OLMERT HINTS AT MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAN

I wonder where this is coming from. Could it be Lieberman?

From http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/787238.html

Olmert hints at possible military action against Iran

By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent and Itim

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert hinted on Sunday for the first time at the possibility of Israeli military action against Iran to thwart its nuclear efforts.

In a conversation with press aboard his plane to the United States on Sunday, Olmert said that "Iran will only agree to a compromise on the issue of its nuclear program if it has a reason to be afraid."

Olmert refused to elaborate to the press on Israel's options regarding the issue.

The prime minister was speaking ahead of a Monday evening (Israel time) meeting with United States President George Bush at the White House.

The two are expected to discuss the Iranian nuclear threat, the situation in the Palestinian Authority and the implementation of the cease-fire in Lebanon.

In an interview published on Sunday in Newsweek and the Washington Post, Olmert made statements about Iran that took on the harshest tones so far.

In the interview, Olmert compared Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Adolf Hitler and said "he has to be stopped."

"My position is clear," the prime minister said regarding Iran. "If there can be a compromise that will stop Iran short of crossing the technological threshold that will lead them into nuclear capabilities, we will be for such a compromise."

"But I don't believe that Iran will accept such compromise unless they have a very good reason to fear the consequences of not reaching it," explained Olmert. "In other words, Iran must start to fear."

When asked what he thought could be done about Iran, Olmert said, "I can think of many different measures. The guideline has to be that this government and the people of Iran must understand that if they do not accept the request of the international community, they're going to pay dearly."

Responding to the interview, Iran said it would react swiftly and harshly to such a move by Israel.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told a news conference on Sunday that Iran would put into action its Revolutionary Guards if Israel attacked the Islamic Republic.

"If Israel takes such a stupid step and attacks, the answer of Iran and its Revolutionary Guard will be rapid, firm and destructive and it will be given in a few seconds," he said.

He also said the country was pressing ahead with plans to expand its program to enrich uranium, which the West and Israel accuse Iran of using to make nuclear warheads, despite Tehran's denials.

After the Washington leg of Olmert's trip, during which he will also meet with administration and congressional leaders, Olmert will head to Los Angeles to speak at the General Assembly (GA) of the United Jewish Communities.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who flew out to Los Angeles last Thursday, was due to open the GA on Sunday.