Diplomacy Best Option in Dealing with Iran’s Nuclear Aims

Matthew Duss explains why diplomacy remains the most effective way to protect the United States and strengthen international resolve toward changing Iran's behavior and constraining its nuclear development.

When considering whether to use military action (which I take to mean air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities) to hinder Iran’s nuclear program, it’s important to first step back and ask what such an attack could achieve. Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen both said that a bombing campaign would set Iran’s program by back three years at most. Current Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said in a recent briefing that he "certainly shares" those assessments.

The above excerpt was originally published in U.S. News. Click here to view the full article.

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