A bipartisan study commission headed by two former U.S. senators is recommending that the United States tell Iran in no uncertain terms that it will suffer a nuclear attack if it launches a nuclear attack on anybody else.
"A nuclear deterrent strategy would require moving to a declared U.S. stance threatening the potential use of nuclear weapons should Iran ever use a nuclear weapon or allow its proxies to do so," said the report from The Bipartisan Policy Center, which is co-chaired by former senators Charles Robb, D-Va., and Dan Coats, R-Ind.
"While threatening any use of nuclear weapons even as a defensive capacity or in a retaliatory manner remains a taboo subject among Washington policymakers, it is irresponsible to delay further such discussions given the implications of Iran developing nuclear weapons or the capacity to develop such weapons," it said.
"The U.S. administration may need to announce that it reserves the right to respond to any attack against itself or its allies with overwhelming forceand, perhaps, nuclear weapons."
Likewise, Iran should be told it will suffer the same consequences if a terrorist group affiliated with it, such as Lebanon-based Hezbollah, uses a nuclear weapon, said the group, which is stocked with heavyweight former U.S. military and diplomatic figures associated with both Republican and Democratic administrations.
"In the event Iran or any suspect proxy utilizes nuclear weapons, Iran will be hit with a devastating retaliatory strike. In the interim, though, this requires preparation for such a response."
As an alternate strategy, the report said, the U.S. and its allies should start positioning military forces at bases surrounding Iran to deter it from using nuclear weapons.
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