It's something that's been rumored for a while, including to me, and I've used it as an argument that President Bush can't get away with attacking Iran. Despite all, despite Sy Hersh's latest piece, I don't believe that either Condi Rice or Bob Gates will let the White House go to war against Iran. Now comes the London Sunday Times with an authoritative piece, based on British intelligence sources, saying that a host of U.S. generals and admirals will quit if Bush attacks Iran:

Some of America’s most senior military commanders are prepared to resign if the White House orders a military strike against Iran, according to highly placed defence and intelligence sources.

Tension in the Gulf region has raised fears that an attack on Iran is becoming increasingly likely before President George Bush leaves office. The Sunday Times has learnt that up to five generals and admirals are willing to resign rather than approve what they consider would be a reckless attack.

“There are four or five generals and admirals we know of who would resign if Bush ordered an attack on Iran,” a source with close ties to British intelligence said. “There is simply no stomach for it in the Pentagon, and a lot of people question whether such an attack would be effective or even possible.”

A British defence source confirmed that there were deep misgivings inside the Pentagon about a military strike. “All the generals are perfectly clear that they don’t have the military capacity to take Iran on in any meaningful fashion. Nobody wants to do it and it would be a matter of conscience for them.