Clinton: Iran May Spark Mideast Arms Race

Secretary Of State Says Nuclear-Armed Iran Would Be "Extraordinary Threat" After Country Test-Fires Missile

(CBS/AP)  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday that a nuclear-armed Iran is "going to spark an arms race" in the Middle East.

In an appearance before a Senate Appropriations panel, Clinton reiterated that the Obama administration opposes Iran getting a nuclear weapons capability and that it is relying for now on diplomatic pressure to stop it.

After reports that Iran has conducted a missile test, which was later confirmed by the Pentagon, Clinton said that a wide array of threats, including attempts by terrorists to obtain nuclear weapons, represent a "daunting" challenge for the United States.

The Iranians claimed the test launch was a success and Defense Secretary Gates agreed, saying "It was a successful flight test. The missile will have a range of approximately 2,000 to 2,500 kilometers," reports CBS News correspondent David Martin reports

That's 1,200 to 1,500 miles - more than enough to reach Israel and even parts of Europe, Martin reports. But the Iranians don't yet have a reliable weapon.

"Because of some of the problems they've had with their engines we think at least at this stage of the testing we think it's probably closer to the lower end of that range," Gates said.

At the same time, Iran continues enriching uranium, although not yet to bomb-grade levels. The CIA estimates Iran could have a nuclear weapon sometime between 2010 and 2015. But both the U.S. and Israel have launched covert operations designed to through sand in the gears by supplying faulty parts or designs, Martin reports.

Clinton also described a nuclear capability in Tehran as an "extraordinary threat," and said the U.S. goal is "to persuade the Iranian regime that they will actually be less secure if they proceed with their nuclear weapons program."

The secretary said she did not expect there would be any significant progress in getting Iran to enter into discussions on incentives to abandon a nuclear program at a time when there is a campaign there for the presidency.

"Our goal is to persuade the Iranian regime that they will actually be less secure if they proceed with their nuclear weapons program," Clinton told the Senate panel headed by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

She said that while there is a lot of discussion about timetables, "the goal is the same: a nuclear armed Iran with a deliverable weapon system is going to spark an arms race in the Middle East" and the greater region.

"That is not going to be in the interest of Iranian security," Clinton added. "At the same time, we see a growing recognition among a group of countries that they do not want to see this reality take place."

She said that she didn't know when the U.S. might "see some openness and some willingness to engage on this very important issue," but likely not during Iran's election season. "But we are going to pursue our diplomatic efforts," Clinton said.

Earlier Wednesday, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran test-fired a new advanced missile with a range of about 1,200 miles, capable of reaching Israel and U.S. Mideast bases.

The announcement comes less than a month before Iran's presidential election and just two days after President Barack Obama declared a readiness to seek deeper international sanctions against Tehran if it did not respond positively by year-end to U.S. attempts to open negotiations on its nuclear program.

U.S. officials are hoping for a more moderate government after elections in June. But the real powers in Iran are the mullahs and they aren't up for election, Martin reports.

Analysts said the launch was likely intended for domestic consumption ahead of the June 12 elections, rather than a message to the U.S., which has criticized Iran's past missile launches as stoking instability in the Middle East.

"But I don't think the Obama administration and other nations will look at this as a constructive sign," said Patrick Clawson, deputy director for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

"Iran's long range missile test is not only provocative, but it puts both President Obama and the Security Council in a difficult position," said CBS News Foreign Affairs Analyst Pamela Falk from the U.N. "After three rounds of sanctions that have not worked, the best hope for a peaceful settlement continues to be for Iran to negotiate its way back to an inspections program."

"With Iran's election in less than a month, the situation might change," added Falk. "But Israel's new Prime Minister is pressing for more U.N. sanctions and Iran's current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is more defiant than ever."

[U-R-So-Wrong]

Islamofascism began in the 1920s and 1930s when nationalist movements were allied with the Nazis and against the British. There was a pro-Nazi government in Baghdad in 1941. Talk about Raiders of the Lost Ark. There have been mostly one-party dictatorships in that part of the world ever since. The current phase is just old-time religion joining the fun.

[beach671]

This won't kickstart no arms race. Israel had nukes. Saudi Arabia financed the Pakistani nuke program to get some for themselves. India has nukes. It was just a matter of time before Iran finally realized they are surrounded by nuclear weapons holding countries.

Too bad the US canceled the Airborne Laser program. That plane could have been put on patrol over Afghanistan and shot down anything Iran shot up.

