Obama seeks to calm "drumbeat" of war over Iran
- 12 years ago
ROUGH CUT - NO REPORTER NARRATION
U.S. President Barack Obama said on Tuesday (March 6) the United States "will not countenance" Iran developing a nuclear weapon but pledged to take a sober approach to dealing with Tehran's nuclear program.
Obama, at a news conference a day after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said there was a window of opportunity to settle the dispute with Iran over its nuclear program diplomatically.
"We will not we will not countenance Iran getting a nuclear weapon. My policy is not containment. My policy is to prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon, because if they get a nuclear weapon that could trigger an arms race in the region, it would undermine our nonproliferation goals, it could potentially fall into the hands of terrorists. And we've been in close consultation with all our allies, including Israel, in moving this strategy forward. At this stage, it is my belief that we have a window of opportunity where this can still be resolved diplomatically," he said.
Obama said the announcement of six-power talks with Iran offered a diplomatic opportunity to defuse the crisis. He said the notion that the United States needed to make a choice in coming weeks or months was "not borne out by facts."
Netanyahu assured Obama on Monday (March 5) that the Jewish state has made no decision on attacking Iranian nuclear sites, sources close to
talks in Washington said. He, however, gave no sign of backing away from the option of military strikes.
"Israel is a sovereign nation that has to make its own decisions about how best to preserve its security," Obama said.
Amid mounting speculation that Iran's nuclear sites could be attacked in coming months, the president said that American politicians "beating the drums of war" had a responsibility to explain the costs and benefits of military action.
Obama has insisted that military options remain on the table if other means fail to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. On the topic of Syria, Obama said it was only a matter of time before President Bashar al-Assad left office, but added it was a mistake to think the U.S. could take unilateral action there.
"Ultimately this dictator will fall," he said, adding that it was not a question of if but when Assad would be forced out.
But he squarely opposed a call by U.S. Senator John McCain who on Monday urged U.S. air strikes on Assad's forces, saying it was a mistake to think there was a simple solution to the now year-long crackdown on the opposition in Syria, or that the United States could act unilaterally.
"We are going to continue to work on this project with other countries and it is my belief that ultimately this dictator will fall as dictators in the past have fallen. But the notion that the way to solve every one of these problems is to deploy our military, you know, that -- that hasn't been true in the past and it won't be true now," Obama said.
Obama reiterated his committed to long-term ties with Afghanistan but said the United States would not seek to extend its military presence longer than needed to disable al Qaeda and ensure a modicum of stability as foreign troops withdraw.
He said the violence that erupted after U.S. soldiers burned copies of the Koran on a NATO military base last month was an indication that "now is the time" for NATO to transition out of the lead for security.
"We are not interested in staying there any longer than is necessary to ensure that Al Qaeda is not operating there and that there is sufficient stability that it doesn't end up being a free-for-all after ISAF has left."
After over a decade of war, NATO nations plan to withdraw most combat troops by the end of 2014 as the West seeks to gradually put local forces in the lead.
U.S. President Barack Obama said on Tuesday (March 6) the United States "will not countenance" Iran developing a nuclear weapon but pledged to take a sober approach to dealing with Tehran's nuclear program.
Obama, at a news conference a day after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said there was a window of opportunity to settle the dispute with Iran over its nuclear program diplomatically.
"We will not we will not countenance Iran getting a nuclear weapon. My policy is not containment. My policy is to prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon, because if they get a nuclear weapon that could trigger an arms race in the region, it would undermine our nonproliferation goals, it could potentially fall into the hands of terrorists. And we've been in close consultation with all our allies, including Israel, in moving this strategy forward. At this stage, it is my belief that we have a window of opportunity where this can still be resolved diplomatically," he said.
Obama said the announcement of six-power talks with Iran offered a diplomatic opportunity to defuse the crisis. He said the notion that the United States needed to make a choice in coming weeks or months was "not borne out by facts."
Netanyahu assured Obama on Monday (March 5) that the Jewish state has made no decision on attacking Iranian nuclear sites, sources close to
talks in Washington said. He, however, gave no sign of backing away from the option of military strikes.
"Israel is a sovereign nation that has to make its own decisions about how best to preserve its security," Obama said.
Amid mounting speculation that Iran's nuclear sites could be attacked in coming months, the president said that American politicians "beating the drums of war" had a responsibility to explain the costs and benefits of military action.
Obama has insisted that military options remain on the table if other means fail to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. On the topic of Syria, Obama said it was only a matter of time before President Bashar al-Assad left office, but added it was a mistake to think the U.S. could take unilateral action there.
"Ultimately this dictator will fall," he said, adding that it was not a question of if but when Assad would be forced out.
But he squarely opposed a call by U.S. Senator John McCain who on Monday urged U.S. air strikes on Assad's forces, saying it was a mistake to think there was a simple solution to the now year-long crackdown on the opposition in Syria, or that the United States could act unilaterally.
"We are going to continue to work on this project with other countries and it is my belief that ultimately this dictator will fall as dictators in the past have fallen. But the notion that the way to solve every one of these problems is to deploy our military, you know, that -- that hasn't been true in the past and it won't be true now," Obama said.
Obama reiterated his committed to long-term ties with Afghanistan but said the United States would not seek to extend its military presence longer than needed to disable al Qaeda and ensure a modicum of stability as foreign troops withdraw.
He said the violence that erupted after U.S. soldiers burned copies of the Koran on a NATO military base last month was an indication that "now is the time" for NATO to transition out of the lead for security.
"We are not interested in staying there any longer than is necessary to ensure that Al Qaeda is not operating there and that there is sufficient stability that it doesn't end up being a free-for-all after ISAF has left."
After over a decade of war, NATO nations plan to withdraw most combat troops by the end of 2014 as the West seeks to gradually put local forces in the lead.