Perry, Santorum back Israel strike against Iran

NY Times:

As United Nations inspectors prepare to unveil a new report on Iran’s nuclear capabilities, some Republican presidential candidates have taken increasingly forceful tones on the issue, saying they would sanction or consider supporting an attack on Iran’s nuclear program by either Israel or the United States.

The party’s hawkishness was evident last week as five major Republican rivals campaigned in Iowa. In an interview outside Des Moines, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas was asked whether he would back a pre-emptive Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear program, and he then told CNN he would support Israeli efforts “up to and including military action.”

Rick Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator, described Iran as an “enemy” on Friday night in Des Moines at a dinner of almost 1,000 of the state’s most important Republican activists. In an interview, Mr. Santorum said that he would “stand shoulder to shoulder” in support of Israel if it launched a pre-emptive attack and that he would also back direct American military support if requested by Israel.

The issue holds particular resonance now amid numerous reports that United Nations inspectors will state this week that Iran has moved closer to being capable of building a nuclear weapon, and as Israel has been debating a more confrontational posture toward Iran.

Broadly within the party, the focus reflects not only competition to be regarded as the strongest ally of Israel, but also a sense that projecting toughness on Iran may offer one of the few political openings on foreign policy that Republicans can use to attack President Obama. Republicans assert that he has been weak and too solicitous of the Iranian government, while administration officials believe they have orchestrated an array of sanctions and other efforts that have put great pressure on Iran.

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Obama's Iran policy has been a failure.  He missed an opportunity to back those trying to change he regime when he failed to back their movement in hopes of talks with the religious bigots who run Iran's government.  That failure has been compounded by his failure to back the people against the Damascus entity.   These failures have made the necessity of a strike against around more likely.

BTW, Iran thinks we are an enemy and has been at war with us since 1979.  With that in mind, it should not seem unusual for Santorum to suggest that Iran is an enemy,