U.S Military Head in Israel as PM Netanyahu heads to Russia

U.S Military Head in Israel as PM Netanyahu heads to Russia

Amid growing speculation of an Israeli strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen is in Israel for discussions with military personel while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is en-route to Moscow for meetings with top Russian officials.

Michael Mullen had a brief stop first in Egypt and will have another stop in Jordan on the way out. So far there is just speculation to the nature of the talks however, amid renewed speculation that the Israelis may be preparing for a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, the subject is expected to be focused on the growing threat from Iran’s nuclear program.

During his visit Admiral Mullen will hold a private meeting with Lt. Gen. Ashkenazi, as well as a briefing with senior commanders of the General Staff, including Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Maj. Gen. Benny Ganz, Head of Israel Defense Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, Head of Strategic Planning Directorate, Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel, and the military attaché to Washington, Maj. Gen. Gadi Shamni.

Despite some differences of opinion concerning Iran’s nuclear program, last year Mullen said both himself and Ashkenazi are "by and large" in agreement on Iran's progress toward obtaining nuclear weapons. He also knows "there is a leadership in Israel that is not going to tolerate" a nuclear Iran, saying that Tehran's atomic designs are a matter of "life or death" for the Jewish state. Regarding the question of whether or not Iran’s nuclear program has peaceful purposes he said, "I fundamentally believe that the Iranians are on a path to developing a nuclear weapon.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke about his coming trip to Russia during today’s cabinet meeting, saying "We will discuss Iran first and foremost." Netanyahu is expected to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin where he will push for urgent "crippling sanctions" against Iran over its nuclear program.

Meanwhile in the background and possibly flying under the radar was the American military teams visit to Israel to disgust the possibility of storing some of the equipment and ammunition that is going to be pulled out of Iraq. “There is talk that some of the equipment will be stored in Israel,” the official said. “If that is the case, in the event of an emergency we may be able to use it.” Last month the pentagon decided to double the value of emergency military stockpiles it stores in Israel.

The US already maintains several stockpiles in Israel that include missiles, armored vehicles, aerial munitions and artillery ordnance. The US began stockpiling equipment in Israel in the early 1990s.

"Officially, all of this equipment belongs to the US military,” one official said. “If however, there is a conflict, the IDF can ask for permission to use some of the equipment.” US stockpiles were used during the Second Lebanon War in 2006.

The IDF and the Pentagon are also working on an agreement regarding the establishment of a Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) maintenance center in Israel. The US will set up a maintenance center on an Israel Air Force base. The center will be manned by Americans who would maintain planes that would make up a squadron of F35 fighters Israel is seeking from the U.S.