General Hayden: Iran very very determined to acquire nuclear weapons

Fox 'News' on Sunday host Chris Wallace interviews General Michael Hayden:

... WALLACE: I'm going to ask you, if I can, sir, to put on your other hat, your new hat as principal deputy director of national intelligence. The IAEA referred Iran to the Security Council yesterday.

Since then, Iran has said it will stop allowing some inspections of its facilities, but, on the other hand, it also says it's continuing to talk to Russia about a possible compromise.

General, what's your best intelligence as to how the mullahs will react to the possibility of sanctions? Do you see them more likely to strike back or more likely to cave in?

HAYDEN: That's a great question, Chris, and it's one that we're watching very carefully and preparing estimates on those very possibilities. I'd be reluctant to make a prediction, although I do think it's fairly well known that our overall intelligence community estimate is that Iran is determined to acquire nuclear weapons.

And working from that fact, I think that fact shapes our policy, and it appears to be shaping the policy of other nations as well.

WALLACE: Well, when you say they're determined, does that mean that economic sanctions by the rest of the world are not likely to deter them?

HAYDEN: No. I think the estimate would say that there may be the potential there to dissuade them, but right now they appear to be very, very determined. And so these kinds of efforts that are going on in IAEA, that may take place in the United Nations, that the European community may support, that our own diplomacy supports -- of course they're worthwhile and very valuable, and we'll have to see how they play out. Link

IT'S A NUCLEAR SHOWDOWN - ON FUX