Obama. Diplomatic efforts
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Iranian nuclear facility (archives)
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Wall Street Journal: Israel may attack Iran
American daily's editorial warns President Obama he must curb Iranian nuclear program or deal with consequences of an Israeli military strike
WASHINGTON - The United States must curb the Iranian nuclear program or deal with the consequences of an Israeli military strike, the Wall Street Journal warned US President Barack on Monday.
In its editorial, the newspaper accused the Obama Administration of investing more diplomatic efforts during its first seven months diplomatic warning Israel not to strike than it has rallying the world to stop Iran.
According to the most important conservative newspaper in America, a military conflict with Iran would be inevitable, if the West failed to act quickly.
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"US and Israeli military officials we've spoken to are confident an Israeli strike could deal a significant blow to Iran's programs, even if some elements would survive," the newspaper said. "The longer Israel waits, however, the more steps Iran can take to protect its installations."
The editorial's writes claim that Tehran is identifying the international institutions' weakness. "The mullahs understand that the only real challenge to their nuclear ambitions is likely to come from Israel. They've long concluded that the UN is no threat, as IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei has in practice become an apologist for Iran's program.
"They can also see that the West lacks the will to do anything, as the Obama Administration continues to plead for Tehran to negotiate even as Iran holds show trials of opposition leaders and journalists for saying the recent reelection of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was fraudulent. The irony is that the weaker the West and UN appear, the more probable an Israeli attack becomes."
'Israeli attack dangerous to US'
The editorial was published after former US Vice President Richard Cheney revealed that he had supported taking military action against Iran's nuclear program but was overruled by President George W. Bush.
"I thought that negotiations could not possibly succeed unless the Iranians really believed we were prepared to use military force," Cheney said in an interview aired on "Fox News Sunday."
The American daily claims that "the consequences of an Israeli attack are impossible to predict, but there is no doubt they would implicate US interests throughout the Middle East. Short of an Islamist revolution in Pakistan, an Israeli strike on Iran would be the most dangerous foreign policy issue President Obama could face."
The Wall Street Journal concludes, "In recent days, the Administration has begun taking a harder line against Tehran… but unless Obama gets serious, and soon, about stopping Iran from getting a bomb, he'll be forced to deal with the consequences of Israel acting in its own defense."
The Associated Press contributed to this report
