Shapiro: US, J’lem planning for ‘all options’ on Iran
Shapiro: US, J’lem planning for ‘… JPost – Diplomacy & Politics.
By Marc Israel Sellem
US Ambassador Dan Shapiro said Thursday that not only are all options on the table in relation to Iran, but that planning is underway to ensure that those options can be used if it becomes necessary.
Shapiro, speaking to Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said that while the strategy for now was clearly to apply diplomatic and economic sanctions on Iran to isolate it, “all other options are on the table and more than that, the necessary planning is being done to ensure that those options are actually available if at any time they become necessary.”
Shapiro reiterated that US President Barack Obama has said over and over again that the US is determined to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Shapiro said that Israel and the US are completely coordinated in this. “Whatever one reads in the paper, I cannot think of any issue on which we are better coordinated than on the issue of Iran.”
About every other week, cabinet-level officials are traveling in one direction or another, discussing Iran, he said, “and that is exactly as it should be.”
Regarding the recent spate of media articles describing divisions between the US and Israel on the Iranian issue, Shaprio said, “it is often the case that those who talk don’t know and those who know don’t talk. Much of what is written on this topic is pure speculation and much of it is wrong.”
WarSclerotic 
February 24, 2012 at 2:24 AM
Whle I see the words of Ambassador Shapiro are comforting for Israel they will have no influence on Iran. Iran knows that US support for a strike against Iran has declined. While most Americans still support a strike by Israel that too is declining. Recent polls indicate that the Obama Administration may be taking steps to differentiate itself from the GOP frontrunners by offering a more councilatory approach to Iran that should become more popular as gas prices rise and affect jobs and incomes. Iran knows that after two long unsucessful wars the US public and US Treasury cannot support another major conflict. Even punitive action that could spread will not be tolerated. Iran also knows that Israel does not have the tactical support or resources to go it alone. While the US and Israel have been trading meaningless threats with Iran there has been a very rapid shift Iranian politics. Iran has been successful in building new trade and military relations in spit of US sanctions. Iran has a stated goal of driving Jews out of Israel. For this a nuclear deterrent is more than enough as it seems intent on surrounding Israel with more conventional weapons and hostile neighbours. Iran’s efforts in Egypt and upcoming meetings with Saudi Arabia will have a very telling effect on the future of the Middle East. If Clinton can convince the Saudi’s to support and finance American intervention in Syria there is hope. If that fails and the Saudi Royal family reaches out to Iran to help them stay in power then the immediate future of Israel becomes a question. It has been rumoured today that Kin Jung-um has authorized his technicians in Iran to use the Khan Network to get needed parts for Iran. This at the same time he is negotiating food and other bribes with the US to reduce the North Korean nuclear program.