"Iran already knows that the US will retaliate, in one way or another, if they attack Israel. Which Iran wouldn't do, anyways, unless provoked." - Lepus Rex

Very true.

"Any direct attack upon Israel by the armed forces of Iran would ALREADY bring immediate massive retaliation by the U.S. and its allies...regardless." - Little Hawk

Also very true.

But Little Hawks statement touches on what would be the real threat, which is "the armed forces of Iran" would never attack Israel, because they don't have to, both Israel and Lebanon are already being attacked by proxy through Quds Force support of international terrorist organisations. The Quds Force, a highly successful business venture that generates enormous profits that has it's own well equipped military that in no way, shape, or form is answerable to the Government of Iran.

Now this what I want to hear somebody say, "This could never happen", with total conviction.

Anyone remember the threat evaluation that was conducted in the aftermath of 911? What was the threat to the United States of America that was considered to be the greatest and most urgent.

An anonymous attack on the United States of America involving the use of some form of WMD by a terrorist organisation backed by a rogue government.

The "Axis of Evil", that was being referred to, not the one the media told you about. Weapon-Shooter-Banker, that was the Axis, not Iraq-Iran-North Korea.

Sure, bring Israel into NATO, anything that reafirms the stand taken by the United Nations in 1948 in recognising Israel's sovereignty and gives pause for thought to those who wish to "wipe Israel off the map", can only be to the general benefit of the region as a whole. That wouldn't do anything to counter the threat outlined above, after all in the event of that happening Iran, say, could quite honestly hold up it's hands and say, "Nothing to do with us, if you think it has, then prove it." - Nobody could. In exactly the same way that everybody knows that Syria was involved very heavily in the Hariri assassination, but nobody can prove it, so his murderers go unpunished and operate with impunity to strike again, which I believe they have just recently done.