Via Stratfor there are indications today of mixed messages coming from DoD about the potential for Iranian acquisition of nuclear weapons. After Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, seemed to indicate that Iran might be close to acquiring nuclear weapons, his boss, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, was quick to correct him and state that Iran is not in fact close to acquiring nuclear weapons.
U.S: Iran Has Enough Material For Nuke – Mullen
March 1, 2009The United States thinks Iran has enough fissile material to make a nuclear weapon, Haaretz reported March 1, citing U.S. Adm. Mike Mullen, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman. Mullen made the statement on CNN’s State of the Union program. Iran possessing nuclear weapons would be “a very very bad outcome†for the Middle East as well as the world, Mullen said.
U.S.: Iran Is Not Close To Getting Nuke – Gates
March 1, 2009
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on March 1 said Iran is not close to getting a nuclear weapon, so there is still time to try to get Tehran to give up its suspected nuclear arms program, Reuters reported, citing an interview with Gates on NBC’s “Meet the Press.†In both the Obama and Bush administrations, there has been a focus on figuring out how to get Iran to abandon such a program, Gates said. His comments come the same day Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the United States thinks Iran has enough fissile material to produce a nuclear weapon.
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