IDF Chief in Washington - combined chat on bombing Iran and a little heavyweight shopping for military equipent

Whatever the state of (apparent) rapprochement between Syria / US the constant interchange between the IDF and the US Armed forces and suppliers of US military equipment go on - seemingly unstoppable.

This weekend IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi will make his 2nd visit (5 days scheduled) to the US along with accompanied by IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Avi Benayahu and Israel's Military Attache in Washington Maj.-Gen. Benny Gantz will be in Washington to meet National Security Adviser Gen. James Jones, a meeting Israeli officials said was of extreme importance due to the important role Jones plays in the Obama administration as far as setting policy vis á vis Israel and the Palestinians.

Ashkenazi will also hold intelligence consultations and meet Dennis Ross, who was recently appointed a "special adviser" to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Iran and looks after the varied interests of AIPAC of which he was a joint founder.Haartez says he will meet the heads of AIPAC.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen is off fishing in Wyoming for the weekend and during Ashkenazi's visit. Instead, the IDF chief will meet with top Navy, Air Force and Army commanders.

He will also be a guest of honor at the annual "Supporters of the IDF" convention in the New-York and will address its participants.

Lt. Gen Ashkenazi is also scheduled to conduct meetings with the staff of the Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations in New York, war criminal Mr. Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State as well as with the heads of the New York Jewish Federation country’s largest Jewish federation. ( They have just announced cutting 52 employees -- slightly more than 11 % of their staff.The layoffs, along with the decision to eliminate 20 staff positions that are now unfilled and other administrative cuts will save the federation an estimated $7.4 million)


Ashkenazi's agenda

1. The alleged Iranian nuclear threat. Earlier this week, Military Intelligence head Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin told the cabinet that Iran had crossed the technological threshold needed to develop a nuclear weapon.

Last week, Mullen said in an interview that Iran had obtained enough fissionable material to develop a single weapon - which raised a smile no doubt in Iran. Memories too of the wild, unreal and dishonest claims we now see were falsified by the JIC about Saddam's weapons by the A Cambell lying machine (prop T Blair , Vice President Mr J Powell) . Keep the steady beat for those drums of war Mike !


2. Israel's request to insert indigenous technology in the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF now officially Lightning II) that the IAF intends to purchase (be given) in the coming year. The Pentagon has so far rejected a request to allow Israel to install its self-developed electronic warfare and radar systems.