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U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, gesturing during a news conference in Bogota on March 5.
 (Reuters)
Last update - 11:03 16/03/2009
Pentagon chief: Israeli attack on Iran would endanger Mideast
By Amir Oren
Tags: nuclear weapons, israel news 

On the eve of Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi's visit to the United States for talks on Iran's nuclear program, his American counterpart, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen, warned last Thursday that an Israeli attack on Iran might lead to escalation, undermine the region's stability and endanger the lives of Americans in the Persian Gulf "who are under the threat envelope right now."

Asked by interviewer Charlie Rose of PBS television what would happen if Israel attacked Iran, Mullen, referring to the frequent statement that "all options are on the table," said such an "option generates a much higher level of risk in terms of outcomes in the region and it really concerns me."

However, he also expressed concern about Iran acquiring nuclear capabilities, saying it would "be very destabilizing" to the region because "their neighbors are extremely concerned about it. I worry about the proliferation which would occur."
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"If other parts of the world are an example, neighborhoods, when they get one, they start to proliferate," he explained. "So it really ... dramatically increases the danger in the region."

Mullen commented favorably on President Barack Obama's plan to begin a dialogue with Iran, but said that if this dialogue fails and Iran acquires nuclear weapons, the U.S. might take military action. Though America's ground forces are "stretched" in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. has a "very strong" strategic reserve in the air force and the navy, he noted.

Mullen said that he and Ashkenazi are "by and large" in agreement on Iran's progress toward obtaining nuclear weapons - namely, that it will not happen before 2010 - and that any discrepancies between the Israeli and American estimates are insignificant. He said the two men have been in agreement on this issue for the "better part of the last six months or so. There was a time that we weren't, but we've actually worked pretty hard to understand where we both are and so I think generally, we're in agreement."

Mullen, who maintains close contact with Ashkenazi, will be away from Washington during the chief of staff's visit there. Instead, Ashkenazi will meet with Mullen's deputy, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James Cartwright, as well as National Security Advisor Gen. James Jones, Director of National Intelligence Adm. Dennis Blair and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's special adviser for the Gulf and Southwest Asia, Dennis Ross. Before going to Washington, he held several meetings in New York last week, including one with United Nations envoy to Lebanon Terje Larsen on arms smuggling to Hezbollah.

Mullen also told PBS that he and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates do not disagree about Iran's nuclear project. A comment Mullen made recently to CNN created the impression that he believes Iran has sufficient uranium to produce its first bomb, whereas Gates has repeatedly declared that Iran is still far from this. But Mullen explained that his answer related to the question of whether Iran has enough low-enriched uranium, not enough of the high-enriched type needed to make a bomb.

"In terms of the timeline, you know, I'm in agreement with both Blair and the secretary of defense that the timeline hasn't changed ... 2010 to 2015 is kind of the timeline that's out there" for when Iran will be able to produce a nuclear weapon.

"I fundamentally believe that the Iranians are on a path to do that," he added. "I've had that belief for some time. And I think they will continue to move in that direction. That's about the timeline that we're in right now. And almost halfway through 2009, 2010 isn't very far away."

Also last week, the head of the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt. Gen. Michael Maples, described Hezbollah as a "strategic partner" of Iran. In testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Maples said that the entire U.S. intelligence community believes Iran is "keeping open" the option of developing a nuclear weapon.

Damascus, Maples added, sees Hezbollah as part of Syria's defense in the event of renewed conflict with Israel and is therefore giving Hezbollah substantial aid, including antitank weapons. However, he said, the alliance between secular Syria and religious Iran is not a natural one, and might well become looser if Syria achieves significant gains in a peace deal with Israel.

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      1.   Mullen`s Crap 02:43  |  Brod 16/03/09
      2.   brod 03:33  |  potobac 16/03/09
      3.   Brod - Not All Bush Appointees were Idiots 03:41  |  Mark of Lewiston 16/03/09
      4.   And Iran with nukes will bring stability and safety? 04:15  |  ME 16/03/09
      5.   Iran right to nuclear technology 05:41  |  Mad Iranian 16/03/09
      6.   to Mad Iranian 06:31  |  James 16/03/09
      7.   Mullen and the "region" 06:56  |  DT 16/03/09
      8.   Pure FABRICATION 07:02  |  Candida 16/03/09
      9.   Its not a question of waiting, its a question of when. 07:07  |  Stephen. 16/03/09
      10.   Iran wants to destroy Israel for several reasons : 07:09  |  Jean Van Daem 16/03/09
      11.   4 ME - We have a Full Plate 07:54  |  Mark of Lewiston 16/03/09
      12.   All about Precious Oil 07:58  |  Baruch Gold 16/03/09
      13.   to pentagon chief 08:38  |  john 16/03/09
      14.   NO MATTER WHAT 09:20  |  indrajaya 16/03/09
      15.   Michael Mullen 09:25  |  Albrecht Klein 16/03/09
      16.   #9 Stephen; does everyone agree? 09:36  |  Elina 16/03/09
      17.   endanger Mideast 09:45  |  Ralph 16/03/09
      18.   MAD IRANIAN The IAEA said Iran is NOT allowing full inspection 09:46  |  PETER SM 16/03/09
      19.   I dont care how it affects any of the arab states 10:03  |  zionist forever 16/03/09
      20.   5 11:13  |  zionist forever 16/03/09
      21.   Mullen said no such thing. 11:13  |  Michael A. Shoemaker 16/03/09
      22.   No war on Iran for Israel. 11:13  |  Michael 16/03/09
      23.   What are the alternatives? 11:19  |  Albrecht Klein 16/03/09
      24.   #9, Stephen 11:25  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/03/09
      25.   #12 Baruch Gold. "Precious oil" and natural gas in Iran! 12:42  |  Maureen Ann 16/03/09
      26.   USA using CNN to change public opinion on Israel 14:14  |  Bruce Rubin 16/03/09
      27.   Who? Whom? 14:16  |  Ben 16/03/09
      28.   Ben #27 14:54  |  Brod 16/03/09
      29.   #26 Bruce 15:00  |  John Allen 16/03/09
      30.   US regime is pathetic 15:02  |  Philip 16/03/09
      31.   One Bomb on a Ship in the Mississippi River. 15:22  |  Richard Cranium 16/03/09
      32.   Bruce rabin # 26 CNN provides a great service to America i 15:30  |  American in NY 16/03/09
      33.   zionist forever # 20 you are correct. 15:33  |  American in NY 16/03/09
      34.   Elina Stephen is living in a fantasy world 15:58  |  American in NY 16/03/09
      35.   Isreali arrogance: of biblical proportion 16:05  |  London 16/03/09
      36.   Israel`s nukes allow others to have them. Period. 16:17  |  Lou Medel 16/03/09
      37.   #9 Stephen wishing for mass murder 16:18  |  dean 16/03/09
      38.   Ben Haifa 16:25  |  Pól 16/03/09
      39.   Bless you Mr. Mullen 16:28  |  dan 16/03/09
      40.   Deja Vu 16:47  |  Christopher 16/03/09
      41.   # 9 stephen 17:44  |  Axel 16/03/09
      42.   Israel attack on Iran would kill us all in Israel.. 17:57  |  Jake 16/03/09
      43.   Brod here is your response 18:21  |  Another Iranian 16/03/09
      44.   #22 US did not Fight Iraq for Israel but it did it because 18:39  |  baleg 16/03/09
      45.   #19 zionist forever, think smart 18:40  |  Mark B. 16/03/09
      46.   Who will bless Abraham? 18:41  |  Michael 16/03/09
      47.   #.41 axel. Cyber nanotechnology. 19:07  |  Stephen. 16/03/09
      48.   # 47 stephen 20:10  |  Axel 16/03/09
      49.   # 26 the CNN interview 20:49  |  David 16/03/09
      50.   pathetic 20:52  |  doug 16/03/09
      51.   #48. axel 21:09  |  Stephen. 16/03/09
      52.   Blowing Up the Middle East Would Endanger It? 21:18  |  UsedToPostHere 16/03/09
      53.   re:Mark B 21:20  |  UsedToPostHere 16/03/09
      54.   Question for Michael # 46 21:30  |  Clickfool 16/03/09
      55.   Here come the COWARDS in their flassy uniforms 21:40  |  MJ 16/03/09
      56.   #4 ME 02:00  |  Joan 17/03/09
      57.   #30 Philip 02:01  |  Michael 17/03/09
      58.   #26 02:11  |  Michael 17/03/09
      59.   MEDELL Those who are not bound by the NPT can have nukes 02:34  |  PETER SM 17/03/09
      60.   #1 Brod in USA 03:08  |  shoshanna 17/03/09
      61.   axel # 48 not to get to upset about 03:36  |  American in NY 17/03/09
      62.   # 52UsedToPostHere as long as it is there I would not mind eithe 03:39  |  American in NY 17/03/09
      63.   #59 Peter Are you suggesting that Iran void the NPT? 04:01  |  Lou Medel 17/03/09
      64.   Israel want to destroy Iran for several reason 04:02  |  Phadil 17/03/09
      65.   ANOTHER IRANIAN As soon as the Mullahs took over they started 04:26  |  PETER SM 17/03/09
      66.   #31 Richard Cranium 04:41  |  Gabriel 17/03/09
      67.   #9 Stephen 04:43  |  Gabriel 17/03/09
      68.   #54 Clickfool 04:52  |  Gabriel 17/03/09
      69.   re: Bruce Rubin 06:03  |  UsedToPostHere 17/03/09
      70.   Shoshanna #60 13:41  |  Brod 17/03/09
      71.   Answer to Clickfool #54 17:48  |  Michael 17/03/09
      72.   Clickfool (#54) Wants an Answer well her is one (Try, Try Again) 23:26  |  Gil 17/03/09
      73.   The US, Israel, and Iran 06:34  |  CSB 18/03/09
      74.   Answer for Michael # 71 09:43  |  Clickfool 18/03/09
      75.   Israel without the USA 11:47  |  flimflam 18/03/09
      76.   #59 Oh, the hypocrisy from PETER SM!!!! 12:30  |  Johnboy 18/03/09
      77.   re: Lou Medel 19:05  |  UsedToPostHere 18/03/09
      78.   #1.What Jew do you want to replaced by jidiot? 10:26  |  Moses 20/03/09
      79.   CNN 14:44  |  Articulate of Haifa 24/03/09
      80.   # 79 And include the BBC as well. 13:45  |  petra 03/05/09
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