Chief of Staff: “Ready for any threat – from near and far”

10 March 2010 , 13:15

Lt. Gen. Ashkenazi spoke at the annual FIDF dinner in the U.S., where he referred to the Iranian threat and the successful cooperation between the IDF and the U.S.

Jonathan Urich

On Tuesday evening, the Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, during his visit to the United States, spoke at the annual dinner hosted by the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF). “I am telling you from this stage: We will triumph over those who seek to destroy us. We will win thanks to the courage of our soldiers and their moral compass,” said Chief of the General Staff in his speech, at an event held at New York’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

In his speech, Lt. Gen Gabi Ashkenazi emphasized that “Iran was the main threat to world peace, and gradually attempting to harvest regional instability through its proxies: Hezbollah, Hamas and other terrorist organizations. Therefore the international community must stop the Iranian nuclear program for its own sake.

“All options should remain on the table. We are developing advanced weapons and technologies and increasing the number of military exercises and training, while raising reserve troops' readiness for war. We are doing this to be ready for any threat – from near and far,” he added.

Close cooperation between the IDF and the U.S.

On Tuesday morning (Mar. 9), the Chief of the General Staff attended several short work meetings in Washington, during which he met with senior officials at the White House, Senate and Pentagon including a meeting with National Security Advisor Jim Jones. In addition, he met with U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, who recently visited Israel. The meeting lasted about an hour and a half, and focused on the Iranian threat.

During his speech at the FIDF dinner in New York, Lt. Gen. Ashkenazi referred to the close cooperation between the IDF and the U.S. army and noted that one example of our successful cooperation was the Juniper Cobra 10 – an exercise which tested the missile defense system collaboration. He continued by stating that “these steps reflect significant progress in expanding the dialogue, cooperation and readiness of the two armies.”
source: http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/News/today/10/03/1001.htm