the formal war declaration against Iran, the National Security Strategy of March 16, 2006, stated:
* "We may face no greater challenge from a single country than from Iran." * "The Iranian regime sponsors terrorism; threatens Israel; seeks to thwart Middle East peace; disrupts democracy in Iraq; and denies the aspirations of its people for freedom." * "[T]he first duty of the United States Government remains what it always has been: to protect the American people and American interests. It is an enduring American principle that this duty obligates the government to anticipate and counter threats, using all elements of national power, before the threats can do grave damage." * "The greater the threat, the greater is the risk of inaction – and the more compelling the case for taking anticipatory action to defend ourselves, even if uncertainty remains as to the time and place of the enemy's attack. There are few greater threats than a terrorist attack with WMD." * "To forestall or prevent such hostile acts by our adversaries, the United States will, if necessary, act preemptively." * "When the consequences of an attack with WMD are potentially so devastating, we cannot afford to stand idly by as grave dangers materialize." * "[T]here will always be some uncertainty about the status of hidden programs." * "Advances in biotechnology provide greater opportunities for state and non-state actors to obtain dangerous pathogens and equipment." * "Biological weapons also pose a grave WMD threat because of the risks of contagion that would spread disease across large populations and around the globe." * "Countering the spread of biological weapons .... will also enhance our Nation's ability to respond to pandemic public health threats, such as avian influenza." In addition, the March 16 declaration makes it clear that the US will use nuclear weapons in the war against Iran:
* ."..using all elements of national power..." * "Safe, credible, and reliable nuclear forces continue to play a critical role. We are strengthening deterrence by developing a New Triad composed of offensive strike systems (both nuclear and improved conventional capabilities)." and this is further reinforced by the just released "National Military Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction"[pdf] that states "Offensive operations may include kinetic (both conventional and nuclear) and/or non-kinetic options (e.g. information operations) to deter or defeat a WMD threat or subsequent use of WMD."
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