The New York Times reported on April 17^th that U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates wrote a 3-page memo in January to President Obama's national security advisor, James L. Jones, warning that the United States did not have an effective long-term policy for dealing with Iran. According to an anonymous senior official, the report served as a "wake-up call" and highlighted the inadequacies of U.S. attempts to curb Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. Perhaps, Secretary Gates has been reading our Gathering Storm alerts.

Once it became public that even some inside the Administration recognize that the "emperor has no clothes" when it comes to an effective Iran strategy, Gates, however, maintained that the New York Times mischaracterized the nature of the memo.

"The New York Times sources who revealed my January memo to the National Security Advisor mischaracterized its purpose and content. With the Administration's pivot to a pressure track on Iran earlier this year, the memo identified next steps in our defense planning process where further interagency discussion and policy decisions would be needed in the months and weeks ahead.  The memo was not intended as a 'wake up call' or received as such by the President's national security team. Rather, it presented a number of questions and proposals intended to contribute to an orderly and timely decision making process. There should be no confusion by our allies and adversaries that the United States is properly and energetically focused on this question and prepared to act across a broad range of contingencies in support of our interests."

Sen. John McCain disagreed, arguing that "We do not have a coherent policy." The push for sanctions has met resistance from China and Russia, and there has been inadequate discussion of a Plan B. An editorial in the Washington Post summed it up well-"the public signs of the administration's squishiness about military options are worrisome because of the lack of progress on its two-track strategy of offering negotiations and threatening sanctions."

Iran is not likely to back down. Not only has it continued pursuit of full nuclear capability, but it is also tightening its authoritarian grip on the Iranian people. On Monday the country banned Iran's last two opposition parties, the Islamic Iran Participation Front and the Mujaheddin of the Islamic Revolution Organization, after their leaders were imprisoned. Both parties advocated for stronger civil liberties.

As we twiddle our thumbs, it is clear that they know their policy.