Israel and Its Enemies: Thinking about the Unthinkable

I believe this article in the Jerusalem Post was published today as a reminder to Israel’s enemies:

If a nuclear war between Israel and Iran were to break out 16-20 million Iranians would lose their lives – as opposed to 200,000-800,000 Israelis, according to a report recently published by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which is headed by Anthony H. Cordesman, formerly an analyst for the US Department of Defense. The document, which is largely theoretical due to the lack of verified knowledge in some areas – specifically in terms of Israel’s nuclear capability – paints various scenarios and attempts to predict the strategies of regional powers, as well as the US.

It goes on to talk about blowing up Syria (another 16 million deaths), Cairo and the Aswan Dam (the latter if Egypt entered the fray). No telling how man corpses that would yield – and this is without fallout.

A great thing to think about on Christmas Eve. This is not the greatest year ever, is it? It reminds me, yet again, of what the winner among our presidential candidates will have to deal with in January 2009. Forget Social Security or immigration, how about Armageddon? And now we learn Iran is planing 19 reactors… good luck to all of us.

I must say my Pajamas colleague Bill Bradley has a lot more faith in the NIE than I do – or apparently the British, French and Israelis. [You don’t believe the CIA? They were so good on the Soviet Union and 9/11.-ed. Don’t belabor the obvious.]