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Israel hands Bush documents of Iran nuclear sites

*Personal Comments: Before reading this, it's important that you consider this message first #msg-5543971 and hey... it's only fair if Bush gets a word in too, so let Bush get the last word in... #msg-6029054

Israel hands Bush documents of Iran nuclear sites
4/12/2005 5:00:00 PM GMT


Washington and Israel claim that Iran is covertly trying to develop a nuclear weapons’ programme

Ariel Sharon’s military adviser General Yoav Gallan has reportedly handed Bush documents and aerial photos of Iranian nuclear installations during the Israeli prime minister’s Monday meeting with the U.S. President George W. Bush, Israeli public radio reported on Tuesday.

Gallan, who accompanied Sharon in his summit with Bush at his Texas ranch, presented the photos together with information the Israeli intelligence services gathered on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme, the Israeli radio added, without mentioning how the photos were taken. It just said that the images showed that the Iranian nuclear programme was at a “very advanced” stage.

Meanwhile, White House spokesman Scott McClellan on the other hand, confirmed the two leaders had “talked about their shared concern about Iran’s intentions with their nuclear programme”.

Israeli defense officials asked Sharon to raise the option of military attack against Iran's nuclear facilities during talks with President Bush. On the other hand, U.S. defense officials had so far refused Israeli entreaties to discuss the military option against Iran as a last resort if diplomatic pressure fail.

Israeli and U.S. officials couldn’t be available for comment.

Israel has previously made clear it considers all options legitimate for preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear bomb. Analysts say that the Jewish state wouldn’t resort to force unless being supported by its chief ally the United States.

"We are not managing to get the Americans to talk about what will happen if the diplomatic efforts fail and Iran resumes enriching uranium, putting it on track to an atomic bomb," a senior defense official as saying.

Washington and Israel have repeatedly accused Iran of covertly trying to develop a nuclear weapons’ programme, a charge denied by Tehran, which maintains it needs nuclear power as an alternative energy source.

Although Israel has never publicly acknowledged that it maintains a nuclear arsenal, foreign experts assert it has between 100 and 200 nuclear warheads.

Washington has previously expressed its support to the ongoing EU diplomatic initiative to persuade Iran to give up its nuclear program, however, the U.S. President George W. Bush has said that he won’t rule out the possibility of military strikes.


LINK: http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=7919