Why Israel Can't Wait: The Coming War Between Israel and Iran

by Jerome R. Corsi

Israel is small enough that one nuclear bomb could destroy the modern Jewish state. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran’s nuclear program leaves Israel poised on the edge of an abyss, and once Iran gets the atom bomb, war is inevitable. In June 2009, Israel conducted its biggest civil defense drill ever, a possible signal that Israel is considering what is called the “Samson option”: an Israeli first-strike attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. ??President Obama seems determined to pursue direct negotiation with Iran, but fundamentalist jihadists interpret compromise as weakness. New York Times bestselling author Jerome Corsi chillingly argues that Israel’s next war will be with Iran—unless the United States takes a much stronger stance on Iran’s nuclear program and pursues a goal of regime change there. This terrifying scenario, he warns, could occur as soon as the end of 2009. While writing Why Israel Can’t Wait, Jerome Corsi visited Israel, conducting interviews with top Israeli government and military officials. He was able to gain access to information in Israel that has not previously been available publicly. Why Israel Can’t Wait is cutting-edge news, an in-depth analysis of what is happening now in Israel, and why Americans cannot afford to leave the clock ticking.

Genres: Politics, Iran, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

American author and political commentator.

Corsi is mostly known for his books against Democratic presidential candidates John Kerry and Barack Obama, that were published in the years of presidential elections.

Corsi has discussed topics that are considered conspiracy theories, such as the alleged plans for a North American Government, the theory that President Barack Obama is not an American citizen.

Reviews

[Charlene Mathe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected a 5-year-old report on the crisis of a nuclear Iran to be dated, Jerome Corsi's brief book is as current as ever! No doubt, citizens of the future will be incredulous that the world has frittered away five years in diplomatic discussions with no sense of urgency about blocking Iran's stated aggressive objectives.
Two points were most interesting to me. First, the three components Iran must assemble to meet her goals:
1. A source of weapons-grade enriched uranium or plutonium;
2. A medium- or long-range missile system capable of delivering a nuclear weapons payload reliably; and
3. The technology to weaponize the weapons-grade enriched uranium or plutonium into a miniaturized warhead capable of being delivered by a medium- or long-range missile. On page 30, Corsi showed in 2009 that Iran was well along in obtaining all three components.
The second point of special interest to me was something I guess I should have known; and maybe I did and forgot. Did you remember that in May 2009 the Senate Foreign Relations Committee issued a report entitled, "Iran: Where We Are Today"? That report disclosed that in 2004, U.S. intelligence obtained a laptop computer from an Iranian engineer that contained thousands of pages of data on tests and designs for a misslile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. The Senate committee concluded that "Iran has moved closer to completing the three components for a nuclear weapon--fissile material, warhead design and delivery system...." (p.31-32). The report was issued by the committee's Democratic chairman, Senator John Kerry! Yet, in his new role as Secretary of State, Kerry has declared that "Iran will not acquire a nuclear weapon," calling the stance the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's foreign policy (CNN, 12/10/13, "Kerry tells Congress to hold off on new Iran sanctions for now").
I am left astonished, reading this 2009 book, that five years have passed without any intervention by Israel, the nation most threatened by a nuclear Iran. But Israel is not Iran's only target, as the Saudi's know all too well. And with Iranian warships approaching America's Atlantic coast as I write (FEB 2014), Secretary Kerry should not sleep well in Washington, D.C.; and easy target for offshore warships carrying smart missiles that could have nuclear payloads.

[Terry Moffitt]

Concise but important book. Excellent analysis of the issues and potential outcomes of the current conflict between the the Israel, the West and Iran. I highly recommend this book.

[Josh]

A fairly good survey of events and factors surrounding the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran; but centered around inordinately weak (and even comical) argumentation -- even from an outsider's perspective. Corsi's interviews and primary sources are enlightening, and his criticisms of Obama and Netanyahu (in addition, of course, to Ayatollah Khomeinei [and Khamenei] and Ahmadinejad) are welcome. However the depth, nuances, and diversity of worldviews and allegiances are ignored as an unnecessary expense on the road to what Corsi probably sees as a self-evident truth: the need for Israel to react militaristically (and preemptively) to Iranian nuclear development. What is missing most is contextual and historical self-awareness that is almost prototypical of anyone engaged in geopolitical arguments related to Israel.

However, being almost-entirely ignorant about the various conflicts (historical and current) surrounding Israel, I would be interested to read conflicting opinions about -- for example -- the alleged non-importance of territorial claims (e.g. Obama's fixation of the abolition of settlements). At the very least, Corsi does succeed in suggesting a rational (or at least not-irrational) framework for the (ultimately?) religious aspirations of the Ayatollahs.