Iran would not dare actually use their nukes. Some of the end-of-the-world Mahdi types might want to hasten the end, but their plan will be ineffective except as it applies to themselves.
We'd better hitch up our trousers if we strike Iran.
NRO bump for being on the money.
You should read some of the comments on the BBC "have your say" section about Iran and nukes. A majority of them think its ok for Iran to have nuclear weapons. This is the same nation that took americans hostage for 444 days out of our embassy,says the holocaust is a myth,threatens to wipe Israel off the map, and chants Death to America and Death to Israel on a daily basis.Has the world gone mad? I believe europe hates the US more than islamic radicals with nuclear weapons.This will escalate into another world war I fear.People were blind to Hitler in the 1930's.
Don't worry! The UN is working on this!
Oh sh!t. :(
One thing is certain, if the US, NATO or the un don't take the necessary steps to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, then Israel will. The Israelis have already said they want a process in place by March of this year or they will consider their options.
What does Sean Penn say?
Iran has agreed to let the (utterly toothless) nuclear regulatory body of the UN monitor their "work" on developing "nuclear power". They've done this because they realize two things: 1)that it's easy to appease the foolish Europeans by aligning yourself with the UN; and 2) that UN is a useless body when it comes to enforcement of any kind.
Here's how things will shake out... Iran claims to want to develop a nuclear program solely as a means of generating power (although the ENTIRE WORLD knows this is not true). Iran will at some point claim it is being threatened by Isreal, and that as a peace-loving nation, it must now develop a nuclear deterrent in the case of an attack by the Isrealis. If the Iranians are not stopped in their tracks by the Isrealis or the US, expect them to be the nation that supplies the first terrorist-detonated, large-scale nuclear device.
>>>Dovish Europeans, the America’s Democratic Party, and Middle Eastern countries will be angry at us for resorting to military means.<<<
...Because what is bad for Americans is good for the Democrat party, and for Europe as well.
Iran will never get a nuke. Israel will take them out and we'll stomp our feet at the UN, but thank them in private.
The US is NOT going to allow Iran to develop the bomb. Everyone except Iran knows this including the Russians. We still have approximately 12 months before we have to act, but I suspect no later than the end of this summer we will see B-1s and other bombers wiping their nuclear sites off the face of the earth.
The US and Europeans at least are coordinating this to some extent.
The underlying idea is that after the Europeans fail with their negotiations (Which they will when dealing with Iran), they can hardly fall into our backs as some did with Iraq. It's a process where they are ultimately brought on our side politically and forced to stand with us. The political powers in Europe like France and Germany are then basically publicly admitting political failure with negotiations (An obvious outcome with Iran) and have to show color. Later the same people can hardly back peddle. This is a political Vetting process, not a real solution.
Anyone with half a brain knows Iran has no intentions to conform. They would like to cut the throats of half those European infidels that they are talking with. Negotiations are nothing more than a stalling tool. An Arab or Persian never negotiates like a Westerner. As with Muqtar Al Sadr, Arafat, negotiations are hardly sincere but make it hard for the opponent to take military action. They know this.
The US knows the Europeans will fail. Iran knows they will fail but tries to buy time or even gain acceptance of a nuclear Iran. The US knows these negotiations will fail and pushed the EU to the forefront of this issue. If you want to shoot your mouth off, show us what you can do! While we will still carry the brunt of the costs in shear economic and blood toll with a military engagement with Iran, the provincial thinking Eurocrat may feel less inclined to fall into their allies back and beat political capital out of issues like Iran or Iraq earlier, which was literally the case with Schroeder/Chirac.
At some point the Germans/Brits/French will say “Negotiations have failed" – meaning that peaceful methods have been exhausted. At that point it becomes hard for the German SPD or some other leader to change course and play the "Oil Bush Cowboy hegemony imperialism" card.
Red6
Says it all about the impact of the lefts overblown rhetoric.