Gates warns against Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities

Reporting from Washington -- Amid increasing suggestions that Israel may attack Iran's nuclear facilities, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates warned this week that such a strike would have dangerous consequences, and asserted that Tehran's acquisition of a bomb can be prevented only if "Iranians themselves decide it's too costly."

Using his strongest language on the subject to date, Gates told a group of Marine Corps students that although a strike probably would delay Tehran's nuclear program one to three years, it would unify Iranians, "cement their determination to have a nuclear program, and also build into the whole country an undying hatred of whoever hits them." Israeli officials fear that the Islamic Republic may gain the know-how to build a bomb as early as this year, and several of them have warned that Israel could strike first to eliminate what it considers an existential threat.

But while the Obama administration has not ruled out the use of military force, several officials have indicated strong opposition to using it. Last week, Vice President Joe Biden said Israel's new conservative prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, would be "ill advised" to launch a strike.

President Shimon Peres said in an interview with Kol Hai Radio on Sunday that Israel would attack if the Iranian leadership didn't drop its plans for its nuclear program.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-us-iran16-2009apr16,0,5208507.story

just a simple-minded kill-them-all moron, an out-of-touch intellectual who learned everything he ever knew by playing RISK games in a dorm room, or a paid shill for the mass-murder-corporations who was devoted solely to getting as much bucks funneled their way as possible, with no interest in real defense at all.

I don't agree with his signing on to the agenda of expanding the US Corporatists' hegemony via U.S. military control over the planet's resources, but at least he is not a total idiot.


(edit phrasing a bit)

U.S. officials are discouraging such a course, even though officials say they would never deny Israel's right to act in self-defense.

my guess is that Israel will not attack Iran unilaterally, as is so often said here albeit in a different context-"Israel is not suicidal"

I am however beginning to think we need a "dick waiving" smiley of some sort