| Talkback | |
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Title: | Opening gambit | |||
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| Name: | Samar | | |||
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| This is Gates opening gambit in the forthcoming negotiations with Iran. The new administration has no intention of going to war with Iraq. Gates does not only agree with this stance, he is one of its proponents. From Robert Gates confirmation hearing GATES: Senator Byrd, I think that military action against Iran would be an absolute last resort, that any problems that we have with Iran, our first option should be diplomacy and working with our allies to try and deal with the problems that Iran is posing to us.I think that we have seen, in Iraq, that once war is unleashed, it becomes unpredictable. And I think that the consequences of a military conflict with Iran could be quite dramatic. and therefore, I would counsel against military action except as a last resort and if we felt our vital interests were threatened. Senator Graham:: Do you believe the Iranians are trying to acquire lethal weapons capability? GATES: Yes, sir, I do. GRAHAM: Do you think the president of Iran is lying when he says he`s not? GATES: Yes, sir. GRAHAM: Do you believe the Iranians would consider using that nuclear weapons capability against the nation of Israel? GATES: I don`t know that they would do that, Senator. I think that the risks for them, obviously, are enormously high. I think that they see value …………….. And I think that, while they are certainly pressing, in my opinion, for nuclear capability, I think that they would see it in the first instance as a deterrent. |
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