![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
. | ![]() |
. |
![]()
London (AFP) Nov 12, 2007 The United States is not about to launch pre-emptive strikes against Iran despite increasingly tense rhetoric between Washington and Tehran, the head of US Central Command was quoted as saying Monday. Admiral William Fallon did not rule out strikes at some point, but said such military action was not "in the offing." "None of this is helped by the continuing stories that just keep going around and around and around that any day now there will be another war, which is just not where we want to go," he told the Financial Times. "Getting Iranian behaviour to change and finding ways to get them to come to their senses and do that is the real objective. "Attacking them as a means to get to that spot strikes me as being not the first choice in my book." He said the job of Central Command, which runs US military operations in the Middle East, was not helped by verbal sabre-rattling. "Generally, the bellicose comments are not particularly helpful," he said, but added: "That said, we have to make sure that there is no mistake here on the part of the Iranians about our resolve in tending to business in the region." "There has got to be some combination of strength and willingness to engage. How to come up with the right combination of that is the real trick." The United States and several of its European allies believe Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon, a charge Tehran has repeatedly denied. Key members of the United Nations Security Council are seeking to increase pressure on Iran to convince it to stop enriching uranium, which can be used to generate energy but also to make an atomic bomb. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
![]() ![]() President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday threatened to expose "traitors" who were pressuring his government over its atomic ambitions in the face of mounting calls on Iran to stop controversial nuclear work. |
![]() |
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |