According to a Times-online report, US President George W. Bush is leaning towards giving Israel a green light for an offensive strike against Iran should all avenues of negotiations be exhausted.

Quoting senior Pentagon officials, the report states that Bush has already given Jerusalem an “amber light” as it becomes increasingly obvious diplomatic efforts will not lead to Iran abandoning nuclear enrichment efforts. Bush, the article adds is willing to approve and Israeli offensive despite the fact that his most senior military advisors oppose such a move, fearing the political, economic and military repercussions.

“Amber means get on with your preparations, stand by for immediate attack and tell us when you’re ready,” the official said.

The senior Pentagon source is quoted as adding Mr. Bush is really “preoccupied with the nuclear threat against Israel,” and while the Bush administration will not launch a strike against Iran, the source adds, “it really comes down to the Israelis.”

Among the concerns of senior military officials in the United States, an Israeli attack would endanger American forces stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan, both in range of an Iranian retaliatory strike.

In her response to last week’s Iranian long and medium range missile launches, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated the event was “evidence that the missile threat is not an imaginary one.”

A senior Iranian official said yesterday that Iran would destroy Israel and 32 American military bases in the Middle East in response to any attack.

By all accounts, the upcoming American elections and the corruption cloud surrounding Prime Minister Ehud Olmert are two factors that weigh seriously in the decision-making process. (Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)