Bolton wants to bomb Iranian nuclear sites

LONDON, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- John Bolton, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Sunday Iran's nuclear facilities should be targeted for a pre-emptive bombing strike.

Citing the apparent failure of British and European Union officials' talks with their Iranian counterparts, Bolton said there is no available alternative but to bomb the Middle Eastern nation's suspected nuclear sites, The Guardian reported.

"I don't think the use of military force is an attractive option," Bolton told members of Britain's Conservative Party Sunday, "but I would tell you I don't know what the alternative is.

"Because life is about choices, I think we have to consider the use of military force. I think we have to look at a limited strike against their nuclear facilities."

The former ambassador said if such military action were to be taken, it should be paired with a major regime change involving Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"If we were to strike Iran it should be accompanied by an effort at regime change," he said. "The U.S. once had the capability to engineer the clandestine overthrow of governments. I wish we could get it back."