Israel may have to choose

This may be true, but why leak it to the press?

Revealed: Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran
Uzi Mahnaimi New York and
Sarah Baxter Washington

ISRAEL has drawn up secret plans to destroy Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities with tactical nuclear weapons.

Two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up an Iranian facility using low-yield nuclear “bunker-busters”, according to several Israeli military sources.

Iran's leaders constantly promise to wipe Israel off the map, and they are openly developing a supposedly "peaceful" nuclear energy program which could give them the material for the bomb.

What would you do if you were leader of Israel? Wait to counterattack after thousands of your fellow countrymen are killed by Iran's first strike? Or hit Iran first to prevent further development of their weapons program at least for the time being?

It's a Hobson's choice. If they wait, they die. If they strike first, they live for awhile longer; but the Islamic radicals (and their fellow travelers) will not go away -- and would point to Israel's first strike as justification for developing their own weapons.

Maybe the leak was motivated by a desire for others to choose to take action, given the terrible choices available to the Israelis:

Israeli military commanders believe conventional strikes may no longer be enough to annihilate increasingly well-defended enrichment facilities. Several have been built beneath at least 70ft of concrete and rock. However, the nuclear-tipped bunker-busters would be used only if a conventional attack was ruled out and if the United States declined to intervene, senior sources said.

Israeli and American officials have met several times to consider military action. Military analysts said the disclosure of the plans could be intended to put pressure on Tehran to halt enrichment, cajole America into action or soften up world opinion in advance of an Israeli attack.

Neither we nor the Israelis have good choices available to us in this situation, but the insane men in charge of Iran actually like the bad choice they have already made.