Since we canceled it we should atleast GIVE the aircraft with it's laser to Israel. It will only get chopped up and sold for scrap metal anyways. Let the Israeli's play God and vaporize people on the ground and shoot down incoming nuclear missiles.

[budmag06]

"Arms race"??? Duh, Hillary do ya' think so?? Just because Iran is building nukes and sent a test missile over Israel? Why don't you and Obama do some "negotiating"???

[mrjustice1]

to texasbeat off:

It[Islamofascism] is here, whether you like it or not, and many have not yet grasped these 'holier-than-thou' Islamofascist's willingness to destroy the entire world in the name of Allah - their brand-named god.

We are dealing with irrational, religiously delusional madmen here!

With the advent of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction being acquired by Iran and/or other Islamofascists...

...the Free Western World must take all preventative measures today - TODAY - while the cost to us is relatively low!

[texasbeta]

I'm sorry for you and for those who fail to recognize Islamofascism and the evil intentions of the current maniacal, power-hungry, Iranian regime!
Posted by mrjustice1

You are a moron....plain and simple. Islamofacism? Let me ask you...where did Islamofacism come from? How did it get here?

[boatdocster]

Perhaps, but Iran is a long way away from the United States and Israel as the largest supplier of arms and arms escalation in the middle East.

[mrjustice1]

To texasbeta

It is you and those like-minded, naive individuals, who are facilitating the rise of fascist regimes, as well as permitting (in this current world stage) Iran and Islamofascism to spread...

... up until it comes right into your face, snatching away your freedom of speech, your freedom of thinking, your freedom of life as we once knew it. It will then be too late for you to exercise your 'option to prevent'.

I'm sorry for you and for those who fail to recognize Islamofascism and the evil intentions of the current maniacal, power-hungry, Iranian regime!

[texasbeta]

WOE IS TO THOSE THAT FAIL TO REALIZE WHAT GRAVE DANGER
THE CURRENT EVIL, MANIACAL, RELIGIOUSLY FANATICAL,
ISLAMOFASCIST IRANIAN REGIME IS TO ALL OF HUMANKIND!
Posted by mrjustice1

So, I asked you a question earlier....but you just ignored it. You called me someting...care to elaborate? Care to provide background or anything at all? Nope? Well, just like a right winger....providing NOTHING, and calling everyone else EVIL. Tell me scooter...you can label many in our own country as Evil, Maniacal, and RELIGIOUS FANATICS...considering what you just posted, you appear to be one of them. See, that is the funny part of all of this...the closest group to the Islamic terorrists in the country...are right wingers. They are practically the same people

[texasbeta]

Here is an example...a comparison if you would like:

Exmaple 1:

WOE IS TO THOSE THAT FAIL TO REALIZE WHAT GRAVE DANGER
THE CURRENT EVIL, MANIACAL, RELIGIOUSLY FANATICAL,
ISLAMOFASCIST IRANIAN REGIME IS TO ALL OF HUMANKIND!
Posted by mrjustice1

Example 2:
The blind and self-destructive AmeriKKKan support for evil Zionism is the main problem the world faces. Iran is an island of stability, honour and decency in the whole Islamic region. Iran has always stood up for the rights of the underdog. That is the Shia tradition. The savagery of the child killing Zionist scum with US taxpayer supplied weapons makes all decent people sick. The Zionists are also destroying AmeriKKKa as its bankrupt economy implodes from lost Islam phobic wars.
Posted by motezaesavand

See - two wackjobs...on two sides of the spectrum...but BOTH are nothing but wackjobs. Nothing different at all.

[mrjustice1]

WOE IS TO THOSE THAT FAIL TO REALIZE WHAT GRAVE DANGER

THE CURRENT EVIL, MANIACAL, RELIGIOUSLY FANATICAL,

ISLAMOFASCIST IRANIAN REGIME IS TO ALL OF HUMANKIND!

[texasbeta]

ISRAEL! BOMB THEM NOW! WAITING UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR LIKE OUR LIBERAL MESSIAH SAID WILL BE TO LATE BECAUSE RUSSIA WILL HAVE THEIR MISSILE DEFENSE IN PLACE! DO IT NOW!
Posted by TryTakingMyMoney

See Iran guy....we have wackjobs here too. The difference is...usually, Bush not included of course - who would really - our leaders don't act like wackjobs. I hope your leaders can snap out of it before they get blown off the planet

[texasbeta]

ISRAEL! BOMB THEM NOW! WAITING UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR LIKE OUR LIBERAL MESSIAH SAID WILL BE TO LATE BECAUSE RUSSIA WILL HAVE THEIR MISSILE DEFENSE IN PLACE! DO IT NOW!
Posted by TryTakingMyMoney

