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U.S. fears Iran can strike Europe

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- The United States believes Iran has received missiles from North Korea that can strike Western Europe, cables revealed Sunday by WikiLeaks indicate.

The documents also show that Arab states are demanding action to stop Iran just as much as Israel is, The New York Times reported.

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The king of Bahrain, who hosts the U.S. 5th Fleet, is quoted telling the Americans the Iranian nuclear program "must be stopped."

"The danger of letting it go on is greater than the danger of stopping it," he said.

And King Abdallah of Saudi Arabia repeatedly begged Washington to "cut off the head of the snake" while there was still time, according to another cable.

When President Barack Obama took office, allies feared his policy of engagement would make him look weak to Iran. But the cables show that his aides countered with a plan to encircle Iran with economic sanctions and anti-missile defenses.

As part of that effort, the Americans prodded the Saudis to offer China a steady oil supply to free it from dependence on Iran. The Saudis agreed, provided China joins the sanctions.

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