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Politics : Obama Watch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LTK007 who wrote (115)	1/27/2009 7:57:30 PM
From: Crimson Ghost	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 290

x-CIA man: Bombing Iran 'out of question' Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:59:58 GMT Israeli pilots walk past an Apache helicopter at Ramon Air Base. Tel Aviv has long claimed that it is capable of militarily taking out Iran's nuclear program. Israel will pressure US President Barack Obama to attack Iran, although a military action is impossible, a former top CIA operative says. In an interview with Inter Press Service, Robert Baer said despite the new US administration's promises of holding direct dialogue with Iran, Tel Aviv will continue to make its case against the country and its nuclear program. He, however, added, "I think that there is a military veto in attacking Iran. It's just not possible." "We know there will be an Iranian reaction in the Gulf. Iran will not be attacked like Hamas and just respond locally. It will respond internationally," said Baer -- who, according to prominent investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, "was considered perhaps the best on-the-ground field officer in the Middle East." The US, Israel and their European allies -- Britain, France and Germany -- accuse Iran of developing a military nuclear program, while the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) signatory denies the charges. Officials in Tehran contend that the only aim of their program is the civilian applications of the technology. Israel, meanwhile, has repeatedly threatened to go in alone and strike Iranian infrastructure based on the claim that the Iranian program poses an existential threat to Tel Aviv. Baer, however, rejected the Israeli threats as "totally out of the question." "Even (former US president George W.) Bush understood this. The New York Times is right when it says that Bush vetoed an Israeli attack, simply because there is a balance of power in the Middle East between the US and Iran, and it's a fairly even balance of power. I mean not in terms of aircraft tanks or submarines, but in a monopoly of violence, there is equality," said the former top CIA agent. President Obama vowed during his presidential campaign to hold "aggressive" talks with Iran to resolve the controversy surrounding the nuclear program. The new US ambassador to the UN Susan Rice said Monday that the new administration would make Iran's nuclear case a priority. "We look forward to engaging in vigorous diplomacy that includes direct diplomacy with Iran," she said.