Washington's War Drums Beating Loudly

Joint Chiefs head prefers non-military pressure on Tehran

(NEWSER) - With wars still raging in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US would be hard-pressed to start a new one with Iran, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Michael Mullen said today. “I actually am very hopeful that we don't have to get into a conflict,” Mullen told Israeli TV, though he reiterated he would “keep all the military options on the table.” More»

Will be launched 'if necessary to stop nukes'

(NEWSER) - The US has a detailed plan ready to attack Iran if necessary to prevent it from making nuclear weapons, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff revealed yesterday. “I hope we don’t get to that, but it’s an important option, and it’s one that’s well understood," Admiral Mike Mullen said on NBC's Meet the Press. The declaration sparked an immediate angry reaction from Iran, which vowed a “firm response” to any US military action, reports the Telegraph . More»

(NEWSER) - No matter who wins tomorrow’s presidential election in Iran, the threat of its nuclear program won’t go away, and that’s why Israel should attack sooner rather than later, writes former UN ambassador John Bolton in the Wall Street Journal. Attacking Iran now won’t be safe or easy, but “all scenarios become infinitely more dangerous once Iran has deliverable nuclear weapons.” More»

Iran's step forward worries Mullen, many others

(NEWSER) - Iran has enriched enough uranium to make a nuclear bomb, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mike Mullen told State of the Union today. "Iran having nuclear weapons, is a very very bad outcome—for the region and for the world," Mullen said. A recent report by the IAEA revealed that Iran's stockpile of nuclear fuel might be significantly larger than the country has indicated, but that Iran is cooperating with inspectors, Reuters reports. More»

Bernanke's comments encourage the battered financial sector

(NEWSER) - The markets made strong gains today as crude futures fell more than $5 and the Fed took steps to shore up the housing market, MarketWatch reports. The Dow gained 152.25 points, its biggest jump in a month, to close at 11,384.21. The Nasdaq rose 51.10 points to 2,294.42, and the S&P 500 rose 21.39 points to 1,273.70. More»