The Bush Administration Should Attack Iran's Nuclear Capability Now

The Bush administration should act to destroy Iran’s nuclear capability before it leaves office.

Now is the perfect time. The prospect of Iranian nukes being funneled to the terrorist delivery system influenced by Iran is the most serious geo-political risk the United States now faces. The Obama administration seems unlikely to view this risk as seriously as the Bush administration does, so time is running out.

President-elect Obama would have credible deniability: He can say, "I was not aware of this before-hand, and if I had been I would have advised against it.

Some say that our hand has been stayed by fear that Iran would retaliate against our forces in Iraq. But the coming change in administration makes that a less attractive Iranian response, since it would likely make the Obama administration less inclined to deal favorably with Tehran.

Iran probably views Obama as its best shot in decades at resuming relations with the US on something close to its terms. The loss of its imminent nuclear arsenal would do nothing to change that. A response that involved them in a war with American troops in Iraq might. Even if they did respond in Iraq, or in Israel, Obama could rise to the occasion and negotiate a settlement that still left Iran without its nuclear capability. It would be well worth a month or two of problems.

Pre-empt now!