It is what the far-right, war-mongering government in Israel has always sought: a green light from the United States to attack Iranian nuclear installations.

Under the Bush administration, the then-government of Kadima led by Ehud Olmert, who resigned to fight corruption charges, sought permission from the Bush administration to attack Iran. Israel’s request included rights to fly-over U.S.-administered Iraqi airspace and bunker-buster bombs. The realists [Condi Rich, Robert Gates] in the Bush administration prevailed over the hawks [Cheney, Abrams] and Israel’s request was denied.

The even more militant Netanyahu government has revived Israel’s quest for a green-light to attack Iran. The government of Netanyahu-Lieberman is already wary over Obama’s diplomatic engagement with Iran, which it believes only buys Iran times to secure a nuclear bomb that Israelis consider an existential threat. Netanyahu already told Obama that they will be patient with U.S. diplomacy only until the end of the year. If by then Iran has not taken steps to stop enrichment, then the Israelis will take matters into their own hands. Even though Israel may bomb Iran no matter the U.S.’ objection, doing so with blessed terms is something Israelis would much rather prefer. And so today in an interview from Baghdad, Vice-President Joe Biden just gave Israel those terms:

BIDEN: Look, Israel can determine for itself — it’s a sovereign nation — what’s in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Whether we agree or not?

BIDEN: Whether we agree or not. They’re entitled to do that. Any sovereign nation is entitled to do that. But there is no pressure from any nation that’s going to alter our behavior as to how to proceed. What we believe is in the national interest of the United States, which we, coincidentally, believe is also in the interest of Israel and the whole world. And so there are separate issues. If the Netanyahu government decides to take a course of action different than the one being pursued now, that is their sovereign right to do that. That is not our choice.

Biden’s language is cautious, but his repeated stress of Israel’s sovereign rights makes it clear he the U.S. will at least acquiesce to any Israeli attack against Iran. But the question of Iraqi airspace remains. The U.S. cannot allow fly-over because the Iraqis do not want to be seen as supporting an attack against their largest and strongest neighbor that has the ability to cause great harm to Iraq. So the Israelis will have to find another route. And so come the Saudis:

The head of Mossad, Israel’s overseas intelligence service, has assured Benjamin Netanyahu, its prime minister, that Saudi Arabia would turn a blind eye to Israeli jets flying over the kingdom during any future raid on Iran’s nuclear sites. Earlier this year Meir Dagan, Mossad’s director since 2002, held secret talks with Saudi officials to discuss the possibility. The Israeli press has already carried unconfirmed reports that high-ranking officials, including Ehud Olmert, the former prime minister, held meetings with Saudi colleagues. The reports were denied by Saudi officials. “The Saudis have tacitly agreed to the Israeli air force flying through their airspace on a mission which is supposed to be in the common interests of both Israel and Saudi Arabia,” a diplomatic source said last week.