FORMER MOSSAD CHIEF: IRAN WON'T BE ABLE TO MAKE A BOMB UNTIL 2015

I HOPE THIS IS CORRECT:

Israel's newly retired spy chief thinks Iran will not be able to build a nuclear bomb before 2015, Israeli media reported Friday - further pushing back Israeli intelligence estimates of when Tehran might become a nuclear power.

Meir Dagan, who left his post as head of the Mossad intelligence service this week, said Thursday that Iran's nuclear program had been delayed by unspecified "measures" employed against it, according to the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot.

... An Israeli government spokesman would not comment Friday.

As recently as 2009, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Iran would be able to build a nuclear bomb by 2011. But since then the projected deadline has been extended. The Israeli Cabinet minister in charge of strategic affairs, Moshe Yaalon, said last week it would take the Iranians at least three years to develop a nuclear weapon.

...Israel officially supports the diplomatic efforts in place to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions, but has not ruled out the possibility of a military strike.

BUT IT MIGHT BE DISINFORMATION TO MAKE IRAN COMPLACENT.

THEN AGAIN, EVEN IF IT IS CORRECT, IRAN MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET A BOMB FROM PAKISTAN OR NORTH KOREA.

THE ROOT PROBLEM IS THE IRANIAN REGIME - AND JIHADISM.

THIS DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T HAVE TO OR SHOULDN'T ATTACK PREEMPTIVELY.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHEN.

BECAUSE WE HAVE TO STOP THEM BEFORE THEY GET A BOMB, WE HAVE TO ACT PREEMPTIVELY - OR IRANIANS HAVE TO HAVE A REGIME CHANGE.

SINCE WE'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH TO FOMENT THE LATTER, I EXPECT A PREEMPTIVE ATTACK - BUT NOT UNTIL OBAMA IS OUT OF OFFICE.

I HOPE IT'S NOT TOO LATE.