Mullen:Iran conflict would be 'a very significant challenge'

     In perhaps his most explicit comments to date on tensions with Iran, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says that with the United States embroiled in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, now is not the time for a conflict with the Islamic Republic.

    "It would be a very significant challenge for the United States right now to get into a third conflict in that part of the world," Adm. Michael Mullen was quoted by the Reuters news agency as telling Israel's Channel 10 television in remarks broadcast today.

     "I actually am very hopeful that we don't get into a position where we have to get into a conflict," Mullen said.

     His comments are significant in that while tensions with Iran are high, they appear to reflect his  deep concern that the U.S. military is already way over-stretched by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They may also reflect a judgment that in addition to the international opprobrium a U.S. strike on Iran would ignite, Tehran could could make things even worse for the 158,000 U.S. troops in Iraq by stepping up alleged support for Shiite Muslim militias there, and for the 30,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan through increased arms supplies that have allegedly been sent to the Taliban. U.S. intelligence agencies remain concerned about Iran's ability to use proxies like Hezbollah to launch terrorist strikes on U.S. targets.

    Mullen said that while he is worried about Iran, he believes the United States should continue relying on non-military means, like international financial sanctions, to deal  with Tehran for now.

    "I think it is very important that we increase as much as possible the financial pressure, the diplomatic pressure, the political pressure, and at the same time keep all the military options on the table," he said.

    Just how the president's top military adviser's remarks were greeted by administration officials who favor a more aggressive approach to Iran is not known. But they can't have been well received given the latest developments in the feuding.

    Tehran today said it will not hold new a fourth round of talks with the United States on security in Iraq while a U.S.-backed crackdown by Iraqi security forces on the Mahdi Army , the militia of anti-U.S. Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr, continues in Baghdad's Sadr City.

    The latest U.N. report on the humanitarian situation in Sadr City warned that conditions for the 2.5 million inhabitants of the densely packed slum are quickly deteriorating, with more than 900 people killed in the fighting that began March 27, approximately 60 percent of them women and children. Food supplies are scarce, numerous homes have been destroyed or damaged and hundreds of families have been displaced.

    The U.S. military says there has been a spike in attacks against U.S. troops from sophisticated roadside bombs that Iran allegedly supplies to Shiite fighters. My colleague, Nancy Youssef, reports today that two of the 50 U.S. troop deaths in April were soldiers killed by one of these bombs while riding in the military's best anti-mine vehicle.

    Iran, meanwhile, today reportedly told a conference in Geneva on the Non-Proliferation Treaty that it could not accept more intrusive International Atomic Energy Agency inspections of its nuclear facilities when the world's declared nuclear powers are not subject to the same oversight and they continue to ignore the nuclear arsenal that Israel is widely believed to possess. Iran also reportedly rejected a fresh offer of incentives from the United States and five other world powers to comply with U.N. demands that it suspend its uranium enrichment program, widely believed to be part of a secret nuclear weapons project. Iran insists that its program is strictly peaceful.

            
   
 

Comments

[Jack Miller]

It seems that the package of sticks and carrots should be persuasive but then it appears that the Iran leadership is very stubborn. It is clear that the pipeline through Pakistan to India and China is a dream come true for all four participants.

What odds would you put on a deal anytime soon?

[RandyT]

So when will Adm. Mullen be asked to turn in his retirement papers?

[Callin McLaughlin]

Only a madman or woman, would believe Iran, would attack Israel unprovoked. Just more Military Psy-Ops!!

[Callin McLaughlin]

Only a madman or woman, would believe Iran, would attack Israel unprovoked. Just more Military Psy-Ops!!

[Jean]

"Iran, meanwhile, today reportedly told a conference in Geneva on the Non-Proliferation Treaty that it could not accept more intrusive International Atomic Energy Agency inspections of its nuclear facilities when the world's declared nuclear powers are not subject to the same oversight and they continue to ignore the nuclear arsenal that Israel is widely believed to possess."

Actually, not an unreasonable position to take. One could say he's got a valid point!

[George]

Mullen obviously is an America-hating liberal defeatist who's in bed with terrorists. Did Mullen get 5 (or was it 6?) student draft deferments during the Vietnam War? Did he go AWOL from the Texas Air Nat'l Guard? No, only true patriots did.

Or did he actually serve and face combat like liberal America-hating terrorist-lovers like John Kerry and George McGovern?

[George]

Mullen obviously is an America-hating liberal defeatist who's in bed with terrorists. Did Mullen get 5 (or was it 6?) student draft deferments during the Vietnam War? Did he go AWOL from the Texas Air Nat'l Guard? No, only true patriots did.

Or did he actually serve and face combat like liberal America-hating terrorist-lovers like John Kerry and George McGovern?

[South African]

As a south african who lived during apartheid and having lived under an oppresive white christian nationalist regime i become scared when i listen to the utter nonse that americans believe. i find that Americans live on a planet called planet america.Iran is bad whilst Israel is good.How many of you americans have analysed Israel laws.In my part of the world many of israel's laws are aparthied like.Israel occupies the golan heights and the shaaba farms in lebanon,continues to build settlements in the west bank making the life of palestinains miserble and you americans support them because they are "God's chosen people" because "if you bless Israel God will bless America". How many of use actually know that the Jewish people only ruled Israel for less then 800 years.The moors ruled spain for longer.How many americans know that the old white south african regime and Israel were great buddies during apartheid.but then that is not surprising since they both have the same ideolgy.But i forget that israel is supposed to exist because the bible says so.The same bible which was used for the horrors like spanish inquisition, the crusades, slavery and apartheid.

You should cath a wake up maybe just maybe if you had not overthrown the democratically elected goverment of General mossadgh in the 1950,s in Iran and supported the Shah for 25 years may be then i would not have laugh at you when you say that the Iran are evil.Who has Iran massacared?You americans have been directly or indirectly invovled in the support or the killing of millions of people around the world.