Colin Powell: "No Logical Prospect" for Iran War

"I see no logical scenario for taking military action (against Iran),
but this will remain an option, and no American president will take it
off the table," he said while addressing a symposium entitled
"Opportunity and Crisis in the Middle East" organized by the National
Bank of Kuwait.

He said that, in his own judgment, one reason for this was the fact
that nuclear facilities in Iran were "no easy target to go after"
because it was not known for sure where they were located, nor their
number.

Powell also said that the US "has its hands pretty full" with Iraq and
Afghanistan, as well as the fact that there was no support by the
American people for going into yet another military conflict.

Moreover, the retired general said that should the US opt to take
military action against Iran, it would have to "do it alone" and that
the move would be one that the international community would "condemn
universally." He added that one other reason was that it would be
something "the Iranians will use against us," because the US would be
attacking Muslim land.

Powell hoped, as everyone else, that Iran would not pursue its
enrichment program, but expressed his opinion that "Iran is far from
having any nuclear weapon." The former state secretary called on
everyone to "be patient because there are forces working inside Iran
that could bring about change," referring to Iranian youth who could
no longer be isolated in this age of technology and "know that there
is a different and better world out there." As for Iraq, Powell said
his country had gone into the country as the "liberator" and had now
become the "occupier," which meant that it was responsible for
imposing security, but in failing to do so "gave way to insurgency."
He said, however, that under the command of Multi-National Force
Commander General David Petraeus, there was now a reduction in the
level of violence, especially with the "surge" of US troops that took
place last summer.

"It is important for Iraqi leaders to make use of this 'breathing
space' and to take action" because the US people would continue to
pressure the next president, whether a Democrat of Republican, to
reduce the number of troops in Iraq.

He encouraged all people and governments to assist Iraq, but stressed
that "the future of Iraqis is in Iraqis' hands." And on the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he hoped progress would be made in the
Annapolis Conference later this month, but "frankly" said that both
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President
Mahmoud Abbas were "weak." He said that while Abbas faced opposition
by Hamas, Olmert would be under pressure "at home" regarding any
compromise that he might bring back.
"We hope for progress, but we need to keep optimism in check," he said.

Speaking about the war on terrorism and the situation in the US post
September 11, Powell said the attacks on his country were a traumatic
shock, but stressed that it was the "terrorists and murderers" that
his country was after and not Islam or Muslims.

http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1858396&Language=en
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