[billbears]

This country cannot afford a third war to satisfy the neo-conservative delusions of American hegemony.

And it won't have it either. Contrary to the 'hoo-rah' gang, the financial leaders and markets (the ones who hold the real power) have had enough. And it is also becomingly evidently clear that more within the administration and those surrounding it while not speaking publicly are voicing their opinion (a correct one loud and clear). Cheney and Bush can rant all they want and get the shrinking war support base whipped into a frenzy but make no mistake. There will be a diplomatic solution to this.

[jude24]

Cheney and Bush can rant all they want and get the shrinking war support base whipped into a frenzy but make no mistake. There will be a diplomatic solution to this.

I hope and pray you are correct. Unfortunately, the President has a lot of power to direct troops where he likes. Congress can do little more than jerk funding.

[blade_tenner]

There will be a diplomatic solution to this.

If the admin. was willing to strike a deal with an insane government like N. Korea, they'll probably be willing to deal with anybody. There is a crazy notion amongst the posters here that you can "bomb them back to the stone age" and not have troop presence on the ground.

The admin. can already claim some victory. Amedinijiad's party lost badly in their midterms. We may yet have regime change without firing a single bullet..

[Finny]

There will be a diplomatic solution to this.

Yeah. Right.

[nopardons]

Are you telling us that "WALL STREET" ( in the generic sense of that term ) makes American policy?

ROTFLMSOPIMP

[defenderSD]

I hope there is a diplomatic solution, but nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran cannot be part of that solution. I wouldn't overestimate Iran's ability to disrupt shipping in the Straits of Hormuz. They tried to disrupt shipping back in the 80s and the US Navy stopped that activity very quickly and decisively. I doubt that Iran could disrupt shipping for more than a few weeks. There's no way we will have an extended war with Iran, because we already have two extended wars going on now. But if Iran insists on building a nuclear arsenal, that could lead to airstrikes and quick raids by ground forces, followed by a short Naval battle to keep the Straits of Hormuz open.

Personally I think NATO is in Afghanistan more because of Iran than because of Al Qaeda. We could have destroyed Al Qaeda's bases in Afghanistan and then left rather than NATO staying there. I think we stayed there to use Afghanistan as a base for quick raids against Iran over the next 20-50 years if that kind of action becomes necessary.