McKenna: Will Obama be successful in convincing Netanyahu not to strike Iran?
Yes at least in the short-term. Obama needs to not only show evidence that sanctions are working and raise doubts about Iran’s nuclear intentions, he needs make it very clear in military terms that a strike again Iran has little chance of successfully destroying its nuclear program and greatly increases the likelihood of retaliation against Israel. US military officials need to making the same case to their Israeli counterparts, emphasizing the disastrous consequences of an a strike (a position supported by very senior former members of Israel’s military establishment). The bigger challenge for Obama, especially in an election year, is not getting pushed into drawing a line in the sand beyond which US would support a strike down the road.