“On entering the White House in 2009, President Barack Obama extended his hand to the Iranian rulers, hoping to engage them in negotiations that would put an end to their nuclear ambitions. Effective sanctions against the Iranian regime have only been imposed by a good part of the international community during the past few months. Are they going to be sufficient, and have they come in time? That is the question engaging the heads of government in Jerusalem, Washington and the capitals of Europe.

The military option – the one that has been “on the table” for the past few years – is still there, and is obviously problematic in light of the consequences that are likely to follow (some of which are in the realm of the unknown ). But there is no doubt that a military strike would set back Iran’s nuclear project significantly.

It may come as a surprise to some that, at this time, there are only two countries in the world with the military capability to carry out an effective military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities. They are the U.S. and Israel. There may not be any country able to deal effectively with an Iranian state in possession of nuclear weapons.”

Read more…