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Obama can talk Netanyahu out of military action, former Israeli security adviser says | The Times of Israel.

Uzi Dayan says an Israeli attack on Iran can still be averted by US assurances that if push comes to shove, America will be there

Benjamin Netanyahu and Uzi Dayan (right) during a press conference in Jerusalem in July 2008. (photo credit: Olivier Fitoussi /Flash90)

More sanctions on Iran and stronger assurances from the United States that it would use military force if all else fails could persuade Israel’s leaders to delay an attack on Iran, former National Security Adviser Uzi Dayan said.

In an interview with The New York Times published on Wednesday, Dayan said that since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have not yet decided on a strike, US President Barack Obama could still dissuade them from resorting to military action, but that time is running out.

“There is a window of opportunity,” said Dayan, a former deputy chief of staff in the military and currently head of the national lottery. “This window is closing, but if the United States would be much clearer and stronger about the sanctions on one hand and about what can happen if Iran won’t make a U-turn — there is not a lot of time, but there is still time to make a difference.”

Dayan was vetted as one of the potential candidates to take over as home front defense minister and spent time with both Netanyahu and Barak earlier this week. He said heard first-hand their position on Iran and other security matters.

According to Dayan, who served with both men in an elite Israeli commando unit, the prime minister and defense minister would rather have the US lead an assault on Iran’s nuclear facilities and are prepared to wait until after the forthcoming US elections in November if they believe they can rely on the American military as a last resort.

However, without the assurance of US backing, the decision to strike Iran alone must be made soon, they believe.

Despite the recent media buzz over attacking Iran and criticism that Netanyahu and Barak are gung-ho for a military strike, Dayan noted that Israel’s leaders will only go ahead with such a course of action as a last resort.

“They will make such a decision of striking only if they feel that there is no other way,” Dayan said. “They will do it only as the last, last thing, but then they will be pretty determined about it.”

This entry was posted on August 16, 2012 at 2:27 PM and is filed under Uncategorized. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.