Panetta: U.S. is Ready to Stop Iran from Creating Nuclear Weapons

National Journal ^ | May 27, 2012 | Beth Reinhard

[andyk]

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Sunday indirectly confirmed recent remarks by the Ambassador to Israel that the U.S. is “ready from a military perspective’’ to stop Iran from making a nuclear weapon if international pressure fails.

The U.S. and members of the United Nations Security Council recently met in Baghdad for talks about Iran’s suspected nuclear weapon program. Iran denies it has military intentions but has called for the destruction of Israel.

“We have plans to be able to implement any contingency we have to in order to defend ourselves,’’ Panetta said on ABC’s This Week. Earlier, Panetta said, “The fundamental premise is that neither the United States or the international community is going to allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.’’

Panetta defended the U.S. military’s use of drones to kill terrorists, resulting in some civilian casualties, calling them “one of the most precise weapons that we have in our arsenal.’’

He also insisted that the administration did not share any “inappropriate’’ details with filmmakers making a movie about Osama bin Laden, despite criticism from members of Congress.

[andyk]

Yep, I think an attack in late October will do nicely for the administration.

[Buckeye Battle Cry]

Obama will never attack a Muslim nation. This is all election year bloviation.

[Travis McGee]

Obama would nuke the moon if he thought it would get him reelected.

[andyk]

I’m not convinced that he loves Islam more than himself.

[Seaplaner]

True, but I somehow suspect that he's willing to put our precious Navy peeps at considerable risk in order to generate some October Ink (all to be abandoned when he has more "flexibility" in late November).

.

[ClearCase_guy]

“The fundamental premise is that neither the United States or the international community is going to allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.’’

Unfortunately, the fundamental premise is flawed. And it's all downhill from there.

[SaraJohnson]

This is election year yapping to keep Jewish Americans with any sense of concern for Israel on Obama’s plantation. He has no intention of defending Israel from his brothers in Iran and I hope Israel knows that.

If anyone has any doubt, look at the result of Obama’s and Soros’ “Arab Spring.” They've surrounded Israel with Jew-hating, American hating radical Muslims and infiltrated our government with radical Islamic activism. Amazingly he hypnotized the media with words of “freedom” and “democracy” for Muslims who hate freedom and democracy.

[deoetdoctrinae]

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[kjo]

Yes...around October 15 when internal polls show Obama getting smashed by Romney.

This administration has done this once before...when Obama’s birth certificate controversy was getting traction after Trump’s appearance on The View.

It was decided it was time to kill Bin Laden. After the attack, but while the media was still focused on it...Obama released his “birth certificate” in nine layers on the internet. Within a week clever seventeen year olds had debunked it as photo shopped.

Not that the press noticed. So, yes...I think mid October sounds perfect. Expect a war.

[Jeff Head]

Oh, they may go in early October even...depends on how successful they think they will be. If they know they will knock it down and look like heroes, he'll go earlier. If he has doubts, he'll go later.

All nothing but a political calculation from thios Kenyan Marxist POBE.

[Iron Munro]

[broken_arrow1]

The Kenyan can kill two birds with one stone - attack Iran securing his presidency and declare Martial Law in USA in order to round up domestic terrorists (a.k.a Tea Party).

[EEGator]

Time for the "big gun":

[Logical me]

With our communists black Muslim King Obama in charge it will never happen. If it does it means King Obama got his elite insane ass kicked.

[molson209]

Just bull , one day Panetta is giving up the next day he’s going to attack ,he does it over and over

[Gaffer]

Yes, White House Operative Leon Panetta also can be quoted as having said “I don’t believe you can show how a bl@w job in the White House is an impeachable offense.” [or words to that effect]

[Malone LaVeigh]

[opentalk]

Article said they met with UN security council. So Panetta must of been given the Okay from UN to take our country to war. Panetta is also pushing the UN LOST treaty.

[bikerman]

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Sunday indirectly confirmed recent remarks by the Ambassador to Israel that the U.S. is “ready from a military perspective’’

But will Panetta allow our troops to be armed during this military perspective???

[mojito]

0bamasama and Valerie Jarrett will never attack Iran because they both want Iran to get the bomb and destroy Israel.

It's that simple.

[Seizethecarp]

“Obama will never attack a Muslim nation.”

Barry's Muslim buds are SECULAR Sunnis committed to socialist-Marxist crony statist globalism, not Shia religious fanatics committed to inviting back the 12th Imam from “occultation”...

[Chgogal]

Ah, the tail wag dog thingie.

[andyk]

Yep, just like the Lewinski / Tomahawk affair.

[Windflier]

[andyk]

If they know they will knock it down and look like heroes, he'll go earlier. If he has doubts, he'll go later.

That's a pretty good analysis. If they have doubts, the mission itself would have to be in plain sight and close to the election to make it clear.