U.S. Defense Secretary Warns of Hizbullah, Syrian Missiles

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said on Tuesday that, “Syria and Iran are providing Hezbollah with so many rockets that they… have more missiles than most governments in the world.” The comment came during a joint news conference with visiting Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Washington. Barak attempted to diffuse speculation that Israel would act unilaterally against the Iranian nuclear program, telling reporters that his nation supports the American policy of diplomacy. But he seemingly left the door open for future use of force when he said that, “The time is clearly, at this stage [emphasis added] the time for sanctions and diplomacy.” Barak warned the international community against waiting too long to act, admonishing that a nuclear weapon in Iranian hands will “’change the landscape” of the world, not just the Middle East. Referring to his recently leaked memo in which he touched-off a tempest by accusing the Obama administration of inadequate long term planning regarding the Iranian nuclear program, Gates continued his efforts to undo the perception of disunity within the administration the incident caused, saying, “I’m very satisfied with the planning process both within this building and in the inter-agency.”