Alfred E. Obama
Posted on 02/28/2008 8:07:59 PM PST by nuconvert
Scholar: MAD doctrine does not apply to Iran
Feb. 25, 2008
JERUSALEM — Iran could welcome a nuclear war with Israel or the United States. A leading U.S. scholar on the Middle East has asserted that Iran's leadership does not resemble the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Bernard Lewis, a professor at Princeton University, said the mullah regime in Teheran believes that the Shi'ite messiah would be ushered by a nuclear war, Middle East Newsline reported.
"It's not an Arab country, but rather a Muslim country, ruled now by a Muslim theocracy, which calculates its policies not by Iranian national interests, but by what is good for Islam," Lewis said
"Iran's leadership comprises a group of extreme fanatical Muslims who believe that their messianic times have arrived," Lewis said. "This is quite dangerous. Though Russia and the U.S. both had nuclear weapons, it was clear that they would never use them because of MAD — mutual assured destruction. Each side knew it would be destroyed if it would attack the other." "But with these people in Iran, mutually assured destruction is not a deterrent factor, but rather an inducement," Lewis said. "They feel that they can hasten the final messianic process. This is an extremely dangerous situation of which it is important to be aware."
In an address to the Jerusalem Conference on Feb. 20, Lewis, a longtime consultant to the U.S. and other Western governments, said Iran was working to assemble a nuclear weapon. He said Teheran regards a nuclear weapon as in the interest of Islam.
"It is actively pursuing nuclear power. Even a non-nuclear Iran is dangerous for Israel, and it must be carefully watched."
Lewis also warned of an erosion of Israeli democracy even while it continues to serve as a model for Arab states. He said Israeli parliamentarians are not held accountable for their policies.
"There is no direct election here, and therefore the representatives are not held accountable to anyone other than their party leaders and directorates," Lewis said. "In addition, minor splinter groups are granted more importance than they deserve proportionally, and the entire system encourages corruption."
pong
I’ve read three of his books. The guy knows what he is talking about.
Also see . ...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1978017/posts
Every time that guy opens his mouth we should take him seriously and respond accordingly.
Alfred E. Obama
UAS (Unilateral Assured Destruction)
B-b-b-but Obama will talk to them an pursue vigorous diplomacy and bridge the gap with change and hope and weed.
A good post, and let us NEVER lose sight of the fact that the reason that Iran is no longer a U.S. ally, no longer a force for peace and stability in the Middle East, no longer a relatively friendly neighbor of Israel, is because Jimmy STP Carter stabbed the Shah of Iran in the back, called the Ayatollah Khomeini a ‘godly man’ and helped to send Iran from the 20th all the way back to the 9th century, and the blood of hundreds of thousands of people are on his hands.
That’s why the satellite shootdown wasn’t just for the Chinese.
Well some nice 5000 pound Daisey Cutters would make a nice present for the Iranian thug.
bump for later
Can we dig up Andy Jackson for this election?
Let's see....we have many thousands of nukes on various delivery systems, Israel has a few hundred nukes (which can also be deployed on various platforms), and Iran has .....ZERO (as of right now). Plus the ABM systems of both the U.S. and Israel are the most advanced in the world. Even if the Iranians manage to build a few I doubt they'd be welcoming a nuke war, considering the above facts.
But Lewis is right -- it could happen. MAD only works when the national leaders involved are sane, and the Mullahs and their little puppet are anything but.
Unfortunately the pig's already out of the pen in the Muslim world -- Pakistan has 'em. (We never should've allowed that state of affairs). But allowing proliferation beyond the Pakis would be courting disaster in a big way. Gotta stop Iran right now.
And dig up Patton, MacArthur, Lemay, and Blackjack Pershing while we're at it.
Lewis clearly explains why we cannot reason with these people. (Are you listening, Obama?)
I have read only two of his books - and his expertise is evident.
It was a very disappointing experience - not that the books were poor by any means - but that it left one with the feeling that there is no possibility of reform in the Islamic world and that it’s just a matter of time before the train wreck happens.
It also brought to me the realization that borders and geopolitics are part of the western world - and have no meaning to a Muslim. Their alliance is with their God and that’s it. They are just incidentally residents/citizens of this subdivision or that. Lewis has pointed out that Bin Laden and other Muslim fanatics have no appetite for politics or even administration - their goal is to achieve an Islamic world, not manage it.
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