US has about a year if Iran decides to make a nuclear bomb: Panetta
"It's roughly about a year right now. A little more than a year. And so ... we think we will have the opportunity once we know that they've made that decision, take the action necessary to stop (Iran)," Panetta said on CBS's "This Morning" program.
He said the United States has "pretty good intelligence" on Iran. "We know generally what they're up to. And so we keep a close track on them."
Panetta said the United States has the capability to prevent Iran from building an atomic bomb.
"We have the forces in place to be able to not only defend ourselves, but to do what we have to do to try to stop them from developing nuclear weapons," he said.
The United States and Israel believe Iran is working toward developing nuclear weapon development capability. Israel, widely thought to be the Middle East's only atomic power, says a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to its existence.
Iran says its nuclear work is for peaceful energy purposes only.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday ramped up threats to attack Iran, saying if world powers refused to set a red line for Tehran's nuclear program, they could not demand that Israel hold its fire.
"The world tells Israel 'wait, there's still time.' And I say, 'Wait for what? Wait until when?' Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don't have a moral right to place a red light before Israel," Netanyahu told reporters in Israel.
Netanyahu has said Israel and the United States were in talks on setting a "clear red line" for Iran's nuclear program. But the two allies remain at odds over whether to spell out a clear threshold for military action.
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It is clear the United States will do nothing while Obama is in office , if he is re-elected then Iran will become a nuclear power . Iran is using stall tactics and they know once the world sees them as a nuclear power Israel will not attack . Then one day some suicidal maniac Muslim extremist will successfully detonate a nuclear weapon of some kind on US soil . Pretty much wiping out the economy , AND THEY KNOW THIS ,
@M.Ahmer Ali: "... every country does have the same rights in the world and is not bound to get permission from USA in this regard." Very true, sir. But the issue here is not about Iran's rights (which, of course, it has and which it is trying to assert) but the world's right (which the world has and is capable of enforcing) to protect itself preemptively. Iran would not be attacked if it ceases its pursuit of destructive nuclear capability. If it does not, it only reinforces its insidious intent (which it has expressed out loud in no uncertain terms) and, therefore, the necessity of nipping any such capability in the bud. @Saad: " Flawed reasoning and poor geographical knowledge are evident from your comment, but feel free to throw more gems our way. " Did you read M. Ahmer Ali's rejoinder? I wish you had done so before rushing to depress the "Submit" button. As far as gems are concerned, no use throwing them your way; you would not recognize them any way. @Eye: to Mladen Andrijasevic "The Shia are the more rational and thoughtful of the Islamic sects..." The ruling word here is "more" with which I agree. That does not make them "rational and thoughtful", does it? And, they are proving that! @tania: " if i feel the person next to me may get a weapon and kill me in the future, does that give me the right to kill him before that? it is justified? if we follow ths rule America should wipe out not only Iran but Russia, Cuba, China, Iraq & Afghanistan (already close), Pakistan etc etc.." Firstly, no one wants to, or will kill Iran. Secondly, preemptive defence is far more effective than defending yourself after the fact.
@Vikas: Irrespective of ideological debate I agree with the last line {Pakistan and India will feel the pain the most}
For that reason alone lets hope the push doesn't come to the shove.
@G. Din not to forget India..but to think of it, if i feel the person next to me may get a weapon and kill me in the future, does that give me the right to kill him before that? it is justified? if we follow ths rule America should wipe out not only Iran but Russia, Cuba, China, Iraq & Afghanistan (already close), Pakistan etc etc..
@G. Din: Flawed reasoning and poor geographical knowledge are evident from your comment, but feel free to throw more gems our way.
@G. Din: No Sir, we never pretended that our nuclear deterent is for Gulf / Middle East theatre. Its India specific as India's is Pakistan / China specific.
Going by your reaoning, we would have been attacked by Israel long time back.
Israel, widely thought to be the Middle East’s only atomic power, says a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to its existence. Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don’t have a moral right to place a red light before Israel,” Netanyahu told reporters in Israel.
Above statements says it all..........
Pantetta if you can have rights to make any types of mass destruction bombs/weapons to protect USA,US' nation,US' territory and US' national interests then every country does have the same rights in the world and is not bound to get permission from USA in this regard.And if you wish/want to remove mass destruction bombs/weapons from the world then first do it yourself and then expect from the others......
@G. Din: Thanks for accepting "Pakistan nuclear power of Middle East" highly respected sir....... I strongly agree with you on your this stance.....
"...Israel, widely thought to be the Middle East’s only atomic power,..." Not true! There is that other "nooklear power" of the Middle East - Pakistan!
@Mladen Andrijasevic Silly paper trying to whip up fear about Iranians and the Shias in general. The Shia are the more rational and thoughtful of the Islamic sects, It is in the interest of those who want to preserve the global status-quo to paint their opponents as madmen who want to destroy the world. Thats how they always paint their opponents.
When in doubt ask those who really know, not ones with an agenda.
IRAN should behave more responsibly. Why threat a country which doesn't even border you. Also IRAN should not worry as neither ISRAEL nor USA will attack it. IRAN will ruin all the oil production facility in Gulf countries. Oil prices will sky rocket. Again world economy will go in tail spin for half a decade at least. Russia will be smiling all the way as long as oil prices are high. Pakistan and India will feel the pain the most.
I wonder if Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ever read Matthias Küntzel's paper delivered at Columbia University in 2008:
Matthias Küntzel - Antisemitism, Messianism and the Cult of Sacrifice:The Iranian Holy War http://www.madisdead.blogspot.co.il/2012/09/matthias-kuntzel-antisemitism_8.html
This statement is a clear indication and warning to Israel to not rush into an unwanted war. Now if the Israelis still go against Iran that means they do not believe the US and would be solely responsible for the consequences of rushing into a major war.