Israel Matzav

Gates would rather not talk about containing a nuclear Iran

Well, this ought to make you feel all warm and fuzzy:

Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that all options are still on the table if Iran were to go nuclear, but he thinks there is still "some time to continue working this problem," conceivably through the use of economic sanctions.

"I don't think we're prepared to even talk about containing a nuclear Iran. I think we're -- we -- our view still is we -- we do not accept the idea of Iran having nuclear weapons. And our policies and our efforts are all aimed at preventing that from happening," he said.

Gates said "targeted economic pressures" has "real potential" to add difficulties to the Islamic Republic, whose government is growing increasingly isolated.

Gabriel Malor is still trying to think of an instance where a country was stopped by sanctions from doing what it wanted to do in the face of US and international opposition. Maybe South Africa, but it took an awfully long time.

What could go wrong?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:24 PM