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Last update - 18:09 07/09/2008
Peres warns Olmert: Attack on Iran could spark wide-scale war
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Iran, Sunday Times, Israel 

President Shimon Peres has warned Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that a military attack on Iranian nuclear facilities is likely to trigger a wide-scale confrontation, A British newspaper reported Sunday.

Peres is the first senior politician to warn the prime minister against an Israeli attack on Iran, with other politicians threatening an air attack if Tehran does not abandon uranium enrichment in what the West believes is a quest to develop nuclear weapons.

"The military path will not solve the problem," Peres said in an interview with Britain's Sunday Times. "Such an attack can trigger a bigger war."
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Peres said he prefers the civilian path, adding that he has voiced this sentiment directly to Olmert. However, he declined to reveal what the prime minister had said in response.

Peres, a firm believer in international cooperation, added that Israel requires the cooperation of more nations in order to stop Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The danger is not a nuclear Iran, Peres continued, but rather nuclear weapons in the hands of dangerous leaders like the Iranian president.

"If Switzerland announces tomorrow that it has nuclear weapons, would anyone worry?" said Peres.

"I recently told [Russian Prime Minister Vladimir] Putin that the Marxists say that religion is the opium of the masses. I say religion is the opium of leaders like Ahmadinejad," he added.

Peres said a serious attempt to cut the price of oil would help reduce Iran's ambitions to a more realistic level.

"The world has no choice - if nuclear weapons reach the hands of
terrorists, it will be impossible to rule the world," he said.

In the interview, Peres also criticized American foreign policy, saying it relied too heavily on military strength in its attempts to bring democracy to the Middle East.

Peres said it would be wiser to use economic strength, saying, "If you suggest elections to the Saudis or to King Abdullah of Jordan they will refuse, as they regard democracy as a new religion and they want to remain Muslims. But if American businessmen offer high-tech companies, they would be most welcome."


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      1.   Peres and Iran 18:40  |  Garry 07/09/08
      2.   The Truth 18:42  |  US First 07/09/08
      3.   just DOING OR GETTING ATTACK, SIRIOUSLY!!! 18:48  |  Ron Schmidt 07/09/08
      4.   A NEW ONE FROM PERES 19:01  |  indrajaya 07/09/08
      5.   A sane voice. Too bad he is not PM 19:02  |  Magnus K. 07/09/08
      6.   Israel is as meek and mild and peaceful as Switzerland 19:09  |  Clickfool 07/09/08
      7.   More propaganda from Peres 19:13  |  Clickfool 07/09/08
      8.   Religion is opium for the masses? 19:22  |  Lou Medel 07/09/08
      9.   is the guy serious...? 19:25  |  ravi 07/09/08
      10.   US First 19:39  |  rich 07/09/08
      11.   Wishful Thinking! 19:40  |  Yuri 07/09/08
      12.   Peres 19:47  |  Brod 07/09/08
      13.   Peres` Warning 19:48  |  Millicent 07/09/08
      14.   Same warning from Perses- Different Day 20:04  |  Arie 07/09/08
      15.   clickfool on propaganda 20:06  |  Arie 07/09/08
      16.   Clickfool 20:06  |  Miransky 07/09/08
      17.   Thanks for being such an insightful teacher! 20:07  |  Vladimir Putin 07/09/08
      18.   The guy was against hitting Iraq too 20:18  |  It`s ideology Peres 07/09/08
      19.   Expected lame-duck comment from Labour idol 20:21  |  Putin for Israel P.M 07/09/08
      20.   With or Without High Tech Companies,Fatah and Hamas Are The Same 21:00  |  Joseph.E 07/09/08
      21.   Like Chameberlin he thinks we can negotiate with the "hitlers" of 21:07  |  Dah8 07/09/08
      22.   Gary, You`re Wrong. 21:10  |  Reader 07/09/08
      23.   Peres - Almost Always Wrong 21:13  |  Tod Zuckerman 07/09/08
      24.   Win The War! You Are Losing The Peace! 21:48  |  UsedToPostHere 07/09/08
      25.   For Miransky # 16 22:23  |  Clickfool 07/09/08
      26.   Peres says what no elected politician dares 22:24  |  Marty Green 07/09/08
      27.   No pain, no gain 22:35  |  Natallie Durson 07/09/08
      28.   Psycho-right beyond reason 22:37  |  Mark Lincoln 07/09/08
      29.   # 7 or any numbers Clickfool 22:40  |  THE TEACHER 07/09/08
      30.   # 7 or any numbers. Clickfool 23:07  |  THE TEACHER/INSTRUCT 07/09/08
      31.   Iran already launched a wide-scale war 23:16  |  Gili 07/09/08
      32.   No FOOL like an old FOOL 23:39  |  Branson 07/09/08
      33.   # 21 Dah8 23:48  |  Joseph.E 07/09/08
      34.   For Teacher/Instruct # 30 00:14  |  Clickfool 08/09/08
      35.   Israel wants to "rule" the world. 00:14  |  mike 08/09/08
      36.   peres the politician 00:39  |  ron 08/09/08
      37.   more sage advice from peres! 00:47  |  Mark 08/09/08
      38.   U.S. from North and Israel from South strike Iran 01:29  |  Nick Potzayid 08/09/08
      39.   WHAT A LOAD OF PROPAGANDA 02:35  |  VIPER 08/09/08
      40.   Whisteling in the dark. 02:44  |  Stephen 08/09/08
      41.   Peres on Iran 03:39  |  American 08/09/08
      42.   Peres the Fool and Balls of Fire 04:54  |  jakob 08/09/08
      43.   Peres the Fool and Balls of Fire 04:54  |  jakob 08/09/08
      44.   # 38 to nixed in montreal re: strategy 05:35  |  eric 08/09/08
      45.   He is smartest and most objective politician in Israel 06:17  |  someone 08/09/08
      46.   Get Used To It, Its A Matter Of Time 07:00  |  Si 08/09/08
      47.   is Peres or Olmert more rational? 12:03  |  dani.a 08/09/08
      48.   Russia has already warned 12:41  |  1984 08/09/08
      49.   War of words 12:54  |  N. Arfan 08/09/08
      50.   clickfool 18:15  |  Mike 08/09/08
      51.   rule the world 18:21  |  ? 08/09/08
      52.   wiseman 19:57  |  reza 08/09/08
      53.   no time for wimps 20:14  |  frenz 08/09/08
      54.   Peres about Iran 20:28  |  Peter A. Schenk 08/09/08
      55.   Re #21 Dah8 07:02  |  Veracity 09/09/08
      56.   #55, Veracity... 17:57  |  Silvienne 09/09/08
      57.   That`s unbelievable! 11:22  |  Mahdi 10/09/08
      58.   "The Lord my God will show me the path of life;in His presence is 18:39  |  glenna 10/09/08
      59.   Peres warns Olmert 15:05  |  Monkel Biealanski 11/09/08
      60.   "Impossible to rule the world" 16:58  |  Jake 11/09/08
      61.   "...rule the world" 19:56  |  American Guy 11/09/08
      62.   Son Peres 21:31  |  Azindow Blah 11/09/08
      63.   Peres is Right 03:05  |  James Jones 13/09/08
      64.   its safer to let tIran get nukes they will use on Israel 04:13  |  Avi 17/09/08
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