Take Military Option Off the Table
Michael O'Hanlon & Bruce Riedel, Brookings Institution, March 1, 2010.
It is a mistake for the United States to retain the threat of a military strike against Iran. ++ Such an approach is unrealistic from a military standpoint, does little to aid the efforts of reform-minded Iranians, and distracts from the building of regional alliances that could evolve into an effective containment regime. ++ By leaving the threat of a military strike “on the table,” the US runs the risk of such a choice becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. ++ Policy in the region should instead focus on cold war-style containment strategies.
