U.S. officials believe Iran sanctions will fail, making military action likely- Russia prepares military response

February 18, 2012 – WASHINGTON – Officials in key parts of the Obama administration are increasingly convinced that sanctions will not deter Tehran from pursuing its nuclear program, and believe that the US will be left with no option but to launch an attack on Iran or watch Israel do so. The president has made clear in public, and in private to Israel, that he is determined to give sufficient time for recent measures, such as the financial blockade and the looming European oil embargo, to bite deeper into Iran’s already battered economy before retreating from its principal strategy to pressure Tehran. But there is a strong current of opinion within the administration – including in the Pentagon and the state department – that believes sanctions are doomed to fail, and that their principal use now is in delaying Israeli military action, as well as reassuring Europe that an attack will only come after other means have been tested. “The White House wants to see sanctions work. This is not the Bush White House. It does not need another conflict,” said an official knowledgeable on Middle East policy. “Its problem is that the guys in Tehran are behaving like sanctions don’t matter, like their economy isn’t collapsing, like Israel isn’t going to do anything. Sanctions are all we’ve got to throw at the problem. If they fail then it’s hard to see how we don’t move to the ‘in extremis’ option.” The White House has said repeatedly that all options are on the table, including the use of force to stop Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, but that for now the emphasis is firmly on diplomacy and sanctions. But long-held doubts among US officials about whether the Iranians can be enticed or cajoled into serious negotiations have been reinforced by recent events. “We don’t see a way forward,” said one official. “The record shows that there is nothing to work with.” Scepticism about Iranian intent is rooted in Iran’s repeated spurning of overtures from successive U.S. presidents from Bill Clinton to Barack Obama, who appealed within weeks of coming to office for “constructive ties” and “mutual respect.”  –Telegraph

MOSCOW prepares military response for Iranian attack — Russia has been preparing for the prospect of an Israeli or U.S. air strike on Iran in 2012. Officials said the Kremlin has ordered the military to draft options for a Russian response to any foreign attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. They said the Defense Ministry has established a facility to monitor Teheran, an ally and trading partner of Moscow. Russian Chief of Staff Gen. Nikolai Makarov “Iran, of course, is a sore spot,” Russian Chief of Staff Gen. Nikolai Makarov said. Makarov said Iran has become the leading focus of the Kremlin. He said the Defense Ministry has established a center to closely monitor Iran and the rest of the Middle East. Makarov said international pressure on Iran has been growing and could be followed by military action. He said the current sanctions on Teheran could lead to a confrontation in mid-2012. –World Tribune