IN USA, THE IDF'S C.O.S. SAYS ISRAEL PREPARING TO HIT IRAN - IF DIPLOMACY FAILS...

HAARETZ:

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi on Monday said that while Israel was interested in exhausting diplomatic options against Iran's nuclear program, the army must nevertheless prepare itself for a military attack.

Ashkenazi, who is currently visiting the United States, has decided to cut short his trip in order to take part in a special cabinet session on negotiations for a deal to release abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

During a visit to Washington, D.C., Ashkenazi met with Dennis Ross, the designated U.S. envoy to the Persian Gulf, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to discuss the Iranian issue.

The IDF chief told Ross that Israel would not tolerate a nuclear Iran.

He said that a diplomatic approach to Iran's contentious nuclear program must be taken first, but said Israel must also prepare for other possibilities.

Ashkenazi also met during his trip with General James Jones, national security adviser to President Barack Obama, to discuss other Middle East issues.

THE CHANCES DIPLOMACY WILL WORK ARE NIL.

• BLAIR, THE US DNI, SAYS IRAN WILL HAVE A BOMB IN 1-5 YEARS.
• THE IDF SAYS 1 YEAR.
• I PREDICT OBAMA WILL THEREFORE MEET WITH AHMADINEJAD BEFORE A YEAR IS UP.
  
• AND WHEN THE MEETING RESULTS IN NO CHANGE OF STATUS, THE IDF WILL ATTACK - THIS WILL BE WITHIN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.

THEN, THE SH*T WILL HIT THE FAN:

• I PREDICT: IRAN WILL COUNTER-ATTACK. MAYBE TURKEY WILL TOO - AND SYRIA. AND GAZA.
  
• THE EU, THE UN AND THE OIC WILL CONDEMN ISRAEL.
• OBAMA WILL NOT VETO THE INEVITABLE UNSCR CALLING FOR SANCTIONS AGAINST ISRAEL.

IT WILL GET WORSE FROM THERE ON OUT - UNTIL IT GETS BETTER...

TICK . . . TICK . . .TICK . . . . . .