Green Energy
International Business Times:
US rejects Netanyahu’s call to threaten Iran with 'military action'
By SreeRam Banda
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates rejected Israeli prime minister's call for a 'credible military threat' against Iran to ensure it does not obtain nuclear arsenal. However, he suggested that military action still remains an option.
The defense secretary, who is in Australia, told reporters on Monday that the United States disagrees that only a credible military threat can get Iran to take the actions it needs to end its nuclear weapons programme.
"We are prepared to do what is necessary but at this point we continue to believe that the political-economic approach that we taking is in fact having an impact in Iran," he said.
The response comes after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu urging U.S. Vice president Joe Biden to take a tougher line against Iran. Netanyahu, who is currently on a five-day visit to the U.S., stated that economic sanctions are not doing enough to curtail the Iranian nuclear programme.
"The only way to ensure Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons is by creating a credible threat of military action against it if it does not halt its race to acquire a nuclear bomb," Netanyahu reportedly told Biden in a private conversation.
Robert Gates, however, maintained the latest international sanctions are hitting Iran harder than that country's ruling regime had expected, and should be allowed more time.
United States and other western governments have said that Iran's uranium enrichment programme is aimed at building atomic weapons. Fresh United Nations and European Union sanctions banning investments in oil and gas and on financial transactions have been imposed against Tehran in recent months. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government, however, denied the accusations stating that the programme is to enable fuel production for nuclear power plants the country is building for civilian use.
Meanwhile, Iran has announced it will resume nuclear talks from November 10. The talks, which include Britain, China, France, Russia, Germany and the US, have been stalled since October 2009 when the two sides met in Geneva. Iranian authorities, however, urged EU to shift the site of the upcoming talks to Turkey rather than Vienna.
- World's Made More Dangerous With New Iran Deal
Obama keeps going by illusions that do nothing to end Iran's autocracy: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Barack Obama presented two starkly opposing views of the future following the announcement Tuesday of a nuclear deal with Iran,...
- Obama's Re-election More Important Than Israel's Security. Or Ours For That Matter
New York Post: US offered Israel advanced weaponry in exchange for delaying Iran attack: report WASHINGTON -- The US offered to give Israel advanced weaponry -- including bunker-busting bombs and refueling planes -- in exchange for Israel's agreement...
- "the" Meeting
JPOST VIENNA - Iran has tripled its monthly production of higher-grade enriched uranium and the UN nuclear watchdog has "serious concerns" about possible military dimensions to Tehran's atomic activities, the agency's chief said on Monday. Yukiya...
- Barack Obama Was The Kid Who Always Had A Kick Me Sign Taped To His Back. . .
tick tock etc etc etc Newsmax: U.S. Official: Iran Military Strike 'Off the Table' Wednesday, 21 Apr 2010 07:24 AM The U.S. has ruled out a military strike against Iran's nuclear program any time soon, hoping instead negotiations and United...
- The French Foreign Minister Seems To Know The Score
How often has it ever been said, in Conservative American circles, that a French politician is speaking sense? From AFP: French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner warned in comments published on Sunday that Israel would strike archfoe Iran before it...
Green Energy
International Business Times:
US rejects Netanyahu’s call to threaten Iran with 'military action'
By SreeRam Banda
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates rejected Israeli prime minister's call for a 'credible military threat' against Iran to ensure it does not obtain nuclear arsenal. However, he suggested that military action still remains an option.
The defense secretary, who is in Australia, told reporters on Monday that the United States disagrees that only a credible military threat can get Iran to take the actions it needs to end its nuclear weapons programme.
"We are prepared to do what is necessary but at this point we continue to believe that the political-economic approach that we taking is in fact having an impact in Iran," he said.
The response comes after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu urging U.S. Vice president Joe Biden to take a tougher line against Iran. Netanyahu, who is currently on a five-day visit to the U.S., stated that economic sanctions are not doing enough to curtail the Iranian nuclear programme.
"The only way to ensure Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons is by creating a credible threat of military action against it if it does not halt its race to acquire a nuclear bomb," Netanyahu reportedly told Biden in a private conversation.
Robert Gates, however, maintained the latest international sanctions are hitting Iran harder than that country's ruling regime had expected, and should be allowed more time.
United States and other western governments have said that Iran's uranium enrichment programme is aimed at building atomic weapons. Fresh United Nations and European Union sanctions banning investments in oil and gas and on financial transactions have been imposed against Tehran in recent months. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government, however, denied the accusations stating that the programme is to enable fuel production for nuclear power plants the country is building for civilian use.
Meanwhile, Iran has announced it will resume nuclear talks from November 10. The talks, which include Britain, China, France, Russia, Germany and the US, have been stalled since October 2009 when the two sides met in Geneva. Iranian authorities, however, urged EU to shift the site of the upcoming talks to Turkey rather than Vienna.
- World's Made More Dangerous With New Iran Deal
Obama keeps going by illusions that do nothing to end Iran's autocracy: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Barack Obama presented two starkly opposing views of the future following the announcement Tuesday of a nuclear deal with Iran,...
- Obama's Re-election More Important Than Israel's Security. Or Ours For That Matter
New York Post: US offered Israel advanced weaponry in exchange for delaying Iran attack: report WASHINGTON -- The US offered to give Israel advanced weaponry -- including bunker-busting bombs and refueling planes -- in exchange for Israel's agreement...
- "the" Meeting
JPOST VIENNA - Iran has tripled its monthly production of higher-grade enriched uranium and the UN nuclear watchdog has "serious concerns" about possible military dimensions to Tehran's atomic activities, the agency's chief said on Monday. Yukiya...
- Barack Obama Was The Kid Who Always Had A Kick Me Sign Taped To His Back. . .
tick tock etc etc etc Newsmax: U.S. Official: Iran Military Strike 'Off the Table' Wednesday, 21 Apr 2010 07:24 AM The U.S. has ruled out a military strike against Iran's nuclear program any time soon, hoping instead negotiations and United...
- The French Foreign Minister Seems To Know The Score
How often has it ever been said, in Conservative American circles, that a French politician is speaking sense? From AFP: French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner warned in comments published on Sunday that Israel would strike archfoe Iran before it...