Raiding Iran Triggers Discussion Of When And How

Evidence is mounting that the U.S. defense community and the Obama administration view 2013 as the likely window for a bombing attack on Iran's nuclear and missile facilities.

It could be earlier, timed to use the chaos of the Syrian government's fall to disguise such an attack, or later, if international negotiations with Iran stretch out without failing completely. But there is evidence that Iran's intransigence over shutting down its uranium-enrichment program will not buy it much more time.

Because of these shifting factors, military planners and White House advisers are still debating the advisability of a kinetic attack on Iran even though they say that option is ready. Three questions need to be answered:

•Is there really any need for a kinetic bombing campaign to further delay that country's much-feared nuclear and missile programs?

•What would be the politically least painful time to launch such an attack?

•Why not continue sanctions and cyberattacks indefinitely?

Three senior war planners, now retired, offer background analyses of what could affect the timing and type of attack.  http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_06_25_2012_p29-465266.xml