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DJ Sen McCain: Military Action Against Iran Is 'Last Option'(Comtex Business Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)WASHINGTON, Jan 15, 2006 (Dow Jones Commodities News Select via Comtex) --U.S. Sen. John McCain said Sunday that the U.S. should pursue penalties and diplomatic options before taking military action against Iran, which he said is the "last option." "There's only one thing worse than the United States exercising the military option, that is, a nuclear-armed Iran," McCain said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "Now, the military option is the last option but cannot be taken off of the table." Iran restarted its research at a nuclear facility last week after a two-year freeze. The Bush administration says Iran wants to make nuclear arms and is pursuing harsh penalties through the United Nations Security Council. But it's unclear if the U.S. has support from other Security Council members, particularly Russia and China. McCain said it would be "abominable" for Russia and China to vote against sanctions. In that case, he said the U.S. should pursue them anyway with other nations that are willing to support them. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Bush should do whatever he can to get support from Russia and China. "They need stuff from us," Schumer said on "Fox News Sunday. "They need trade. They need all kinds of assistance. We ought to play hardball with them." Iran is the second-largest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, and trade restrictions could increase already high prices across the globe, even for nations that don't import oil from Iran. The prospect of higher energy prices shouldn't stop the world from imposing sanctions against oil-rich Iran, U.S. senators said. McCain said sanctions will be tough but that Iran poses a greater danger to the U.S. than Iraq at this point and must be contained. "If the price of oil has to go up, then that's a consequence we would have to suffer," he said. The senators agreed that Iran poses one of the most serious threats to the world since the Cold War. "I don't think it's a stretch to say that if the Iranians had a nuclear missile that this president might well use it against Israel," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. (END) Dow Jones Newswires 01-15-06 1613ET |