuckie. No regime change in the White House.
Meanwhile, here is a clue as to what it might be used for. As predicted, Secretary of State designate Hilary Clinton has adopted the mantle, demeanour and even some of the phrases of her highly successful predecessor, Condi ‘Peacemaker’ Rice: “As we focus on Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan, we must also actively pursue a strategy of smart power in the Middle East that addresses the security needs of Israel and the legitimate political and economic aspirations of the Palestinians,” Clinton said in prepared remarks for her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. She went on to say that the United States must pursue a foreign policy that “effectively challenges Iran to end its nuclear weapons program and sponsorship of terror and persuades both Iran and Syria to abandon their dangerous behavior and become constructive regional actors.” (No mention of Israel’s ‘dangerous behaviour,’ which includes allegedly dropping white phosphorous onto civilian populations amongst other ‘legitimate acts of warfare’ copied from US ‘operations’ in Fallujah and elsewhere).
She added that the incoming Obama administration would take no options off the table when dealing with Iran over its nuclear ambitions but a policy review was being done over how to tackle Iran. (Reuters). Where have we heard the ominous phrase ‘take no options off the table’ before? Bombing Iran looks more certain as time goes on. Welcome to Armageddon. It’s just down the road from Iraq. Ask one of the horsemen for directions.
John J Kelly
