AMU Homeland Security Opinion

Amb. Bolton’s Claims only Few Days to Strike Iran Nuke Reactor

By William Tucker
23059088.jpgThis past Tuesday former US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton stated that Israel had only a few days to strike Iran’s reactor at Bushehr before the fuel rods were put in place. Bolton claimed that once the fuel rods were in a place a military strike on the facility would be impossible because it would spread radiation throughout the Persian Gulf region. The Ambassador’s concern over the reactor was twofold; the reactor could be used to create plutonium as another source for a nuclear weapons program and it would be a symbolic victory for the Iranian regime coming on the heels of a new round of economic sanctions.


At this point the viability of a strike on the Bushehr reactor is in question. Iran recently reiterated their intent to shut down the Strait of Hormuz in the event of a military strike – including the Bushehr facility. Iran doesn’t have much of a navy, but it does have a large amount of missile that can strike targets throughout the Persian Gulf region. Any attack on Iran would have to use overwhelming force just to remove their defensive capabilities not to mention their nuclear facilities. The only military force in the world with that kind of conventional capability is the US and thus far Washington hasn’t shown any proclivity towards a new adventure in the Middle East. The Iranian program will have to be dealt with soon if the US is to keep its word on the unacceptability of an Iranian bomb. Current measures aimed at modifying Iran’s behavior are failing and leadership on the issue is certainly lacking.
The Russians are scheduled to fuel the reactor this Saturday.
Bushehr.jpg

Photos: 1 – Bushehr reactor, author unknown; 2 – Overhead view of Bushehr complex, Google Earth

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