UPDATE: John Bolton Says Three Days Left to Attack Iran

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, told Israel Radio today that there are only three days left for Israel to attack Iran if it wants to stop the Islamic Republic from manufacturing nuclear weapons.

On Friday, Russia announced that on August 21st, it will start loading nuclear fuel into the Bushehr reactor. Bushehr is Iran's first atomic power station. Bolton said that once the reactor, also built by Russia, becomes operational on Friday, it will be too late to attack, because the attacking it would result in fallout of radioactive material as far as the Persian Gulf and hurt Iranian civilians.

Bolton also expressed pessimism that the U.S. administration would lead an attack against Iran, saying, "I would be very surprised if there are any circumstances in which the Obama administration would use force against Iran's nuclear program."

Earlier in the week, Bolton said, "If Israel wants to do something against the reactor in Bushehr, it must do so in the following eight days." Today he revised his estimate to even less time. He said that in the absence of an Israeli attack, Iran would complete its goal of the establishment of a functioning nuclear reactor.

Bolton was skeptical of the possibility that Israel would attack Iran in the coming days. "I do not think so, I fear that Israel has lost this opportunity," he said.

Already during his tenure in the Bush administration, Bolton stood out due to his approach advocating an attack on the regime in Tehran. He reiterated the danger for Israel and the world, and called on his government to deal with it firmly. Bolton has repeatedly stated that everything must be done to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, including a military attack.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/139171