Ritter: US will target Iran next

Former UN weapons inspector in Iraq Scott Ritter

Former UN weapons inspector in Iraq Scott Ritter claims the United States is undoubtedly planning a military strike against Iran.

"There's no doubt in my mind that the United States is planning right now, as we speak, a military strike against Iran. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and almost every senior US military official has pretty much acknowledged the same," he told Democracy Now on Monday.

"We take a look at the military buildup, we take a look at the rhetoric, we take a look at the diplomatic posturing, and I would say that it's a virtual guarantee that there will be a limited aerial strike against Iran in the not-so-near future-or not-so-distant future, that focuses on the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps," Ritter claimed.

Earlier in April, Ritter asserted that there was an 80 percent chance of a US war with Iran.

Ritter added that the preparations for such a conflict has been steadily developing and involves Congress as well as the Bush administration.

According to Ritter, a war with Iran would speed up the ongoing decline of US standing in the world subsequently leading to Russia and China's readiness to take advantage of the resulting power vacuum.