[churchillbuff]

China also has nuclear weapons. One of their generals has threatened they'll use them on LA if we defend Taiwan. But nobody's talking about invading China. This neocon obsession with invading Arab countries shows a very selective concern about dictators and nuclear weapons. The concern is strictly limited to the middle east -- and that's why I don't give the neocons much credibility, because if they really believed it's necessary to invade countries in order to protect ourselves against them (as opposed to using containment as we did against the Soviets), why are they only interested in invading countries in the middle east? Their obsession with US military action in the middle east is going to cause us a recession or depression, if they're successful in making their invasion fantasies reality. Fortunately, I think Bush is starting to wise up to their jibe - that's why he's got Condaleeza and his Iraq ambassador talking with the Iranians instead of threatening an invasion. He realizes that the necocons sold him a bill of goods with the Iraq invasion, and he's not going to follow their lead into new unnecessary conflicts.

[rmlew]

You don't invade countries with nukes, you pre-empt them from acquiring enough nukes.
China has been a nuclear power since the 1960s.

Iran is a terrorist supporting regime, which has been an implacable foe since day one. If Iran has nukes, then so will her proxies such as Hizbullah.

[Crim]

What's that sound I hear?

Ohhh...it's the sound of a big ole ZOT comming your way pal...

*snicker*

[Wolfhound777]

China also has nuclear weapons. One of their generals has threatened they'll use them on LA if we defend Taiwan. But nobody's talking about invading China. This neocon obsession with invading Arab countries shows a very selective concern about dictators and nuclear weapons.

Your exactly right. No one is taking about invading China and our concern is very selective. Now put on your thinking cap, and the reason will come to you eventually.

[rhombus]

You assume all countries are on par and a MAD strategy will always work. I've seen little evidence that type of containment would work in the middle east. That being said, the cold war containment tactics involved more than just MAD - they also involved bloody warfare in places like Korea, Vietnam and Central America. Europe is playing the "containment" game with Iran. China, Japan et al have picked up the Clinton failure in Korea. We can hope for success, but history indicates it's unlikely. Even an Israeli-hating anti-neocon should be able to see that nuclear exchanges would result in higher gas prices and recessions.

[endthematrix]

"why are they only interested in invading countries in the middle east?"

To prevent them from becoming a more formidable, unpredictable and irrational military power.