Israel Matzav

Mullen: Strike plan for Iran exists

Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, told NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday that the US has a plan to strike Iran, but he thought it was a 'bad idea.' Compared to what? He won't say.

Mullen would not say which risk he thought was worse. But he told NBC television program "Meet The Press" that a military strike remains an option if need be.

He added that, should it come to that, the military has a plan at hand. He didn't elaborate further.

Mullen said very directly in his February visit to Israel that he opposed Iran's acquisition of a nuclear capability. However, he also warned Israel tellingly of the “unintended consequences” of a military strike.

During a press conference at the US Embassy in Tel Aviv, Mullen said, “From a policy standpoint, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, [or] nuclear capability.”

He added, “I’ve also been clear, them getting a weapon and/or the outbreak of a conflict would be a big, big problem for all of us. And I worry a great deal about the unintended consequences of a strike, that are pretty hard to be specific about in a pretty volatile region that’s pretty hard to predict.”

Hmmm.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:36 PM