From the NYT:

“It would be preferable to resolve this diplomatically and through the use of pressure than to use military force,”the ambassador, Dan Shapiro, said Tuesday at a meeting of the Israeli bar association. “But that doesn’t mean that option is not fully available. And not just available, but it’s ready. The necessary planning has been done to ensure that it’s ready.”

While American leaders, including President Obama and his defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have frequently said all options are on the table regarding Iran, the notion of specific plans being made is not something they typically talk about.

The Iran nuclear issue has been receiving slightly less coverage the past few months.

But it seems that the possibility of strikes against Iran still exists.  The fact that the United States has been preparing for such a strike is not hot news:  public acknowledgment of military preparations was given months ago.

The question still seems to be one of timing.  How much time does Israel have before its military capabilities are insufficient for a damaging strike?  How much times does the U.S. have before its military capabilities are insufficient?  And how much does Israel trust the U.S. to follow through with strikes should Israel’s window of opportunity close?

Diplomacy may still (hopefully) ease tensions and lead to peaceful resolution of the conflict.  I can’t help but wonder if Iran is simply playing its cards close to its chest, hoping to run the clock as long as possible in order to achieve a superior bargaining position in negotiations.