Ghosts of Iraq War lurk behind Trump and Gabbard split

 

Trump with Director of National Intelligence Gabbard

 How close Iran has come to developing a nuclear weapon is the central question looming over Donald Trump's decision on whether to join Israel's military campaign.

 The issue, tinged with concerns about imminent threats to America and regional stability, has created an apparent break between the president and one of his top advisers.

 It also echoes arguments made by another Republican White House dozens of years ago during a different Middle East crisis. Aboard Air Force One on his surprise early return from the Canadian G7 summit, Trump was asked whether he agreed with March testimony by his director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, that Iran was not building a nuclear bomb.

 He told reporters, "I don't care what she said," adding that he believed Iran was "very close" to a bomb. Only the US can strike Iran's secret nuclear facility. US moves 30 jets as Iran attack speculation grows

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During her congressional testimony, Gabbard had said that US intelligence agencies determined that Iran had not resumed its suspended 2003 nuclear weapons programme, even as the nation's stockpile of enriched uranium - a component of such weapons - was at an all-time high.

 After Trump's Tuesday comments, Gabbard pointed to the level of uranium enrichment as evidence that she and the president "are on the same page" in sharing concerns.