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Last update - 19:48 02/07/2008
U.S. army chief: Israeli strike on Iran would destabilize Mideast
By News Agencies
Tags: Iran, Israel, U.S.

An Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities would be a high-risk
move that could destabilize the Middle East, the top U.S. military officer said Wednesday.

At a Defense Department news conference, Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, refused to say what Israeli leaders told him during meetings last week about any intentions to strike Iran.
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But asked whether he was concerned Israel would strike before the end of the year, he said: "This is a very unstable part of the world and I don't need it to be more unstable."

The U.S. military is severely strained already by wars on two fronts - the nearly seven-year-old campaign in Afghanistan and more than five years in Iraq.

"Opening up a third front right now would be extremely stressful on us," Mullen said.

The Bush administration and other world leaders allege Iran is seeking to produce nuclear weapons and Iran says its nuclear program is aimed only at generating electricity.

"I believe they're still on a path to get nuclear weapons and I think that's something that needs to be deterred," Mullen said, adding that it should be done through diplomatic, financial and economic actions by the U.S. and other nations.

But, he added, "I think that just about every move in that part of the world is a high-risk move."

In a news conference earlier in the day, President George W. Bush also was asked about increasing speculation that Israel will launch a military strike, saying that all options are on the table but that military action would not be his first choice.

"I have made it very clear to all parties that the first option ought to be solve this problem diplomatically," Bush said. "And the best way to solve it diplomatically is for the United States to work with other nations to send a focused message - and that is, you will be isolated, and you will have economic hardship, if you continue to enrich uranium for a bomb.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki described media speculation about a possible future military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities by Israel as "psychological warfare" and said neither Israel
nor the United States was in a position to launch a war.

