U.S.: Call to "Resist and Deter" Nuclear Iran Gains Key Support

[G_j]

Source: ipsnews

U.S.: Call to "Resist and Deter" Nuclear Iran Gains Key Support
By Jim Lobe*

WASHINGTON, Mar 6 (IPS) - A new report on how the United States should "resist and deter" Iran's alleged ambitions to acquire a nuclear-weapons capability by a think tank closely tied to the so-called "Israel Lobby" has been endorsed by two key officials who are expected to exercise major influence on Iran policy in the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama.

The 10-page report, which was released here Wednesday by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP), argues that the United States should engage with Iran diplomatically but at the same time ratchet up pressure on many other fronts if it fails to heed demands to suspend and eventually abandon its uranium enrichment programme.

Among the carrots Washington should be prepared to offer Tehran for that goal are co-operation on "shared problems, such as piracy and smuggling in the Persian Gulf," and "participation in a regional security dialogue," according to the report.

At the same time, however, the report stressed that failure to stop Iran's nuclear progress may well result in a decision by Israel to carry out a military attack within the next two years. Such a decision, it warned, could be hastened if Russia goes through with the sale and delivery of sophisticated S-300 surface-to-air missile systems which "are seen by Israel as seriously limiting its military options."

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Read more: http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=46019

[leveymg]

1. So, we should create a climate of conflict because Israel theatens a preemptive war? How does that

prevent such a war from occurring? Nutz. :crazy:

[Ghost Dog]

2. What a load of crap.

Iran's uranium enrichment programme is entirely legal and under IAEA supervision. At least this journalist refers to "alleged ambitions", unlike most western MSM.

[G_j]

3. "a number of prominent neo-conservatives"

"The new report, which comes amid a major administration review of U.S. policy toward Iran, is likely to be very closely read in European and Middle Eastern capitals due to its endorsement by Dennis Ross, who serves as Special Adviser on the Gulf and Southwest Asia to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Robert Einhorn, the senior State Department official on non-proliferation matters.

While both men resigned from the 17-member task force that helped draft the report after they were asked to join Obama's presidential transition team, WINEP stressed that they had formally endorsed an early draft which was not substantially different from the final product.

Other members of the task force, which was convened by WINEP's director, Robert Satloff, and its deputy director of research, Patrick Clawson, included a number of prominent neo-conservatives, such as Danielle Pletka of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), and some who served in senior posts under President George W. Bush, including former under secretary of state for arms control and international security, Robert Joseph; his immediate subordinate, Stephen Rademaker; and the former chairman of the Defence Science Board, William Schneider."