Study: Attack on Iran would be 'start of long war'

An Israeli attack on Iran would fail to stop Tehran's alleged nuclear weapons program and would lead to a "long war" that would be marked by economic instability and mass civilian casualties, says a study from British think tank. In a report released Wednesday, the Oxford Research Group stated that, while the likelihood of a US attack on Iran's nuclear program has been lessened by the Obama administration's policies, advances in Israeli military technology have increased the potential for an Israeli attack. The study, entitled "Military Action Against Iran: Impact and Effects," also argues that an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities would galvanize the Iranian public behind the leadership of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and give the regime in Tehran more support and rationale for developing nuclear capabilities. "An Iranian administration under attack would experience considerable national unity and would work rapidly to redevelop its weapons programs, withdrawing from the NPT and prioritizing nuclear weapons," the report states.