Question: Will Obama Attack Israel's Air Force if Israel Attacks Iran?

Submitted by Geert ter Horst (Netherlands), Apr 7, 2015 at 12:27

Mr Pipes,

I read your article with great interest. I have a question. You said that the Obama doctrine "[...] offers guidelines to predict possible developments during Mr. Obama's remaining tenure, such as wretched W5+1 deals with Iran compelling Israel's government to attack Iranian nuclear facilities." My question is about a worse scenario: Is it not possible that American protection of Iran against an Israeli attack may become part of the end-deal? Or, at least, that the US itself will make clear to Israel that if Israel will attempt to blow up this "beautiful" deal an attack, the US will shoot down the Israeli planes on their way to Iran? In other words, that America will simply prohibit an Israeli attack after a done deal?

I view this as a very real and dark possibility, for after the deal is closed it will be easy for Obama to accuse Israel of being the regional destabilizing actor if it still wants to attack Iran.

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