Attack On Iran Could Result In Attacks Here

Attack On Iran Could Result In Attacks Here

The New York Times reports today that, "American officials who have assessed the likely Iranian responses to any attack by Israel on its nuclear program believe that Iran would retaliate by launching missiles on Israel and terrorist-style attacks on United States civilian and military personnel overseas."

Just what Americans and Israelis need. According to the front page piece, Israelis might have to endure a missile onslaught from Hezbollah-controlled Lebanon, while we could see car bombs exploding in our cities and our troops coming under renewed terror attacks in Afghanistan and throughout the Middle East.

An increase in car bombs set off against civilian targets in world capitals would also be possible. And Iran would almost certainly smuggle high-powered explosives across its border into Afghanistan, where they could be planted along roadways and set off by surrogate forces to kill and maim American and NATO troops — much as it did in Iraq during the peak of violence there.

Nonetheless, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), AIPAC has decided to make the Lieberman-Graham-Casey resolution — which would ban containment of Iran in favor of attacking its nuclear sites — the centerpiece of its upcoming Washington conference (which starts on Sunday with a speech by President Obama). JTA reports that the "resolution, which now has 35 signatories, is expected to top the agenda of items that AIPAC activists will take with them to Capitol Hill on March 6, the conference's last day."

There has been some speculation that AIPAC's inability to attract more than 35 co-sponsors on the resolution is a sign of weakness. I doubt it. I think it wants to start with a low number and then, following its conference, trumpet the spike in sponsorship from 35 to 80 or 90.