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Ex-CIA chief: Strike on Iran seems more likely now

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Pretty soon they'll just have Syria, Hezbollah, Palestine, Venezuela, and the radical left standing with them.

I thought the radical left doesn't want nuke technologies full-stop?! In fact lefties here in Australia are vehemently resistant to US plans of sending nuke wastes in the outback. Perhaps you're confused LOL

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It's encouraging to see Iran have fewer and fewer supporters as they get closer and closer to having a nuke. Pretty soon they'll just have Syria, Hezbollah, Palestine, Venezuela, and the radical left standing with them.

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If it came to blows the U.S would hit from two fronts on land and pound away from the Persian Gulf. Air and sea superiority would be acheived in days and the Iranian ground military would be a nonissue soon after. I doubt it will come to this but if it does I sincerly hope we will just trash and dash like we should have done in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thanks for reassuring us... if the United States will launch an attack on Iranian soil tomorrow it'll be a straightforward shock and awe... and US will win. Yay!

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I just can't see a strike. Mr Obama is focused on fighting Arizona.

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While there is a possibility that this might be more efficient than fighting separate conflicts, experience up to now has not been happy.

If these protracted engaugements have taught us anything it's that the U.S is fantastic at breaking things but not so good at putting them back together. If it came to blows the U.S would hit from two fronts on land and pound away from the Persian Gulf. Air and sea superiority would be acheived in days and the Iranian ground military would be a nonissue soon after. I doubt it will come to this but if it does I sincerly hope we will just trash and dash like we should have done in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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Zenny11

Starting to wonder will the USA be the cause of WWIII?

They seem to be stepping on a lot of toes over the last few years.

I have wondered about this as well...

@Sarge.."How could military action against Iran be more likely now, with Obama as president, than when Bush was president"?

And just how is Obama different or better than Bush? Obama doesn't give a care if we go to war, if we create worldwar 3.."we" meaning the American govt. Have you really seen Obama trying to keep peace?

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How could military action against Iran be more likely now, with Obama as president, than when Bush was president?

Ho hoho, is the pope Catholic?!

I can imagine a few leeches now lining up in Washington over this latest warning from Mr HAYDEN... Just watch :)

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I don't think Russia and China are getting tired of Iran. I think they're getting tired of the pressure from the United States with respect to Iran.

Yep, you summed it right-- I think when it comes to Iran, you really can't ignore US pressure. The Russians had been on board for quite sometimes, and I suspect the Chinese just giddily went with it.

Sadly those advocating for diplomatic solutions had been back-stabbed-- there will be war-- and the consequences you have pretty much outlined are destined to be overlooked.

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How could military action against Iran be more likely now, with Obama as president, than when Bush was president?

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Wishful thinking.

Maybe Michael Hayden advised Bush to invade another Middle-Eastern country.

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TheQuestion: A lot more would have to go down than just killing off Iran. Nobody really cares what happens to them anyway. Even Russia and China are getting tired of it.

I don't think Russia and China are getting tired of Iran. I think they're getting tired of the pressure from the United States with respect to Iran.

I also doubt that the US can "kill off" Iran. The US can certainly bomb suspected nuclear facilities and set Iran back a number of years. Alternatively the US can remove the current Iranian government and install a new one (again), but if it tries to do that through occupation it will have opened a front from Afghanistan to Iraq. While there is a possibility that this might be more efficient than fighting separate conflicts, experience up to now has not been happy.

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Not true. Have done that. Do not mix politicians with just regular people

I gotta see that, next time pls make video.

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Yep, mayhap you're right. I have to admit, I wouldn't like to try that one bit. The same can be said about many cities in the world though, and many inner cities as well.

I've never been to Shinjuku and Roppongi at night. I think I'll pass now.

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Starting to wonder will the USA be the cause of WWIII?

A lot more would have to go down than just killing off Iran. Nobody really cares what happens to them anyway. Even Russia and China are getting tired of it.

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I can only imagine if you are white, male and you take a stroll though Tehran- I highly doubt you will make it to the other side of the city

Not true. Have done that. Do not mix politicians with just regular people.

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I just wonder how US would declare war with Iran and with what money. This will not happen.

Through premium bonds...

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Michael Hayden, a CIA chief under President George W Bush, says that during his tenure a strike was “way down the list” of options. But he tells CNN’s “State of the Union” that such action now “seems inexorable.” He predicts Iran will build its program to the point where it’s just below having an actual weapon. Hayden says that would be as destabilizing to the region as the real thing.

Aust'l, the Philippines, Vietnam and other regional countries have intended to revive nuclear programs to the point 'where it's just below having an actual weapon'... will Michael Hayden also condemn these Asian countries?

You could starve and shut down that country without sending a missile or drone if you cut a deal with China.

No need for China-- I believe the Americans are now working with Russians. For now, to hell with Georgia...

Iran gets sanctions and is threatened with nuclear attack, while Israel, who hasn't even signed the NPT and does not allow inspections, gets massive foreign aid. Iran hasn't attacked anyone in ages, while Israel regularly commits war crimes.

