Should the U.S. Discourage Israel From Attacking Iran?

Nuclear experts believe Iran is coming close to producing a nuclear weapon of its own. Iran claims to only be implementing nuclear programs for energy and medical purposes, but recent intelligence suggests otherwise. Israel has expressed the most concern about the prospect of a nuclear armed Iran, as Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad does not recognize Israel as a sovereign state and has vowed that Israel “will disappear.” Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met President Obama at the White House to discuss the Iranian situation and other issues in the Middle East. Analysts believe that Israel is considering a preemptive strike on Iran’s suspected nuclear weapons facilities. Some, including many of the GOP candidates for president, have criticized Obama for not being tough enough in support of Israel against Iran. But Obama has pushed back against that characterization: “The United States will always have Israel’s back,” Obama said in a speech Sunday to American Israel Public Affairs Committee and again Monday before his meeting with Netanyahu. However others worry that if Israel attacks Iran, it will drag the United States into war as well.  Here is the Debate Club’s take on whether the United States should discourage Israel from attacking Iran: