U.S. strike may delay, not stop Iran nuclear program

By Kristin Roberts - Analysis WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities could set Tehran's program back years but would raise the risk of retaliation against American troops in the region and of driving Iran to work even harder to make atomic weapons, U.S. experts and officials say. Any U.S. attack -- something the Pentagon insists is not planned but is subject of frequent speculation as Iran defies calls to rein in its nuclear program -- could involve thousands of sorties and missile launches against hundreds of targets. It would be limited to air strikes, rather than a full-scale attack requiring U.S. ground forces, who are now tied down in Iraq and Afghanistan, analysts said. But the strike would be hampered by a lack of intelligence on the number and location of the nuclear facilities... [read full story]