Moron

[texasbeta]

It sure smells like it!
Posted by mrjustice1

Are you kidding wackjob? Did you even read the things I wrote? Where in the hell do you include me in this? Because I admitted US involvement in creating the problem? Read a little dude. Read about the Shah/Mogedesh issue in the 50s and 60s. Come on. I tell him that his country will get bombarded if they cannot start to respond reasonably and you call me what? What a *******

[TryTakingMyMoney]

ISRAEL! BOMB THEM NOW! WAITING UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR LIKE OUR LIBERAL MESSIAH SAID WILL BE TO LATE BECAUSE RUSSIA WILL HAVE THEIR MISSILE DEFENSE IN PLACE! DO IT NOW!

[mrjustice1]

Q:
Are texasbeta and motezaesavand...

... enemy agents for Iran and for Islamofascism?

A:
It sure smells like it!

[texasbeta]

was it a dream, or was obama supposed to sit down and talk with these people?
Posted by jgg00000008

Man...he is, still hasn't yet, but if you read the previous posts with just a single dude from Iran on here....and the request for a simple and honest debate on this...after checking out his responses...makes me think that maybe the right wingers were correct. Maybe you can't talk to these people

[texasbeta]

The blind and self-destructive AmeriKKKan support for evil Zionism is the main problem the world faces. Iran is an island of stability, honour and decency in the whole Islamic region. Iran has always stood up for the rights of the underdog. That is the Shia tradition. The savagery of the child killing Zionist scum with US taxpayer supplied weapons makes all decent people sick. The Zionists are also destroying AmeriKKKa as its bankrupt economy implodes from lost Islam phobic wars.
Posted by motezaesavand

America needs Israel to have a foothold in a region that thinks...LIKE THIS. How is this confusing? If your leaders respond with crap like this, like you just wrote....and continue to pursue a nuclear weapon...YOU WILL BE DESTROYED. Is that simple enough? You are trying to make 1 nuke. You don't even have weapons that can cross the ocean yet, much less a nuke. We have hundreds of thousands....want to argue your way out of that?

[texasbeta]

It is essential that the sufferings of Jews. . . become worse. . . The anti-semites shall be our best friends?
-- Theodor Herzl, Founder of Zionism in 1897
www.erichufschmid.net
Posted by motezaesavand

1897? Seriously? You are posting crap from 1897? WAKE UP! That is over 100 years ago...Iran was NOT A COUNTRY at the time of this. In your post, you stated it as Arab land. Hey dude...Jews are ARABS! You are the same people. Iranians are Persian, but Israelis were Caananites, just like the Palestinians. At some point, a strain started calling themselves Jews. Come on man! Evil Zionists? They think they have a right to the land? What about you? Palestinians think they have a right to the land. Iran is always a defender of the underdog? They are just? What about funding terrorism? What about kidnapping a plane of hostages? What about slaughtering an Olympic team? This is a joke.

[texasbeta]

-Except plestinian land
Posted by motezaesavand

Well, I guess they were right. I suppose I was incorrect in thinking that Iranians are grown people, and can use reason in order to resolve an issue. However, it has been displayed that you can't. I stand corrected. I sure hope the rest of your country can think and reason a little better, or sorry bro...Iran will be a toilet of ashes. See you on the flipside my man. I wish you had tried harder

[texasbeta]

First of all you should stop your propaganda and lies.
Posted by motezaesavand

Here we go...see, STOP BEING A CHILD! Stop being so GENERIC! I am admitting the involvement of the US, Britain, in creating Israel...admitting US involvement in the Shah/Mogedesh fiasco that created all of this...all of it. After that...I am asking to honestly get into a conversation about all of it...have you address the issues THE REST OF THE WORLD has with your country, Iran. In response, you CANNOT KEEP ACTING LIKE IRAN'S LEADERS! I am telling you man...what do you want? I am admitting how Palestine got screwed. I am admitting US involvement. Don't play stupid. I am telling you now....if your leaders respond like you are responding to me...and continue to move on nuclear arms...YOUR ASS WILL GET ELIMINATED. No ground invasion. No changing of the guard. No reconstuction. They, not just the US, will eliminate your country from the planet...maybe not all of it, but it won't work for years. Try harder in this conversation...let's show them we can admit our faults and actually talk about the issues. If two people, from opposing sides, cannot even do this...what chance do the countries have? You see, most of my country wants yours gone. They think you cannot be reasoned with. Most of the world thinks you cannot be reasoned with. Show them that they are wrong.