Mullen being Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the top military man for Barack Obama. He was asked if the US military (read: Obama Administration) would rule out firing on Israeli planes on the way to strike Iran. Answer? Yesnomaybenotsurepossiblynotgonnaanswer.

“We have an exceptionally strong relationship with Israel. I’ve spent a lot of time with my counterpart in Israel. So we also have a very clear understanding of where we are. And beyond that, I just wouldn’t get into the speculation of what might happen and who might do what. I don’t think it serves a purpose, frankly,” he said. “I am hopeful that this will be resolved in a way where we never have to answer a question like that.”

We have a strong relationship with Israel, you see, which is why Barack Obama has alienated the country and we won’t rule out shooting down Israeli warplanes on their way to defend the Jewish State. Because of our strong relationship.

The airman, yes the question was asked by a member of the military, followed up with a more direct version of the question:

“Would an airmen like me ever be ordered to fire on an Israeli – aircraft or personnel?”

You can’t get clearer than that. Would an airman ever be ordered to fire on either Israeli aircraft or personnel. Succinct and to the point. Mullen’s response? Yesnomaybenotsurepossiblynotgonnaanswer, again.

Mullen’s second answer was much the same as his first. “Again, I wouldn’t move out into the future very far from here. They’re an extraordinarily close ally, have been for a long time, and will be in the future,” the admiral said.

We’re only now considering military strikes against Iran but evidently it’s standing policy to leave open the option of shooting Israeli aircraft and personnel out of the sky. Well, gee, that’s comforting. This must be part of the whole “smart power” thing.

Like DrewM. (to whom I owe a hat tip), I don’t blame Mullen for that answer. He works for Barack Obama and takes orders from the same. If there’s ambiguity about our policy towards Israeli warplanes then it comes from the top — not down the chain.

Mullen isn’t ultimately responsible for deciding whether we’d fire on our ally. Obama is. And apparently his position isn’t quite clear, as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff himself doesn’t understand where the president is on the matter.