Thursday, March 29, 2012

Israel's Secret Staging Ground

This news story has been kept relatively quiet but the implications are enormous:


U.S. officials believe that the Israelis have gained access to airbases in Azerbaijan. Does this bring them one step closer to a war with Iran?


In 2009, the deputy chief of mission of the U.S. embassy in Baku, Donald Lu, sent a cable to the State Department's headquarters in Foggy Bottom titled "Azerbaijan's discreet symbiosis with Israel." The memo, later released by WikiLeaks, quotes Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev as describing his country's relationship with the Jewish state as an iceberg: "nine-tenths of it is below the surface."

Why does it matter? Because Azerbaijan is strategically located on Iran's northern border and, according to several high-level sources I've spoken with inside the U.S. government, Obama administration officials now believe that the "submerged" aspect of the Israeli-Azerbaijani alliance -- the security cooperation between the two countries -- is heightening the risks of an Israeli strike on Iran.

In particular, four senior diplomats and military intelligence officers say that the United States has concluded that Israel has recently been granted access to airbases on Iran's northern border. To do what, exactly, is not clear. "The Israelis have bought an airfield," a senior administration official told me in early February, "and the airfield is called Azerbaijan."

"We're watching what Iran does closely," one of the U.S. sources, an intelligence officer engaged in assessing the ramifications of a prospective Israeli attack confirmed. "But we're now watching what Israel is doing in Azerbaijan. And we're not happy about it."

Israel's deepening relationship with the Baku government was cemented in February by a $1.6 billion arms agreement that provides Azerbaijan with sophisticated drones and missile-defense systems. At the same time, Baku's ties with Tehran have frayed



Foreign Policy quotes U.S. diplomats as saying that 'Israel is deeply embedded in Azerbaijan' and says intelligence officials worried that Israel's military involvement in Azerbaijan would complicate efforts to reduce Israeli-Iranian tensions.

According to the report, U.S. intelligence officials are worried that Israel's military involvement in Azerbaijan would make it more difficult for the U.S. to reduce Israeli-Iranian tensions. Apparently now, military planners must prepare for a war scenario that would also involve the Caucasus.

In February, Israel signed a $1.6 billion arms deal with Azerbaijan, committing to sell drones and anti-aircraft missile defense systems to Baku. According to a retired U.S. diplomat, the deal left Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan "sputtering in rage," since Israel had previously canceled a contract to develop drones with the Turkish military.

The report said that the Azeri military has four abandoned, Soviet-era airfields that could be available to Israel and four air bases for their own aircraft, quoting the International Institute for Strategic Studies' Military Balance 2011.

U.S. officials told Foreign Policy that they believe Israel has been granted access to these air bases through a "series of quiet political and military understandings."

"I doubt that there's actually anything in writing," said a former U.S. diplomat who spent his career in the region. "But I don't think there's any doubt - if Israeli jets want to land in Azerbaijan after an attack, they'd probably be allowed to do so. Israel is deeply embedded in Azerbaijan, and has been for the last two decades."

Earlier this month, Azerbaijan authorities arrested 22 peoplesuspected of plotting to attack the Israeli and American embassies in the capital Baku. Iran's Revolutionary Guards was reportedly behind the plan to attack Israeli and U.S. targets in the country, according to Azerbaijan's national security ministry.

Such an agreement, which is apparently already done, would make an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities a lot easier and would solve a lot of logistical problems associated with this attack.

Stay tuned on this story - it could be the final adjustment required in terms of a strategic strike on Iran's facilities and set the stage for this strike to take place. This development is worth watching closely.


10 comments:

Anonymous said...

It appears that BULLS continue to
control the scene. IBM at another
new high. Dow up again. I would
think that 30 MAR will be a non event since social mood continues
quite positive.

we will see.

Stephen >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Susan said...

Scott-

I guess whoever leaked this information about Israel having access to a base in Azerbaijan wants to give Iran the "heads up". Does this info delay an Israeli strike on Iran or hasten it? Somewhere (Harmutz?) I read that Israel will delay a strike until 2013. Is this credible? Joel Rosenberg stated in one of his recent blogs that he thought Israel may sell its neighboring countries some of its gas reserves in hopes of achieving peace with them. Interesting thought as this also might remove the threat of neighboring countries attacking Israel & setting up EZ 38 (although I personally doubt it).

On another topic - has everyone noticed the proliferation of yoga? Everywhere, I see yoga promoted, & advertised. I have two non-believing siblings who are into it (initially for the health benefits). It seems to me that satan loves yoga since it allows for one's defenses to be let down (emptying one's mind) and subsequently filled with things not of God - false peace, false harmony, and false truth. At that point (the giving over of one's mind to satan essentially), I think it becomes much more difficult to reach those into yoga with the truth of the Gospel. My two unbelieving siblings have become much more hostile to the gospel since they have gotten into yoga. Anyone noticed the same? (Lamb and Lion did a series on yoga not too long ago).

Caver said...

Combine this story with the link below.....and your stomach just goes very ill.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4209836,00.html

Quote:

Analysis: US thwarting Israeli strike on Iran

Obama betraying Israel? US making deliberate effort to hinder Iran strike by leaking classified info, intelligence assessments, says Ron Ben-Yishai in special Ynet report

End Quote

If this is true, and solely to get reelected.....words cannot express my revulsion at this man.

Scott said...

Genesis 12:3 in view. Sadly.

Mike said...

Scott, what do you think of this article? Do you think so?

A Cashless Society May Be Closer Than Most People Would Ever Dare To Imagine
------------------------

http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/a-cashless-society-may-be-closer-than-most-people-would-ever-dare-to-imagine

Scott said...

Mike,

I had seen that and yes indeed I believe its significant. The technology for the MOTB is basically here (assuming its one of the devices typically discussed); additionally, it will help consolidate central power in coming times.

Scott said...

Susan - I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the U.S. leaked this. That article posted by Caver points to the same thing. With international intrigue however, its hard to tell really.

Scott said...

Susan - I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the U.S. leaked this. That article posted by Caver points to the same thing. With international intrigue however, its hard to tell really.

AM said...

Susan,
Yes, I've noticed the 'yoga' everywhere, even 'Christian Yoga', another sign of the end times.
Last fall several postings about the apostasy in the end, and it's spreading like wildfire, so subtle. A church that I have been attending and I thought was bible based, has gone down the slippery slope. It's introduced very slowly.

I'm praying for Israel--

Blessings
Ann Marie

Unknown said...

It seems that Israel may be left with only an option of tactical nukes to deal with Iran. We won't give FOF codes for their airforce, no air tankers and no landing zones to the North. Things will get very bad so everyone will forward to 7 years of peace.