Increasing Tension Over Iran’s Nuclear Development
Increasing tension over Iran's nuclear program has driven the Persian Gulf region into a state of crisis. Despite a UN Security Council deadline for Iran to halt its uranium enrichment by February 21, the Iranian government seems not likely to give up its nuclear ambitions. According to analysts, Washington has already shifted its worst scenario to include actual warfare.
British media has recently reported the possibility a military attack on Iran by Washington, and the US military force may be enhanced in the Gulf region sooner or later. Some American sources forecast that in the event Iran has not discarded its nuclear ambitions, Washington is likely to attack in April or May.
The BBC reported that even though the US has officially stressed that it does not have a plan to attack Iran, Washington has already developed a contingency plan to attack.
The station quoted an American military official saying, “High-ranking military officials in Florida have already designated some target facilities to be attacked in Iran as an alternative to diplomatic endeavors, and we are ready to launch attacks against Iranian military bases as well as Iranian nuclear facilities, as soon as we are issued an attack order.”
Meanwhile, President George W. Bush said, “I do not intend to attack Iran,” stressing, “But we will not stay away if Iran involves Iraq.” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates take a negative stance against attacking Iran. Some analysts say that it seems not clear that there is full support for any attack on Iran within the Bush administration.
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 / 입력시간: 2007. 02.22. 08:47
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