Iranians had been reportedly waging war via Hezbollah-- it was Syria before of course.

When was the last time the Israelis committed war crime? I'm aghast as to why you'd say something like that sabi?!

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thx for link.

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BTW, for those who, like me, enjoy seeing the real thing, here is the URL for the interview:

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/node/38590

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No worries.... However from 1997-2007, 20 US military personnel and Japanese have been stabbed by either knife or broken bottle by Iranians in Shinjuku and Roppongi. Source: US Embassy Tokyo, Japan. I can only imagine if you are white, male and you take a stroll though Tehran- I highly doubt you will make it to the other side of the city. Wear an American or Canadian flag T-shirt or Yankee cap would make it a quicker death.

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my2sense, my cousin was stabbed and killed by someone in his home in Canada. Should I just generalize and condemn all Canadians for the act of one loony? I am not trying to trivialize what you have gone through but, one man's actions do not make the whole of a country "violent and aggressive".

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As a guy who was stabbed by an Iranian (I was in a wheelchair for a bit), I still think this lot can be sorted by other means. Definitely the most violent and aggressive people I have ever dealt with and that Prez they have is a sociopath. Nixon and Co. sold them F-14s in the 70s and now we deliberately hold the parts. You could starve and shut down that country without sending a missile or drone if you cut a deal with China. I still predict a war with them at sometime. As they burn the US flag in the middle of Tehran jumping up and down with Levis and Nikeson... They upload it to the net with Windows XP drinking a Coke- oh wait they boycotted that a few weeks ago....

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Sure thing adaydream, Cheers.

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Iran is doing no different then Pakistan, India and Israel.

No, Iran is ACCUSED (without evidence) of doing no different then Pakistan, India and Israel.

Iran gets sanctions and is threatened with nuclear attack, while Israel, who hasn't even signed the NPT and does not allow inspections, gets massive foreign aid.

Iran hasn't attacked anyone in ages, while Israel regularly commits war crimes.

Its high time for a cleanup in the US government (and all other western ones). Time for real change.

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PeaceWarrior, Thanks for your explanation, my misunderstanding. Have a great evening. < :-)

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adaydream,

I was talking about the crippling sanctions that were imposed on Iraq and that provoked malnutrition and the death of hundreds of thousands of children. The same thing is happening to Iran. The EU announced some of the toughest sanctions ever today and I saw something in the G and M about Canada doing the same. It's the same process, basically.

You will not have a single protest from me about Iraq not having WMDs and I definitely still think that a country that signs the NPT should be allowed to develop a nuclear program. There are many safeguards in place (Blix's team is one example, although it didn't amount to anything in Iraq's case).

The countries that really scare me are the ones that don't sign the NPT. Nothing stops them from developing weapons.

And I don't want anyone to have nuclear weapons. The technology should be used for peace (I know, I know, be realistic PW).

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I just wonder how US would declare war with Iran and with what money. This will not happen.

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PeaceWarrior

That's how it was done with Iraq and it is part of the war effort.

Wrong. There was proof positive that Iraq didn't have any WMD that george bush accused Iraq for having.

Iran is doing no different then Pakistan, India and Israel. They are going ahead with their nuclear program. We didn't stop them.

I don't want Iran to have nukes. Do we go to war to stop them? Seems kinds drastic. < :-)

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A Bush-ite appointee trying to advocate for war. Color me surprised.

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These are the words of an ex-CIA chief not the President. So don't get your panties in a knot yet. It's still pretty hypothetical.

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Starting to wonder will the USA be the cause of WWIII?

They seem to be stepping on a lot of toes over the last few years.

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Just what the world needs, another religious war, only this time over nukes. Or possibly, using nukes.

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Its proxies have.

And who might these proxies be?

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With all the crippling sanctions Iran is being hit with, it's only a matter of time before the shooting starts. That's how it was done with Iraq and it is part of the war effort. One has to wonder about Russia and China's reactions to a shooting war though.

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MistWizard - And try to remember: Iran has not attacked anyone in a long time.

Its proxies have.

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If it happens, some people will complain that we waited long enough for Iran to give us a reason, and say "See I was right!" But since Iran has not attacked anyone in the time they were given to clean up their act, they would still be wrong.

Still, its not so easy to blithely say Iran has no right to do certain things, not unless you are just a blithe person (many here are). If you look at a map (many here don't) you can see that Iran is a really tough postition, wedged between nuclear Pakistan and not so far off Russia, and also between two U.S. occupied contries in conflict, Afghanistan and Iraq, yet no formal diplomacy with the U.S. who keeps talking about bombing them. In that situation, no one here would sit there and wave with a stupid grin on their face, but that seems to be what many expect from Iran.

We need to open up diplomatic relations with Iran and give them guarantees about their security. We cannot expect them to assume good intentions. They won't, and it is natural that they would want people to at least think they had nuclear capability.

And try to remember: Iran has not attacked anyone in a long time.

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They should help Israel do it. They have experience and it's more important to their survival.

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