Michael Singh
The credible threat of military force is essential to achieving the U.S. objective of preventing
With a credible threat of force in place, however, this calculation changes -- dismissing sanctions leads not to Western acquiescence, but to a military strike. Yielding to pressure and taking up the international offer of negotiations, however undesirable to the regime, becomes the route to avert a confrontation which could threaten the regime's survival.
For this reason, publicly downplaying or discouraging a strike -- whether by
Making
Public messages aside, U.S. officials may privately believe that if military action against
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