Obama has trouble making Iran threat credible

NY Times:

Hard Line on Iran Places White House in a Bind


The White House is trying to convince Iran that it is serious about military action without leaving a sense that war is inevitable.
I suspect Iran believes Obama is bluffing on the threat of military force.  My own suspicion is that the only way we will attack Iran is if Iran responds to an Israeli attack with one on US forces.  They maybe misguided enough to make such a response.  But I don't believe Obama will attack them otherwise and they probably do not either.

The irony is that Iran is much more likely to try to cut a deal if they did believe we would attack, but that is a message Obama is reluctant to send.

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