Richard Clarke and Steven Simon, who coordinated counterterrorism policy in the Clinton and Bush administrations, wrote in The New York Times that "any United States bombing campaign would simply begin a multi-move, escalatory process."

They warned that Iran would first attack Persian Gulf oil facilities and tankers, which could cause oil prices to spike above 80 dollars a barrel.

However more likely, Iran could use its terrorist network to strike American targets around the world, including inside the United States, Clarke and Simon said.

"Iran has forces at its command that are far superior to anything Al Qaeda was ever able to field," the experts wrote. "The Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah has a global reach, and has served in the past as an instrument of Iran."

The experts argued that Iran was in a position to make the situation in Iraq far more difficult for the United States than it already is.

"The Badr Brigade and other Shiite militias in Iraq could launch a more deadly campaign against British and American troops," the two wrote. "There is every reason to believe that Iran has such a retaliatory shock wave planned and ready."

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