Debate on Iran's Nuclear Ambitions Heats Up
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Republicans and the Obama administration are at odds over the emphasis of what needs to be done to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. While Republicans are putting forward war as a last resort, the Obama administration is emphasizing international pressure as a priority.
Sen. Lindsay Graham said Sunday he agrees with the call by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney for using military force as a last resort against Iran if does not stop developing a nuclear weapon.
Graham said he “totally, absolutely, without any doubt” supports Romney’s view, which was expressed during a Republican debate on Saturday.
“If they develop nuclear weapons, the whole region is going to want a nuclear weapon. If you open Pandora's box, if you attack Iran if they get a nuclear weapon, you empty Pandora's box,” Graham said on CBS’ ‘Face the Nation.’
Obama Administration’s Response
Ben Rhodes, President Barack Obama’s national security adviser for strategic communications, said the Administration was exerting pressure on Iran, with results, according to ABC News.
“Today, we see the international community united in applying pressure on Iran, and we see unprecedented internal divisions within Iran’s political system,” in contrast to the years of the Bush administration.
Rhodes said that sanctions that Obama has placed on Iran have “applied so much pressure that the Iranian economy has ground to a halt.”
Rhodes said Obama met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Chinese President Hun Jintao at the APEC summit in Hawaii where he pressed them to come up with a common response to move Iran “to follow its international obligations when it comes to its nuclear program.”
A report issued earlier this wee from the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran’s leaders were trying to develop a nuclear weapon before giving up that effort in 2003. The agency said, however that some parts of that program “may still be ongoing.”
Saturday Debate
On Saturday, during a debate, both Romney and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich agreed with the plan.
Romney said if sanctions and other strategies failed, military would be necessary because it is “unacceptable” for Iran to gain access to the weapons.
Gingrich said he would first attempt “maximum covert operations” to assassinate Iranian scientists and break up the country’s systems, among other strategies to stop the country from getting the weapons.
He said all the methods should be “deniable.”
Romney said Iran would be able to obtain a nuclear weapon under President Barack Obama.