(New York Times) David E. Sanger - The Bush administration says the prospect of Iran's obtaining a nuclear weapon is "intolerable," yet President Bush has said almost nothing about the possibility of resorting to military action in Iran. Pentagon war planners say there are no good options for Mr. Bush - or for Israel. Almost unanimously, Pentagon analysts say there are no effective military ways to wipe out a nuclear program that has been well hidden and broadly dispersed across the country, including in crowded cities. Iran admitted to inspectors last year that it had hidden critical aspects of its civilian program for 18 years, and even today there are questions about whether all of its nuclear-related sites are known. A senior European official said the Iranians boasted that any military action would be futile because "they can rebuild the facilities in six months," using indigenous technology.
2004-12-13 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive