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U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney (AP)
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Cheney: U.S. and its allies won't let Iran have a nuclear weapon
By News Agencies

The United States and other nations will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday."

"Our country, and the entire international community, cannot stand by as a terror-supporting state fulfills its grandest ambitions," Cheney said in a speech to the Washington Institute for Near East Studies.

He said Iran's efforts to pursue technology that would allow it to build a nuclear weapon are obvious and that the regime continues to practice delay and deceit in an obvious effort to buy time.
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"If Iran continues on its current course," Cheney said the U.S. and other
nations are prepared to take action." The vice president made no specific reference to military action.

"We will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon, he said."

Cheney's words seemed to only escalate the U.S. rhetoric against Iran over the past several days, including President George W. Bush's warning that a nuclear Iran could lead to World War III.

The vice president accused Tehran of practicing "delay and deception" regarding its nuclear program and warned of consequences if it did not comply with the West's demands that it halt sensitive nuclear work.

He also said the ultimate goal of the Iranian leadership is to establish itself as the hegemonic force in the Middle East and undermine Iraq as a rival for influence in the Muslim world.

"Iran's government seeks to keep Iraq in a state of weakness to ensure Baghdad does not pose a threat to Tehran," Cheney said.

While he was critical of the Iranian government and President Mahmoud
Ahmedinejad, he offered praise and words of solidarity to the Iranian people.

"Iran is a place of unlimited potential ... and it has the right to be free of tyranny," Cheney said.

Cheney accused of Iran of having a direct role in the deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq and said the government has solidified its grip on the country since coming to power in the 1979 Islamic revolution that overthrew the shah.

The U.S. and some allies accuse Iran of secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons and have demanded it halt uranium enrichment, an important step in the production of atomic weapons. Oil-rich Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes including generating electricity.

At a news conference last week, Bush suggested that if Iran obtained nuclear weapons, it could lead to a new world war.

"I've told people that if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them (Iran) from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon," Bush said.

Bush's spokeswoman later said the president was making not making any war
plans but rather a rhetorical point.

Also, on Thursday, the top officer in the U.S. military said the U.S. has the resources to attack Iran if needed despite the strains of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Navy Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said
striking Iran is a last resort, and the focus now is on diplomacy to stem
Iran's nuclear ambitions, but there is more than enough reserve to respond militarily if need be.

The Bush administration's intentions toward Iran have been the subject of
debate in Congress.

Last month the Senate approved a resolution urging the State Department to label Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization.

Sen. Jim Webb, a Virginia Democrat, said he feared the measure could be
interpreted as authorizing a military strike in Iran, calling it Cheney's
fondest pipe dream.

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      1.   Israel too 20:36  |  Jonathan S 21/10/07
      2.   We must make war on "obstacles to peace" 20:54  |  Natallie Durson 21/10/07
      3.   Cheney is on the way out 21:27  |  Lori Cowen 21/10/07
      4.   Well said, Mr Cheney but actions speak louder than words 21:38  |  Briton 21/10/07
      5.   An A bomb in A`s hands is like one in Bin Ladin`s 21:56  |  Rob 21/10/07
      6.   Darth Vader Speaketh !! 22:08  |  joebhed 21/10/07
      7.   2Lori Cowen Your 2 irrelevant points: Talk is re Future, 22:11  |  Rob 21/10/07
      8.   They don`t get it 22:13  |  Nikolai D. 21/10/07
      9.   Get ready, US Securities and Exchange Commission 22:29  |  Clickfool 21/10/07
      10.   Bush and Cheney playing to the Israel Lobby 22:36  |  Tosefta 21/10/07
      11.   What international is he talking about? 22:38  |  Moise 21/10/07
      12.   How to drag a reluctant nation into war against Iran 22:42  |  Clickfool 21/10/07
      13.   Let`s face it: President Cheney 23:18  |  IsraBlof 21/10/07
      14.   Cheney speaks truth, but Hilary will have to act 23:20  |  Voice of Reason 21/10/07
      15.   No more war for Israel 23:25  |  Patrick 21/10/07
      16.   If one war fails ... 23:29  |  Axel 21/10/07
      17.   Cheney, the face of evil. 23:37  |  Michael 21/10/07
      18.   More on the Israel Lobby pushing for war on Iran (re #9) 23:41  |  Tosefta 21/10/07
      19.   #3 SADLY, I think there will be actions 23:45  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 21/10/07
      20.   Which U.S. allies ? 23:50  |  christa 21/10/07
      21.   Cheney/Bush the boy`s who cried Wolf 23:57  |  Rammi Abraham 21/10/07
      22.   An old pattern of behavior 23:59  |  Mark Lincoln 21/10/07
      23.   killer cheney 00:11  |  mmohammad 22/10/07
      24.   just change olmert before such a war 00:13  |  michel 22/10/07
      25.   Kudos to clickfool. You are finally facing reality. 00:16  |  Ahmend Nujjoy 22/10/07
      26.   Look who`s talking! 00:26  |  Westwell 22/10/07
      27.   Our country, and the entire international community, 00:51  |  Oetis 22/10/07
      28.   #6, Joebhed...Darth Vader... 01:02  |  Silvienne 22/10/07
      29.   To Mark Lincoln #22 01:12  |  Oetis 22/10/07
      30.   This man and his cohorts are evil! But they are not stupid,and 01:16  |  lakshmi 22/10/07
      31.   #17 Yes Michael, Cheney is the face of evil! 01:17  |  Maureen Ann 22/10/07
      32.   #22 Mark lincoln 01:20  |  Labhras 22/10/07
      33.   Dont do it Dicky, you will find yourself alone, again!! 01:40  |  Moise 22/10/07
      34.   Russia + China will stop the US 01:44  |  Paul 22/10/07
      35.   #2 Natallie Durson 01:47  |  Q 22/10/07
      36.   Mmohammad - Why so nervous if this is no probs for iran? 01:50  |  Johnny 22/10/07
      37.   #22 mark 01:51  |  q 22/10/07
      38.   Natallie, why are you so nervous then? 01:53  |  Johnny 22/10/07
      39.   He told them what they had paid for... 01:55  |  ManInTheMiddle 22/10/07
      40.   This is their own dream Tosefta 01:58  |  Mark Lincoln 22/10/07
      41.   # 20 Christa - the other side of Monaco 01:58  |  17 22/10/07
      42.   Advice to C/FOOL - Short the Market! and British too... 02:01  |  17 22/10/07
      43.   Cheney`s Rhetoric Concerning Iran 02:03  |  Gary 22/10/07
      44.   Rob # 5 and 7 02:12  |  joebhed 22/10/07
      45.   Persian rugs are a wise investment! 02:14  |  Murray of Montreal 22/10/07
      46.   more lies 02:20  |  edgar 22/10/07
      47.   to Rammi Abraham 02:22  |  edgar 22/10/07
      48.   The Sum Of All Fears..... 02:26  |  Jean La Feet 22/10/07
      49.   World conomy will be in ruins 03:06  |  Harold 22/10/07
      50.   Correction TO haaretz 03:41  |  John 22/10/07
      51.   #19 Jon the warrior 03:49  |  American 22/10/07
      52.   Bin Laden 04:15  |  Thomas 22/10/07
      53.   The knowledge 04:38  |  Mark Lincoln 22/10/07
      54.   One worse scenario 04:40  |  Ricardo 22/10/07
      55.   Oeitis, no, you are wrong 04:41  |  Mark Lincoln 22/10/07
      56.   Lahabras - of course they have 04:44  |  Mark Lincoln 22/10/07
      57.   "q" from Mythica, NY 04:49  |  Mark Lincoln 22/10/07
      58.   CFOOL A better suggestion.Iran observe its signed obligations 04:51  |  PETER S.M. 22/10/07
      59.   When I was young 04:53  |  Mark Lincoln 22/10/07
      60.   to Harold 04:58  |  edgar 22/10/07
      61.   44joebhed Fanatic Iran or Fanatic Bin Ladin, No A bomb please! 06:52  |  Rob 22/10/07
      62.   22Mark Lincoln: Sorry, Somewhat wrong WWII history 07:20  |  Rob 22/10/07
      63.   60Edgar, how is your own economy doing? 07:26  |  Rob 22/10/07
      64.   62 No, Mark is pretty spot-on with his history, Rob 10:18  |  Johnboy 22/10/07
      65.   to Rob 14:26  |  pearl harbor 22/10/07
      66.   Big picture is oil, power, new world order... 17:29  |  Mexican American 22/10/07
      67.   Rob, good question.... 18:16  |  joebhed 22/10/07
      68.   PETER, excuse the interruption 18:29  |  joebhed 22/10/07
      69.   The Arkansas virgin 23:02  |  Goldberg 22/10/07
      70.   #31, Maureen Ann is right about Cheney... 02:12  |  Silvienne 23/10/07
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