Thursday, November 5, 2015

Spy Vs Spy - Israel And The US

Spy Vs Spy - Israel And The US
November 04, 2015  
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Despite having been staunch political and military allies over many years, relations between the U.S and Israel have increasingly become strained. Much of this souring of relations has been due to the perception of an increasing bias in U.S support towards the Arab nations sworn to the destruction of Israel.

Initially, soon after his election as U.S President, Obama took steps to allay Israeli concerns. This included instructing the Pentagon to develop military options against Iran’s Fordow facility. In addition, Obama also embraced an existing campaign of covert action against Iran, expanding cooperation between the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Mossad, the Israeli spy agency.

Personal tensions between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then developed, and reportedly erupted at their first Oval Office meeting later in 2009. Since then, the leader’s mutual relationships have been largely uneasy and prone to mistrust.

A major trigger for the U.S–Israeli suspicions and mistrust has been the accommodative stance taken by the Obama administration over Iran’s nuclear program. Israel has made no secret of its concern regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Neither has it been vague about its intentions to destroy Iran’s nuclear development sites and equipment in a proactive and pre-emptive self-defense strategy. Military air-strikes accompanied by commando-type raids have all along been considered options. The U.S, on the other hand sees Israel’s strike preparations as an attempt to usurp American foreign policy.

The U.S was effectively trying to walk a tight-rope: assisting Iran’s nuclear ambitions while simultaneously trying to hide details from Israel, and hoping to keep everyone happy that way. The U.S and Israel were also seemingly split regarding if and when to use diplomacy, covert action or military strikes.

The stalemates could not be broken and in the end, Israel had to spy to learn the content of the nuclear talks, while the U.S spied on Israeli strike plans. Such was the level of deterioration in their mutual diplomatic circles. According to current and former Israeli officials, Mr. Netanyahu reserves the right to continue covert action against Iran’s nuclear program, which could then put the spy services of the U.S. and Israel on a collision course.

A recent Wall Street Journal report revealed details of these developments, gleaned from research and interviews with current and former U.S and Israeli officials.

Perhaps the most dramatic of the tension-triggers was pulled when IDF fighter jets covertly flew into Iranian air space in 2012, in what was thought to have been a dry run for a commando raid at the sensitive Fordow nuclear site. The site, embedded on a mountain-side is Iran's most fortified nuclear facility. Once the U.S found out, they scrambled to send a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East and prepared fighter jets "in case all hell broke loose."

Other reported sticking points between the U.S and Israel over the past several years have included the following:

• Mossad leaders said US officials made clear they were not interested in taking more serious actions against the Islamic regime to block its path to a nuclear arsenal, such as by collapsing its financial system or regime.

• US officials say the Mossad began to run several covert operations unilaterally given the lack of US cooperation, such as the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists. At the same time, the White House pressed the Israelis to scale back their assassination campaign and turned down their requests for more aggressive covert measures, U.S. officials said.

• The Stuxnet computer virus was used by the US and Israel to thwart Iranian centrifuges in the year 2010, but after the virus spread accidentally on the internet, US President Barack Obama called for more caution, while Israel argued the steps were only slowing, and not stopping, Iran's nuclear program.

• The US claimed Israel didn't have the right equipment to take out Iran's facilities, but Israel responded by briefing the US on its attack plan. In response the US said the plan was too dangerous and demanded advance warning before the attack was launched. The Israelis were non-committal.

• Back in December 2011, then-Senator John Kerry was sent to discuss diplomatic channels with Iran in a meeting with leaders of Oman. The White House hid the talks from Israel, deciding only to give Netanyahu information if a deal appeared possible. The secrecy cemented Israel’s distrust of Mr. Obama’s intentions, according to Israeli officials. Communications were being spied on by the US to see if the secret talks had been exposed. It was later confirmed that this was so.

• In early 2012, US spy agencies picked up a flurry of meetings between Netanyahu and his top security advisers, which Israeli officials say ranged from mission logistics to the fallout caused by the potential strike. Former Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who championed a strike, said Mr. Netanyahu had come close to approving a military operation against Iran. But Israel’s military chiefs and cabinet members were reluctant, according to Israeli officials.

• The US then decided to increase satellite surveillance of Israeli aircraft, as well as Israeli practice missions and intelligence gathering to find weak points in Iran's air defenses. At the time, concern and confusion over Israel’s intentions added to the sense of urgency inside the White House for a diplomatic solution.

• Tensions heightened amid an Israeli request for V-22 Osprey aircraft that can take off and land like helicopters, making them perfect for dropping commandos. Likewise, Israel wanted to obtain the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a 30,000-pound bunker buster bomb designed to destroy Fordow. Netanyahu reportedly wanted "somebody in the administration to show acquiescence, if not approval” for a military strike." The Obama administration retorted: ‘We think this is a big mistake.'" Predictably, the White House turned down the requests.

• As talks began in 2014 on a final accord, U.S. intelligence agencies alerted White House officials that Israelis were spying on the negotiations. Israel denied any espionage against the U.S. The Israeli officials said they could learn details, in part, by spying on Iran - an explanation U.S. officials didn’t believe.

U.S. officials now pledge to work closely with their Israeli counterparts to monitor Iran’s compliance with the international agreement. But it is unclear how the White House will respond to any covert Israeli actions against Iran’s nuclear program, which current and former Israeli officials said were imperative to safeguard their country.

The report concludes that it remains to be seen how relations will proceed for Israel and the US on the Iran issue, now that the controversial Iran deal has been sealed.

The deal obligates Western powers to protect Iranian nuclear sites from sabotage, and while State Department officials claimed Israeli strikes would not be included, US Secretary of State John Kerry has indicated the U.S would have no choice but to intervene should Israel attack Iran.

Just how exactly the US would intervene in such a conflict has been left ambiguous but most analysts agree, Israel's protected status is no longer a guarantee. 

Read more at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2015/November04/043.html#TXc3Rc8WL2W32hBY.99

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