The Last Israelis - an Apocalyptic, Military Thriller about an Israeli Submarine and a Nuclear Iran (35 page)

In the interest of fairness and to show good faith to Iran, the threat of overwhelming military force for non-compliance should be complemented by generous rewards for Iranian cooperation. In exchange for the verifiable dismantling of Iran’s entire nuclear program, the U.S. can offer to compensate Iran financially for related losses and provide a variety of other economic and political benefits that are collectively far more advantageous to Iran than a nuclear weapon would be. These benefits could include, for example, (i) replacing all economic sanctions with European Union and U.S. free trade agreements, (ii) providing a written security guarantee – adopted by the UN Security Council, if needed – that neither the U.S. nor any of its Middle Eastern allies (including Israel) will initiate an attack on Iran. If the Iranian regime truly has peaceful intentions, then it should readily accept such an attractive bargain. But if Iran rejects this offer, then its regime is clearly on a nuclear warpath that must be stopped by the only world power that can do so swiftly and decisively, and without producing a nuclear war that consumes the entire region and leaves many millions dead.

We in Israel cannot allow a hostile state that regularly threatens our existence to acquire the means to annihilate us any day that it chooses. We don’t have the luxury of ignoring this threat, and unfortunately, we are now out of time for other solutions to work. Accordingly, I am preparing a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities sometime in the next three to seven days. If, in the next 24 hours, you provide me with a written reassurance that the United States will give Iran a firm ultimatum, backed by overwhelming force, requiring the complete and verified dismantling of their nuclear program starting within 48 hours, then I will cancel the strike.

Mr. President, every day the circumstances move us closer to doomsday, and you are the only person with the power to prevent it. Please use that power for good. Our world depends on it, and history is watching.