America’s top military officer won’t rule the possibility today of U.S. forces firing on Israeli jets, if Israel launched a pre-emptive strike on Iran. In a town hall on the campus of the University of West Virginia, a young Air Force ROTC cadet asked Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen to respond to a “rumor.” If Israel decided to attack Iran, the speculation went, those jet would need to fly through Iraqi airspace to reach their targets. That airspace is considered a “no-fly” zone by the American military. So might U.S. troops shoot down the Israeli jets, the airmen asked the chairman, if they breached that airspace?Mullen tried to sidestep the question. “We have an exceptionally strong relationship with Israel. I’ve spent a lot of time with my counterpart in Israel. So we also have a very clear understanding of where we are. And beyond that, I just wouldn’t get into the speculation of what might happen and who might do what. I don’t think it serves a purpose, frankly,” he said. “I am hopeful that this will be resolved in a way where we never have to answer a question like that.”
The cadet followed-up: “Would an airmen like me ever be ordered to fire on an Israeli – aircraft or personnel?”
Mullen’s second answer was much the same as his first. “Again, I wouldn’t move out into the future very far from here. They’re an extraordinarily close ally, have been for a long time, and will be in the future,” the admiral said.
Does this represent a shift in American policy towards Israel? Some signal that the U.S. would stop an Israeli first strike at the final moment? Probably not. Mullen is likely trying not to wade further into treacherous waters. But it was interesting to hear America’s top military officer decline to knock down the idea that U.S. troops might fire on America’s closest ally in the Middle East.
{Wired.com/Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}
Don’t worry – Israel is stronger than the USA
As a matter of fact the US is stronger than Israel, and Israel relies on it for it’s everyday needs.
Kudos to Gen. Mullen! Show those Israelis once and for all that they can’t do whatever they want whenever they want!
My Totti is stronger than your Totty
CAN SOMEONE ANSWER ME WHAT IT MEANS WHEN I SUBMIT A COMMENT AND THEY COME BACK AND TELL ME YOU ARE POSTING TOO QUICKLY…AND THEN ERASE THE COMMENT. ANY ANSWERS?
Lev Melochim Vesorim beyad hashem , we need not worry from the US , we just have to be mispallel .
Israel is stronger we have g-d
i think it’s a stupid question. obviously, israel and the US have close ties and they would work this out privately.
the sar of israel is the satan, not g-d. the jews have g-d, not israel.
Ain lunu al mi lihishuein rak al avinu shebashumayim, and it goes without saying that after reb elyashiv shlita and reb ovadya yosef shlita after recieving the full picture from the president and the yerushalyim mayor, both concluded, that we must not go against the U.S., And just build indiscriminantly all over yerushalyim, this is dangerous and is the act of a lunitic, and so regarding defying america who happens to be the super powers air space, well noone should consider doing that, its not going to alleviate the situation if america decided to desert israel as a result, I just think its worth remembering that we are still in gulus and whilst many jews may be residing in israel, and theres officialy a medina in place, well it doesnt mean that we control things, this is part and parcel of being in gulus!
ARE THEY ABLE TO?
Hey #5 – don’t sweat it – it happens to me too, sometimes.