By Ted Belman
DEBKA has a special report in which it advises,
This was the first confirmation by senior Bush administration sources that they are working with non-political Israeli circles (military and intelligence officers) on urgent and critical affairs and leaving the Olmert government outside policy-making in Washington.
and
they have asked for a quick and clear decision on the Iranian question. They fear that if it is delayed, the US withdrawal from Iraq in late summer of this year will catch Israel – and the rest of the Middle East – in the grip of two major crises: the dispute with Iran will either be settled or flare, American troops will be in the process of quitting Iraq – and both events may be exploited by Syria, Hizballah, Hamas and Jihad Islami for offensive operations against Israel.
Thus Israel wants to act before US disengages.
US Vice President Dick Cheney will shortly be visiting Saudi Arabia and Jordan to discuss two main subjects:
1. The volume and type of US military assistance for the two kingdom to help them absorb the buffeting from the US exit from Iraq and stand up to any military threat from Iran.
2. To pick up the pieces of the disappointing foreign policy tactic led by US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, which hinged on the formation of a moderate American-Arab axis for reining in Iran to be led and brokered by Saudi Arabia.
