In an article about the views of US presidential candidates on Iran, the New York Times on Dec. 31 wrote that Sen. J. McCain asks: “Isn’t it less dangerous to bomb Iranian atomic sites rather than having an atomic Iran in the future?”

The article also wrote that Rudolph W. Giuliani and Mitt Romney, both republicans, are competing for tougher measures against Iran.

Also on Dec. 30, the New York Times in its editorial wrote that why not put Russia’s intentions to a practical test by seriously exploring President Vladimir Putin’s offer to share a Russian early-warning radar in Azerbaijan? American officers who have checked out the site have come away impressed with its capabilities. A joint United States-Russian military operation on Iran’s borders could do a lot to get Tehran to rethink its nuclear plans.