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Netanyahu's alarm about Iran balanced by military chiefs

Contrary to the alarmist stance of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, past and present chiefs of Israel's Defense Establishment do not reject the agreement signed with Iran.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) and army chief Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi (L) observe a military exercise at Elyakim military base near the northern city of Haifa May 11, 2010. QUALITY FROM SOURCE. REUTERS/Eran Yuppy Cohen/Pool (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY) - RTR2DQUY
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On Nov. 25, barely a day after the signing of the historic agreement between Iran and the world powers, a large air-combat exercise took place in Israel. It saw the participation of several foreign air forces from Israel, the United States, Greece and Italy.

The Israeli air force assigned seven squadrons to this exercise, a huge number of planes considering its overall size. The [Blue Flag] exercise was said to simulate a war with a country that has a large army and a modern air force. It seems to me that Iran, in the setting of this exercise, would suit well the definition of “enemy.” On the other hand, this exercise, the kind of which cannot be mounted overnight, had been scheduled long before. Thus, its proximity to the signing of the Geneva agreement could easily fall under the category of “coincidence.” While that may very well be the case, the Middle East is a region where bizarre coincidences could quickly spiral into a bloody reality.

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