Related articles:
  • State Dept. denies report Israel likely to attack Iran this year
  • Report: Iran willing to suspend nuclear program for at least six weeks
  • Israel's saber-rattling against Iran could backfire
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      1.   This was a message to Israel from US army cheif. 20:33  |  Persian Hero 02/07/08
      2.   Quite the opposite. It would a truly stabilizing force 20:35  |  Jeremy 02/07/08
      3.   Someone has sense 20:44  |  Dave Duncan 02/07/08
      4.   The U.S. will not let Israel attack Iran 20:46  |  Wendy 02/07/08
      5.   This man`s an idiot 21:01  |  Clickfool 02/07/08
      6.   #3 Wendy 21:08  |  Boycott 02/07/08
      7.   Israeli Jew: Nuclear Iran would be DEVASTATING to us! 21:12  |  klaus 02/07/08
      8.   to Wendy and Boycott 21:40  |  JTA 02/07/08
      9.   WHAT`S MORE, IRAN DOES NOT NOW HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAMME.. 21:42  |  Mohamed MALLECK 02/07/08
      10.   persian Zero 21:49  |  Absolute Israel 02/07/08
      11.   With reference to others who pointed it out to me 21:51  |  Mark B. 02/07/08
      12.   Nuclear Iran 21:51  |  Gregor 02/07/08
      13.   To Clickfool 22:08  |  Detroit 02/07/08
      14.   israeli strike on iran 22:15  |  dale 02/07/08
      15.   Admiral not in Army 22:19  |  Mark of Lewiston 02/07/08
      16.   nuclear deterrence 22:21  |  Tarek 02/07/08
      17.   The Middle East Has Had Too Much Stability 22:29  |  Josh 02/07/08
      18.   To Detroit # 13 23:07  |  Clickfool 02/07/08
      19.   Strike is a strike 23:29  |  David 02/07/08
      20.   # 16 Tarek -- Iran and most Muslims are even more peace-loving 23:41  |  Mohamed MALLECK 02/07/08
      21.   The White House Must Pause All Its Overt And Covert Operations 23:45  |  Joseph.E 02/07/08
      22.   Not One Drop of American Blood 23:47  |  Jack Olson 02/07/08
      23.   Yeah, like the U.S. strike on Japan destabilized the Far East 23:58  |  Nach 02/07/08
      24.   US strike will destroy the DOLLAR. Say byebye to usa economy 00:39  |  paul bernanke 03/07/08
      25.   Israel won`t wait for Iran nukes like Pentagon waited for 9-11 00:41  |  Dr. L. Brnd 03/07/08
      26.   #8 Say JTA 00:47  |  ballistic 03/07/08
      27.   #15 And????? 00:48  |  ballistic 03/07/08
      28.   Tarek 00:52  |  Brad 03/07/08
      29.   Duh, of course it will destabilize ME 01:02  |  Motke 03/07/08
      30.   13 Detroit,5 Clickfool is a fake post! 01:31  |  lakshmi 03/07/08
      31.   By The Time The West Wakes Up Against The Iran Bomb 01:33  |  Joseph.E 03/07/08
      32.   re Mark of Lewiston `Admiral not in army.` 01:49  |  Colin Wright 03/07/08
      33.   re Doctor L.Brnd #23 01:55  |  Colin Wright 03/07/08
      34.   25 Ballistic - And 02:48  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/07/08
      35.   30 Colin Wright - He Learned 02:50  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/07/08
      36.   Oh, and the Middle East is STABLE now ??? 06:40  |  Jew 03/07/08
      37.   When America leaves the ME and Iran has nukes 06:50  |  Dror 03/07/08
      38.   colin wright - STILL waiting for your ANSWER 06:59  |  CK Tan 03/07/08
      39.   #15 Mark of Lewiston 08:10  |  Jim 03/07/08
      40.   ****** US IS SCARED OF IRAN ****** 08:38  |  salim 03/07/08
      41.   chickfool 09:17  |  jhon 03/07/08
      42.   #7 klaus 09:23  |  Jim 03/07/08
      43.   We`re Screwed I Can`t Believe This! 09:38  |  Yosemite 03/07/08
      44.   Iran, the biggest danger to the Middle East and to the world. 09:40  |  Jean Van Daem 03/07/08
      45.   #9 Mohammed Malleck 10:00  |  Jim 03/07/08
      46.   Riiiight 10:04  |  Twilight 03/07/08
      47.   #10 Absolute Sweden 10:31  |  Jim 03/07/08
      48.   Dream on, Jean van Daem # 44 10:40  |  Clickfool 03/07/08
      49.   #40 salim 11:00  |  Jim 03/07/08
      50.   #46 Twilight 11:38  |  Jim 03/07/08
      51.   @25 Dr. L. Brnd 11:44  |  Mark B. 03/07/08
      52.   Since when admirals decide foreign policy in a democracy? 11:54  |  Absolute Sweden 03/07/08
      53.   #48 Clickfool 12:03  |  Jim 03/07/08
      54.   39 Jim - Just a Point of Clarification 12:03  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/07/08
      55.   49 Jim 12:08  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/07/08
      56.   43 Yosemite - Calm Down 12:18  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/07/08
      57.   I`m moving out of Israel! 12:57  |  Elijah Bloomgren 03/07/08
      58.   why no follow up #7 ??? 13:25  |  Rob of melbourne 03/07/08
      59.   Mullen can`t stand the heat 14:10  |  Brod 03/07/08
      60.   #57 - One very intelligent person 15:50  |  spyguy 03/07/08
      61.   Birth Pangs of a new ME 16:29  |  Goldman 03/07/08
      62.   HOW CAN THERE BE A STABLE MIDEAST WITH "HIS HAND AGAINST EVERY 19:43  |  glenna 03/07/08
      63.   #61 Just pointing out some flaws there, Goldman... 12:50  |  Johnboy 04/07/08
      64.   #37 Get a grip, Dror 13:47  |  Johnboy 04/07/08
      65.   brod 59 18:25  |  potobac 06/07/08
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