DAR AL HARB - U.S.A.: THERE WILL BE NO STRIKE ON IRAN BY THE UNITED STATES OR ISRAEL

U.S. drops plan to strike Iran as part of Iraq exit strategy

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration plans to involve Iran in its exit strategy for Iraq and has decided not to strike Iran's nuclear facilities.

Administration sources said President Bush has decided that barring a "catastrophic development," the United States would not attack Iran. The sources said the administration has been conveying the decision to U.S. allies in the Middle East.

"The United States has decided that Iran's cooperation was needed for a withdrawal from Iraq," an administration source said. "There won't be a situation where there will be cooperation and then war with Iran."

The decision marks a rejection of more than two years of Israeli appeals for a U.S. military option against Iran. The sources said Bush was swayed by his intention to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq as well as an intelligence assessment that an air strike would not destroy all or most of Iran's nuclear weapons facilities.

"The hidden message [to Israel] was that if we don't do it [strike Iran], you definitely don't do it," the source said.

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Pertinent Links:

1) U.S. drops plan to strike Iran as part of Iraq exit strategy