Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Space Industry and Business News .




WAR REPORT
Israel PM flotilla flaws raise Iran fears: press
by Staff Writers
Jerusalem (AFP) June 14, 2012


A damning report that slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the 2010 flotilla raid has raised fears over how a strike on Iran would be managed, press reports said on Thursday.

The 153-page report by State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss dominated the headlines.

Most commentators heaped scathing criticism on Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak for their handling of the raid on the Mavi Marmara, the lead ship of a Gaza-bound flotilla, in which nine Turkish nationals were killed.

Most were quick to point out the deeply-flawed decision-making process exposed in the report raised serious questions about Netanyahu and Barak's ability to make sound decisions on crucial issues like a strike on Iran's nuclear programme.

"The state comptroller issued a charge sheet," wrote Shimon Shiffer in the top-selling Yediot Aharonot newspaper.

"It cries out to the prime ministers bureau that if this is how you manage affairs in an uncomplicated matter like how to stop the Turkish flotilla, who will believe that you will handle things differently while preparing to attack nuclear facilities in Iran?"

Lindenstrauss said there were "significant shortcomings" in the decision-making process which was led by Netanyahu, and accused the premier of failing to hold any structured, formal discussions with a group of top ministers nor with the National Security Council about the handling of the flotilla.

Instead, Netanyahu had held separate, private discussions with Barak and with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, none of which were documented.

Amos Harel, defence correspondent for the Haaretz newspaper, said the flawed procedures laid out in the report set "a worrisome precedent" regarding Iran.

"If the prime minister's office is run as indicated in the comptroller's reports, why should we believe that the situation is necessarily any different when it comes to handling nuclear sites?"

Lindenstrauss's probe showed problems arose from the excessive concentration of power in the hands of the prime minister and the defence minister, which was a worrisome revelation, said another Yediot commentator, Sima Kadmon.

"At least one thing emerges from the state comptroller's report on the Mavi Marmara that noone can argue with, and that is that we have good reasons to be concerned," she wrote.

Netanyahu and Barak are "the two people who will decide whether to attack Iran. Who can promise us that the decision-making process in that case will be better, that all the questions will be raised, that all the scenarios will be examined, that all the ramifications will be taken into account?"

On Thursday morning, parliament's state control committee was meeting to discuss the report, with chairman Uri Ariel expected to ask Lindenstrauss to prepare another report on the government's handling of the Iran issue, army radio reported.

"Unfortunately, the report paints a bleak picture of flawed, problematic and worrisome decision-making processes by the prime minister and defence minister, who didn't share and consult with other essential parties," Ariel said after the report was published.

Israel, the Middle East's sole if undeclared nuclear power, has said that if Iran goes nuclear, it will pose an existential threat to the Jewish state and has consistently warned that all options remain on the table to prevent it, including a military strike.

Vice Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon reiterated that if Israel was forced to chose between letting Iran obtain a nuclear bomb or attacking its facilities to prevent it, the choice was clear.

"If it comes down to a bomb or a bombing -- as far as I'm concerned -- it's a bombing," he told Haaretz in excerpts of an interview to be published in full on Friday.

"As far as we're concerned, the Iranian ability to create nuclear bombs is a sword held to our throat. Today, that sword is getting closer. Under no circumstances will Israel allow the sword to touch its throat."

.


Related Links






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








WAR REPORT
Intervention 'not right path' in Syria: NATO chief
Sydney (AFP) June 13, 2012
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Wednesday that foreign military intervention was "not the right path" in Syria despite the UN's peacekeeping chief declaring the country in civil war. Rasmussen said there were "no plans at this stage" for a NATO operation, as he condemned the UN Security Council failure to reach agreement as a "big mistake", saying Russia could have an "instrumental rol ... read more


WAR REPORT
Japanese restrict atomic exposure testing

Microsoft reaches into TV market with Xbox Live ads

iPad to drive stronger tablet sales worldwide: study

New national supercomputer to perform astronomical feats

WAR REPORT
Raytheon receives contract to link Navy Multiband Terminal to USAF's Polar Satellite

Raytheon receives $79 million award for US Navy Multiband Terminal systems

Northrop Grumman Completes CDR For Integrated Air And Missile Defense Battle Command System

ASC Signal Introduces Redundancy Technology For Seamless Switching of Antenna Systems

WAR REPORT
NASA's NuSTAR Mission Lifts Off

Orbital Launches Company-Built NuSTAR Satellite Aboard Pegasus Rocket for NASA

NuSTAR Arrives at Island Launch Site

Another Ariane 5 begins its initial build-up at the Spaceport

WAR REPORT
GPS being used as weather forecast tool

Apple fends off Android challenge with maps, Siri

Boeing, Raytheon and Harris to Pursue GPS Control Segment Sustainment Contract

Revamped Google maps goes offline for mobile

WAR REPORT
Boeing, US Navy Conduct FA-18EF Satellite Communications Test

Potential Iceland eruption could pump acid into European airspace

Air industry head asks EU to postpone carbon tax

Iraqi Airways looks to update fleet

WAR REPORT
UCSB scientists synthesize first genetically evolved semiconductor material

SFU helps quantum computers move closer

Rice, UCLA slash energy needs for next-generation memory

Unique approach to materials allows temperature-stable circuits

WAR REPORT
Indra Incorporates Rapideye Satellite Capacity Into Its Earth Observation Service

Satellite Sees Smoke from Siberian Fires Reach the U.S. Coast

NASA's Ocean Salinity Pathfinder Celebrates its First Year in Orbit

Delving inside Earth from space

WAR REPORT
Red Cross sounds alarm about weapon contamination

UN environment summit opens, but prospects grim

Rights group slams 'lawless' Indian mining industry

Tackle rising population, consumption: science academies




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement