Posted on 09/02/2007 1:47:39 AM PDT by familyop
A diplomatic push is essential to prevent the world from facing a choice between a nuclear-armed Iran and war, Italy's foreign minister said on Saturday, echoing comments made by the French president.
Italy is one of Iran's largest trading partners, but its centre-left government has consistently spoken out against Iran's nuclear ambitions and voted in favour of United Nations sanctions.
Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said he shared the reasoning behind French President Nicolas Sarkozy's Monday comment that diplomacy was the only alternative to "an Iranian bomb or the bombing of Iran".
"I am convinced that a strong international effort is needed because we don't want to find ourselves in a few years in a situation in which we either accept Iran with atomic bombs or accept a prospect no less catastrophic than war," D'Alema said.
"And it needs to be said that the strategy followed until now has been shown to be largely ineffective."
Major Western powers fear Iran's nuclear programme is aimed at making atom bombs, while Tehran says it only wants to generate electricity. Iran's president quickly dismissed Sarkozy's comments as a sign of inexperience.
“Italy is one of Iran’s largest trading partners...”
That says it all.
“...but its centre-left government has consistently spoken out against Iran’s nuclear ambitions and voted in favour of United Nations sanctions.”
Ouch, UN sanctions; that’ll learn ‘em! Sure worked against Iraq...
Screw Italy. And, for that matter, Europe. Just saying the word “Europe” makes me wretch.
Yeah, give diplomacy another try. It’s been working SO well.
Diplomacy could be good, but still be prepared for war if necessary.
Is anyone REALLY stupid enough to believe that “diplomacy” has a snowballs chance in hell to prevent the Iranians from acquiring nuclear weapons? You may as well print articles saying that “A diplomatic push is essential to prevent the sun from coming up on time tomorrow, and prevent the world from facing the unpleasant prospect of reality once again.
And yet the Libs in the MSM treat this as if, on its face, it is a serious discussion with real prospects for success.
Liberalism is a truly pathology, not an ideology.
This is frankly delusional, it's like:
"Death or Mambo!"
Geez...uh, I'll take Mambo."
Ok. "Death by Mambo!"
After several years of diplomacy on this issue, further diplomacy is recommended.
Exogenous events may override diplomacy at any time.
War is a part of diplomacy. It’s just the most extreme form.
Some nations seem to have forgotten that diplomacy does not end with the ‘asking nicely’ part.
Diplomacy is all about getting things your own way, until you decide that the costs are too great to push the point further.
Given the cost of having a nuclear armed Iran vs the cost of destroying Iran, I’d guess that the cost of destroying Iran is less, from the point of view of the U.S., which is all that counts (to the U.S).
Gee, this is a new idea. Why hadn't anyone thought of this before?
D'oh!
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