U.S. General Says Attack Would Strengthen Iran's Nuclear Resolve

Former Vice Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff General James Cartwright (file photo)

WASHINGTON -- General James Cartwright, the former vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, says a limited strike on Iran would "probably" strengthen Tehran's resolve to move forward toward creating nuclear weapons.

Cartwright, who was the second-highest-ranking U.S. military officer under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, made the remark on March 28 at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing titled, "High Stakes and Hard Choices: U.S. Policy on Iran."

Cartwright said he was worried that "like in Iraq and Afghanistan, the bombing itself is not going to change [people's] mind."

Cartwright also warned that Iran could "well within a year" attempt to build a crude version of a nuclear weapon using material that would not be considered weapons-grade by the United States.