Will Obama Admin Leaks Prompt Middle East War?by Ben Shapiro - 2 hours ago
Today, the Obama administration leaker, who has been distributing information about American and Israeli security for weeks, struck again. This time, the leaker went to the Washington Post, prompting the Post to run a piece crediting Israel and the United States with developing the computer virus that screwed up Iran's nuclear facilities. This is the latest in a long line of leaks, most of them credited to anonymous Defense Department officials; this one was credited, more discreetly, to "Western officials with knowledge of the effort."
The fact that the Defense Department has been the source of many of the leaks, leaks including information about Israel's timing regarding a possible attack on Iran, cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia for such a strike, and Azerbaijan allowing Israel access to their airbases for such purposes.
There has been widespread speculation about the source of the leaks. Some have suggested that Tom Donilon, President Obama's National Security Advisor, is the source; today, others suggest that
it is Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.
What nobody doubts, however, is that
this is purposeful Obama administration policy. All of the leaks are geared toward one purpose and one purpose only: helping the Obama administration undercut Israel's ability to attack Iran.
But right now, it is only Israel's ability to attack Iran that keeps the region in stasis. Today, the Russians, Chinese, Syrians and Iranians participated in joint military exercises involving nearly 100,000 troops; meanwhile, the new Muslim Brotherhood-run Egyptian regime is facilitating terror attacks along Israel's southern border. The big question now is what further leaks could do to trigger a regional meltdown.
Imagine, for example, what would happen if the Obama administration leaked information about Israeli plans to take military action against Egypt in pre-emptive self-defense. Is there any doubt that terror would escalate, or that Syria and Iran would join with Egypt in a proxy action against Israel utilizing Hamas and Hezbollah?
This is now a more and more significant possibility. Israel faces threats on every border: from the Palestinians in the East to the Syrians and Lebanese in the North to the Egyptians in the South. Even far-flung enemies like Turkey and Iran are mobilizing. And every time Israel seeks to do something to protect herself, the United States leaks crucial information.
What's worse, the
Obama administration leaks create a ticking time bomb scenario for Israel. If Obama is leaking information now, what will he do if he's re-elected? At least prior to November, Obama will have to answer to the American people. But once he's re-elected, as he informed Dmitri Medvedev, he's ready to do whatever American opponents like Russia (now a Syrian-Iranian ally) want. What is Israel to do but attack Iran while they still can? Or Egypt?
Obama's leaking is heightening the risk of a regional war dramatically. The fact that the leaks serve the purposes of the administration is beyond serious doubt. The question is whether they serve the interests of the United States or her allies.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2012/06/19/Israel-Panetta-leaks-Iran
