Israeli press reports US pledge of war on Iran--is Bush preparing an "October Surprise"

A senior member of the presidents entourage said during a closed meeting that Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were of the opinion that military action was called for, the article quoted an Israel official as saying.

The report cited the US official as stating that the hesitancy of Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had delayed a decision on military action against Iran.

The recent crisis in Lebanon and the evident ease with which the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement seized control of Beirut, according to the report, had placed a US attack on the Islamic Republic back on the front burner.

Bush expressed the opinion that the disease must be treated, not the symptoms, according to the Israeli officials.

The White House denialissued within hours of the story appearing on the Jerusalem Posts web sitewas notably harsh in its tone. An article in todays Jerusalem Post about the presidents position on Iran that quotes unnamed sourcesquoting unnamed sourcesis not worth the paper its written on, read the statement.

Later on Tuesday, however, Bushs spokesperson Dana Perino was pressed by several reporters, who expressed skepticism in regard to the denial. Do the President and the Vice President feel that an attack is called forwhether someone said that in Israel, or not? asked one.