Israel Matzav: While Mullen worries that Iran is running out the clock, Axelrod plays Alfred E. Neuman

While Mullen worries that Iran is running out the clock, Axelrod plays Alfred E. Neuman

On the Sunday news magazines in the US, Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, expressed concern that Iran is running out the clock to becoming a nuclear-armed power. Meanwhile, Obama adviser David Axelrod did his best Alfred E. Newman imitation, fudging when asked if President Obumbler really plans to stick to the December 31 deadline that replaced the September 30 deadline for Iran to change its behavior.

Here's Mullen first.

Adm. Mike Mullen also said he's worried about "the clock now running" on the Obama administration's efforts at trying to keep the lines of communication open with Iran. The administration had given a rough deadline of the end of 2009 for Iran to respond to an offer of engagement and show that it would allay world concerns about its nuclear program.

Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, supports that offer, and has said any military strike on Iran, whether by Israel or the United States, should be a last resort.

"I think signals are very clearly in the air that another set of sanctions, another resolution, that that's coming," he said.

"I grow increasingly concerned that the Iranians have been non-responsive. I've said for a long time we don't need another conflict in that part of the world," he said. "I'm not predicting that would happen, but I think they've got to get to a position where they are a constructive force and not a destabilizing force."

But is Obama really pushing for another round of sanctions? Let's call that questionable.

Here's Alfred E. Axelrod.

Obama has long proclaimed a Dec. 31 deadline for cooperation or retaliation of some unspecified kind. But Iran and, before it, Iraq under Saddam Hussein, has confidently counted on years of international dithering on enforcing printed sanctions.

So naturally on ABC's "This Week" this week, George Stephanopoulos asked Obama adviser and ex-newspaper reporter David Axelrod about the approaching Obama deadline.

Axelrod started to say something about talking but checked himself and spoke instead of "consequences."

But, as often occurs in diplomatic-speak -- and politics-speak too, come to think of it -- it's what you don't say that's often more important than what you do utter.

Axelrod declined to reiterate the Dec. 31 date. Here's the exchange. Draw your own conclusions:

The conclusion is clear. Unless Axelord no longer speaks for Obama (which seems unlikely), December 31 is no more of a deadline than September 30 was. Iran continues to forge ahead toward a nuclear weapon, while Obama fiddles on his violin, the rest of the West waits for Obama to act, and the storm gathers on the horizon. Now, even Michael Mullen is concerned.

What could go wrong?

Israel Matzav: While Mullen worries that Iran is running out the clock, Axelrod plays Alfred E. Neuman