Thursday, May 17, 2007
Attack Iran Before It Gets the Bomb
Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said the West must attack Iran before it develops nuclear weapons. Bolton told The Daily Telegraph in Britain that the
European Union needed to "get more serious” about Iran and recognize that its diplomatic efforts to halt Iran’s nuclear program have failed.
Iran has "mastered the enrichment technology now,” he said. "They’re not stopping, they’re making progress and our time is limited.”
He called for painful economic sanctions on Iran, followed by attempts to overthrow the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad regime, and ultimately, military action to destroy Iran’s nuclear sites.
"It’s been conclusively proven Iran is not going to be talked about of its nuclear program,” Bolton told The Telegraph.
"So to stop them from doing it, we have to massively increase the pressure. If the choice is between a nuclear-capable Iran and the use of force, then I think we need to look at the use of force.
President Bush has referred to Ahmadinejad as a 21st Century Adolf Hitler. Bolton struck a similar theme:
"If the choice is them continuing [toward developing a bomb] or the use of force, I think you’re at a Hitler marching into the Rhineland point. If you don’t stop it then, the future is in his hands.”
Bolton acknowledged that military action could impact oil prices and might not succeed, but he added that the risks of using force would be less than the risk of a nuclear Iran.
"Imagine what it would be like with a nuclear Iran,” he said. "Imagine the influence Iran could have over the entire region.”
Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said the West must attack Iran before it develops nuclear weapons. Bolton told The Daily Telegraph in Britain that the
European Union needed to "get more serious” about Iran and recognize that its diplomatic efforts to halt Iran’s nuclear program have failed.
Iran has "mastered the enrichment technology now,” he said. "They’re not stopping, they’re making progress and our time is limited.”
He called for painful economic sanctions on Iran, followed by attempts to overthrow the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad regime, and ultimately, military action to destroy Iran’s nuclear sites.
"It’s been conclusively proven Iran is not going to be talked about of its nuclear program,” Bolton told The Telegraph.
"So to stop them from doing it, we have to massively increase the pressure. If the choice is between a nuclear-capable Iran and the use of force, then I think we need to look at the use of force.
President Bush has referred to Ahmadinejad as a 21st Century Adolf Hitler. Bolton struck a similar theme:
"If the choice is them continuing [toward developing a bomb] or the use of force, I think you’re at a Hitler marching into the Rhineland point. If you don’t stop it then, the future is in his hands.”
Bolton acknowledged that military action could impact oil prices and might not succeed, but he added that the risks of using force would be less than the risk of a nuclear Iran.
"Imagine what it would be like with a nuclear Iran,” he said. "Imagine the influence Iran could have over the entire region.”
