Telegraph: U.S. Preparing Strike On Iran
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London's Telegraph reports:
Strategists at the Pentagon are drawing up plans for devastating bombing raids backed by submarine-launched ballistic missile attacks against Iran's nuclear sites as a "last resort" to block Teheran's efforts to develop an atomic bomb.
Central Command and Strategic Command planners are identifying targets, assessing weapon-loads and working on logistics for an operation, the Sunday Telegraph has learnt.
They are reporting to the office of Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary, as America updates plans for action if the diplomatic offensive fails to thwart the Islamic republic's nuclear bomb ambitions.
"This is more than just the standard military contingency assessment," said a senior Pentagon adviser. "This has taken on much greater urgency in recent months."
Teheran has dispersed its nuclear plants, burying some deep underground, and has recently increased its air defences, but Pentagon planners believe that the raids could seriously set back Iran's nuclear programme.
I'm not sure why the Pentagon would choose the Telegraph to get the word out, but it sounds as though the administration wants the Mullahs to think it's serious about launching an attack. The Telegraph portrays President Bush as reluctant to leave Iran to his successor:
Senator Joe Lieberman, a Democrat, has made the same case [against allowing Iran to become a nucleare power] and Mr Bush is expected to be faced by the decision within two years.
By then, Iran will be close to acquiring the knowledge to make an atomic bomb, although the construction will take longer. The President will not want to be seen as leaving the White House having allowed Iran's ayatollahs to go atomic.
My guess is that the last thing Bush has any appetite for is another military conflict in the Middle East. Just don't tell the Iranians that. |
