Bush denies plan to attack Iran

From The Jerusalem Post:

The White House on Tuesday flatly denied an Army Radio report that claimed US President George W. Bush intends to attack Iran before the end of his term. It said that while the military option had not been taken off the table, the Administration preferred to resolve concerns about Iran's push for a nuclear weapon "through peaceful diplomatic means."

Army Radio had quoted a top official in Jerusalem claiming that a senior member in the entourage of President Bush, who concluded a trip to Israel last week, had said in a closed meeting here that Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were of the opinion that military action against Iran was called for.

The official reportedly went on to say that "the hesitancy of Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice" was preventing the administration from deciding to launch such an attack on the Islamic Republic for the time being.

The Army Radio report, which was quoted by The Jerusalem Post and resonated widely, stated that according to assessments in Israel, the recent turmoil in Lebanon, where Hizbullah has de facto established control of the country, was advancing an American attack.

Bush, the official reportedly said, considered Hizbullah's show of strength to constitute evidence of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's growing influence. In Bush's view, the official said, "the disease must be treated - not its symptoms."

However, the White House on Tuesday afternoon dismissed the story. In a statement, it said that "[the US] remain[s] opposed to Iran's ambitions to obtain a nuclear weapon. To that end, we are working to bring tough diplomatic and economic pressure on the Iranians to get them to change their behavior and to halt their uranium enrichment program.

Yes, I'm sure that a good scolding is all that the Iranians need to understand the error of their ways.

I do not believe for one second that the president has any intention of attacking Iran in some blitzkrieg program to destroy their nuclear capabilities before the new president can be sworn in.

Now that plan would make a great deal of sense. Once Iran has tested a nuclear device, which they will before the next president's first term is over, then whole picture changes. Bush, knowing that his popularity cannot get any lower, could take the backlash from the Democrats and independents for attacking yet another country and conservatives just might see the attack, which badly needs to happen, as evidence that the Republican party has not become totally useless and be a bit more inclined to vote for McCain.

But I don't think it will happen.