[Phsstpok]

I agree with your analysis of the situation, but not your underlying assumption that we are dealing with rational players in Iran.

What if they are as crazy as they pretend to be?

I've dealt with my share of full goose bozos in my time in emergency services (lo these many moons ago). That makes it possible for me to picture one of them getting into a position of authority in one of these 13th century countries.

However, that doesn't make me a pessimist. The best way I can convey my position is to fall back on the old "half empty glass" analogy. Well I don't care if the glass is half empty or half full. I just want to know if it's got poison in it.

I am not fond of the idea of drinking the figurative Socrates cocktail.

[Pukin Dog]

Iran's people are not crazy, they just have crazy leadership holding the country hostage. Were the whole country crazy and still wanted a nuke, they would just cut off the oil for everyone until someone gave them one.

There aint enough crazy in most people to go up against survival instinct. People in the middle east have had the opportunity to see what our military can do even when it is only half trying.

Also, most Iranians remember that Iraq kicked their Persian asses all over the desert, yet the U.S. was running Baghdad within two weeks of dropping the first bomb. They dont want none of what we've got for them.

[Txsleuth]

I heard Amir Taheri talking about the leadership in Iran...and he said that there is no way we can "deal" with them...he actually said "it is not in their DNA to be reasoned with".