Iran Nuclear Watch: Israel Prime Minister Olmert – Iran Just a Few Months Away from Atomic Bomb Know-How

Ehud Olmert, pictured, has said that Iran could obtain a nuclear bomb in “months” and vowed that Israel would take the “necessary measures” to stop this occurring.

ASSociated Press: Olmert: Iran Close to Atomic Bomb Know-How

Iran is just a few months away from acquiring the technological know- how that will allow it to build an atomic bomb, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in an interview broadcast Sunday.

Olmert flew to Washington on Sunday for his first meeting as prime minister with President Bush. The two leaders are expected to discuss Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Olmert told CNN’s “Late Edition” that the key issue regarding Iran was not when it builds a nuclear bomb, but rather when it acquires the knowledge they need to manufacture such arms.

“This technological threshold is nearer than we anticipated before. This is because they are already engaged very seriously in enrichment,” Olmert said.

“The technological threshold is very close. It can be measured in months rather than years,” Olmert added, repeating statements previously made by other senior Israeli officials.

Olmert said the world could not take Iran’s nuclear ambitions lightly because Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly called for Israel’s destruction. However, he said it was unlikely Israel would act on its own, diplomatically or militarily, to deal with the problem.

The “POINT OF NO RETURN” for Israel and the United States is imminent.

Flap handicaps a joint Israel-USA military operation by Labor Day unless Iran stands down their uranium enrichment program and allows full IAEA inspections of their nuclear facilities.

In 1981, Israel’s air force attacked the Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak, destroying the facility. But Olmert said the situations cannot be compared, and Israel will try to persuade the Western world to impose sanctions on Iran.

Iran has so far rejected European proposals to back off the idea of U.N.-imposed sanctions if Tehran agrees to freeze its uranium enrichment program. Another proposal the Europeans are preparing will apparently include a clause saying that if Iran refuses, it could face sanctions backed by the threat of force.

Iran, which insists its nuclear program is for peaceful, civilian purposes, says it has the right to enrich uranium.

Olmert expressed confidence that Bush would “lead other nations in taking the necessary measures to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power.”

“We will certainly try to convince other countries that, at this time, before they cross the technological threshold, that the measures will be taken to stop them,” Olmert said.

Olmert realizes that any action against Iran will involve full scale war against Israel, including chemical weapon missile attacks against Israeli civilians. Although Israel and the United States have been preparing anti-missile defenses against Iran and its Shabab-3 missiles, no defense is absolute.

However, Flap knows that should Iran attack Iran with chemical and/or biological agents, then Israel would use Israeli nuclear weapons on Tehran.
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