Romney right on threat of Iran

THE peaceniks who enjoy open access to the ABC may choose to call it warmongering, but US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is right to send an unequivocal and forceful message to the belligerent leaders of Iran.

On a visit to Jerusalem (which, to the chagrin of some Palestinians, he described as Israel's capital), he argued that the US had a moral imperative to ensure Tehran did not attain nuclear weapons, declared that any and all measures must be employed by Washington to ensure the ayatollahs were prevented from fulfilling their malevolent ambitions, and solidly backed Israel's right to launch pre-emptive military action -- an approach that makes common sense given the enormity of the challenge posed by Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Mr Romney's speech, of course, had much to do with winning the votes of American Jews ahead of November's election, but that does not diminish its importance. With polls showing a tight race between him and President Barack Obama, the fact Mr Romney has adopted such a determined stand on Iran should leave the ayatollahs in no doubt that whoever is in the White House, their ambitions will not be countenanced.

 

Mr Obama, in the language he uses, adopts a more cautious approach, placing greater emphasis on sanctions and diplomacy as a way of persuading Tehran to back off. He is anxious to ensure Israel takes no precipitate action, but he, too, has declared his determination to ensure Iran is stopped in its tracks. The fact both presidential candidates are publicly united on this should disabuse those who criticise Mr Romney for warmongering in Jerusalem.

 

With recent assessments from the likes of Britain's MI6 spy agency head John Sawers that Iran is less than two years away from nuclear weapons, it is imperative for the US to leave no doubt about its determination. To do so is not to warmonger but to warn Iran off the calamitous course it is now on. Mr Romney is right to describe Iran as the world's most destabilising nation and this issue as a moral imperative.

 

Preventing Iran getting nuclear weapons is set to be the major foreign policy and security issue confronting whoever is in the White House after November. No one wants to see conflict but the ayatollahs would be unwise to ignore the determination to do whatever it takes to thwart their ambitions now expressed by the US incumbent and his challenger.