Pentagon's Gates warns against targeting Iran

One anecdote in Seymour Hersh's latest piece speculating about a possible White House attack on Iran's nuclear program is sparking special interest. It involves Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.

According to the New Yorker piece discussed here Sunday, Gates told Democratic senators at a policy luncheon that if the United States staged a preemptive strike on Iran, "we'll create generations of jihadists and our grandchildren will be battling our enemies here in America."

The BBC's Justin Webb called the episode "most interesting" and dubbed the secretary "Gutsy Gates."

Truth is, Gates has said this sort of thing before -- and publicly. At his confirmation hearings in December 2006, Gates was asked by West Virginia's venerable Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd what he thought about attacking Iran over its nuclear program. Here's his answer:

I think that military action against Iran would be an absolute last resort, that any problems that we have with Iran, our first option should be diplomacy and working with our allies to try and deal with the problems that Iran is posing to us.

I think that we have seen, in Iraq, that once war is unleashed, it becomes unpredictable. And I think that the consequences of a military conflict with Iran could be quite dramatic.

And therefore, I would counsel against military action except as a last resort and if we felt our vital interests were threatened.

-- Johanna Neuman

Comments

[Christopher F.]

Mr. Gates understands that any attack on Iran will undermine U.S. strategic interests because any attack on Iran will alienate the pro-American and pro-democratic Iranians, rally internal support behind the otherwise unpopular regime, provide a pretext the regime to crack down on civil liberties and the dissident movement, strengthen the fundamentalists to pursue their bellicose agenda without opposition, and legitimize the regime’s need to acquire greater security against the “Great Satan.”

Fore more information, visit http://usiranalliance.org

[Wilbur Varela]

It does not matter what Secretary Gates thinks. the military-industrial complex of the United States can only be sustained by never ending wars, by constant expansion, and by seeking total global dominance, as exemplified by the US Air Force's new slogan, "Above All."

[Anis]

Attacking Iran will be a different ball game. America will regret. The world will be sorry leaving Bush to his own madness. Right place for Bush is at The Hague and not The White House. He must be consigned there before it is too late.

[Andrew]

In my opinion, tehre will be no war at all. Since June 2005, the dogs have been barking at Iran. Now, the whole world is really fed up of the sionist barking. Metaphysically, there wil be a payback on them.

[deegee]

Does anyone really understand the implications of an attack on Iran?You are talking about a total meltdown of the world economy!!Oil at $500 per barrel!Nothing will move,inflation will be in the hyper Everest range!The backlash against the US & Israel will be so dangerous that marshal law will have to be declared.We are talking about years of chaos,riots,starvation & mayhem.This is NOT a Somalia,Beirut or even Iraq.For the sake of yourselves wake up!!