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Former Senior U.S. Diplomat Amb. Thomas Graham on the increasing tensions over Iran’s nuclear program and the increasing risk of military conflict.
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-- -- doubling the number reminds we've except sit near the Strait of Hormuz -- -- crucial oil passageway in the Persian gulf that is under now radian.
Control there are now eight of those vessels because of -- Has threatened to shut down that route and roulette with -- -- the new standoff continues and our -- or other ships start entering into that neck of the woods.
My next guest says that a conflict with a Rand would be very costly and should be avoided and ambassador Thomas Graham.
Thinks we're closer.
To something like guts if we're not careful -- that's -- good to have you.
Thank you -- have to be here if you had delayed the odds that right now ambassador -- The disk comes to blows when you.
6040.
In favor of coming to -- them real -- -- he said.
Well that's what I hear from -- what people say.
-- I hear from the region that's who here from just talking to people.
They get seen in -- at this stage it seems more likely than not I think more likely than not Sassoon.
Well that's another question but it does look like.
If it's going to happen that this year is.
Probably pretty good prospect for it to happen -- event happened before election.
That's exactly what -- had in mind okay in the elections are elections always color policy to to a degree so.
If if it's.
Israel were to act would -- -- that you I was series saying you know we must preserve the right to protect ourselves.
And act accordingly and the paraphrasing.
Who was the signal from that that Israel would act alone if it had to floor or is it understood that if it did -- it would be acting in concert.
Directly or indirectly -- I think it's the former because my understanding is released from the newspapers general Dempsey told.
The Israelis -- name -- in Israel that if they acted alone we would not go with them.
So that seems to suggest that what we would provide the intelligence and -- it wouldn't if we haven't already that perhaps perhaps -- do anything like that ambassador 1980 when.
The Israelis took out that Iraq nuclear I don't think we did.
Now that they acted alone I think they did this will be tougher to do now my -- spread out around much tougher since a lot of its underground.
Iran's further away it's a big country there's a number of different sites it's.
It's not the same thing at all.
-- -- Israel has the capability.
To do enough damage to.
Rails the Iranian people to support the this this government there but not enough to cripple the program but -- be blamed for anyway it's sort of bad combination and what is the difference ambassador -- going answer -- 1980 as the Israelis did.
And trying to do the same thing in 2012 against the Iranians in Iran it is.
A much more substantial military power isn't much more substantial and what the Israelis are going after a worse one.
Reactor which.
Credit -- about -- out of Baghdad and was not.
Defended.
Wasn't underground or anything like that.
It was an easy target.
It was -- well run operation to be sure but it was still an easy target nothing compared to say.
Second.
-- that enrichment site -- -- for example is very bright and --
