US National Security Adviser Stephen J. Hadley delivers remarks to the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington, Thursday, March 16, 2006. (Xinhua photo)

WASHINGTON, March 16 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States must retain the option of launching preemptive military strikes in the face of all kinds of risks and uncertainties in the aftermath of the Sept.11, 2001 terror attacks, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday.

    "The doctrine of preemption which we have talked about reflects simply the fact that we can not stand by while threats accumulate and grow," Stephen Hadley, President George W. Bush's national security adviser, said at a briefing about the newly-released U.S. National Security Strategy.

    "As a matter of traditional self-defense in the face of these kinds of risks and uncertainties, America must retain the option to act before an attack occurs," he said.

    Nonetheless, Hadley admitted that to launch preemptive strikes, the United States will have to need "better intelligence" and "effective use of military force in a smart, measured way."

    "It does not mean it is something you would do in every circumstance," he said.

    Hadley claimed that the Iraq war was not an exhibit of the preemptive strategy.

    The United States had 12 years of diplomacy and the United Nations passed some 16 resolutions on the weapons of mass destruction of the Saddam Hussein regime. However, Saddam made the wrong choice and "left the international community and the United States with few options," he said.

    The United States launched the Iraq war on grounds that the Saddam Hussein regime had weapons of mass destruction and ties with the al-Qaida network. Yet none was proved correct after the war ended.

    As to Iran, Hadley said that the Iranian regime must change course and the international community will speak with one voice with Iran.

    "We are beginning to get indications that the Iranians are finally beginning to listen, and there is beginning to be a debate within the leadership and I would hope, a debate between the leadership and their people about whether the course they are on is the right course for the good of their country," he said.

    Bush released the U.S. National Security Strategy earlier Thursday and claimed that the United States faces "no greater challenge from a single country than from Iran." Enditem