JOINING THE HARD-LINERS – AT 7:30 P.M. ET:  Add CIA chief Leon Panetta, who also happened to be Bill Clinton's White House chief of staff, to the foreign-policy group led by Hillary Clinton and Bob Gates.  These are the adults, unlike the Samantha Power crowd, whose greatest craving is an honorary degree from Harvard and a kiss from the UN secretary general.

Panetta gives a serious warning: 

WASHINGTON – CIA Director Leon Panetta says Iran probably has enough low-enriched uranium for two nuclear weapons, but that it likely would take two years to build the bombs.
Panetta also says he is doubtful that recent U.N. penalties will put an end to Iran's nuclear ambitions.

He says the penalties could help to weaken Tehran's government by creating serious economic problems. But he adds, "Will it deter them from their ambitions with regards to nuclear capability? Probably not."

And he is correct.

Panetta tells ABC's "This Week" that there is "some debate" as to whether Iran will proceed with the bomb.

There is indeed debate, but I suspect it's mostly among Western foreign policy pundits.  Iran would not come this far, at such huge expense, and in the face of international pressure, simply to produce nuclear power plants to recharge iPods. 

But Panetta is wise to suggest the possibility that Iran may not actually build bombs, but stop just short, retaining the technology.  That may give Iran the best of worlds – the capacity to build weapons quickly, but an easing of sanctions.

We'll stand by.  So far, nothing we've done has deterred Iran, and Obama does not exactly project an image of strength.

June 27, 2010