- WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The
United States has been examining the prospect that Israel will attack Iranian
nuclear facilities in an attempt to prevent the Islamic republic from completing
an atomic bomb as early as this year.
-
- U.S. analysts and government sources said the Bush administration
has discussed the prospect of an Israeli air strike at several levels of
government. They said the issue has been examined in terms of the diplomatic,
military and security implications for the United States, particularly
its military presence in Iraq and the Persian Gulf region.
-
- The issue of Iran's nuclear weapons program was discussed
by President George Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon during
the latter's visit to the White House on April 14. The sources said the
two men were alone during the brief discussion in an effort by the president
to gauge a likely Israeli response to the completion of an Iranian nuclear
bomb.
-
- "It would be intolerable for the Middle East if
they [Iran] get a nuclear weapon," Bush said after meeting Sharon.
-
- NOTE: The above is not the full story.
-
- This service contains only a small portion of the information
produced daily by Middle East Newsline. For a subscription to the full
service, please contact Middle East Newsline at: editor@menewsline.com
for further details.
-
- http://menewsline.com/stories/2004/may/05_07_2.html
|
