Sec.Def. Gates: Diplomacy with Iran is Working

On his tour through the Middle East, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that diplomatic efforts to resolve the standoff over Iran's nuclear program are working and should be given a chance to succeed. At a news conference with his Isreali counterpart Amir Peretz, Gates said, "We agreed it was important to deal with the Iranian nuclear problem through diplomacy, which appears to be working. These things don't work overnight, but it seems to me clearly the preferable course to keep our focus on the diplomatic initiatives, and particularly because of the united front of the international community at this point."