Santorum favors Iran strike if sanctions don’t work

Jerusalem Post ^ | 01/10/2012 | HILARY LEILA KRIEGER

[americanophile]

NASHUA, New Hampshire – Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum said Monday the US should use surgical strikes like those employed by Israel against Syrian and Iraqi nuclear facilities to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Santorum told more than 100 New Hampshire voters gathered in a Salem Elks Lodge on the last day before the nation’s first-in-the-nation GOP primary Tuesday that as president he would first implement more sanctions, covert operations and assistance for pro-democracy forces.

But, he continued, if that doesn’t work, “then we set a deadline and we say if you don’t meet that deadline and open up this facility and begin to dismantle it, we’re going to take it out for you. Declare war? No. But take out [this facility] with tactical strikes...

Just like the Israelis did with the Syrians. Just like the Israelis did to the Iraqis.”

He declared, “We can’t let Iran get a nuclear weapon, because Iran is different than any other country in the history of the world world that’s gotten a nuclear weapon.”

[americanophile]

...at least he said it.

[byteback]

I’m liking Rick more and more. He’s at least shown himself to be a serious person who thinks about the issues.

[RitchieAprile]

a deadline! using Italic Bold and in red, no doubt, to express our dissapointment. and strongly worded.

[I Shall Endure]

If the sanctions actually bite, Iran will start shooting if we don’t.

[RC one]

I think air striking Iran would be appropriate and long overdue. Invading Iran, however, would be a mistake. We should lay waste to their military/defense and put them on par with Iraq again as well set back their nuclear development program. Santorum is right on this so long as he doen’t envision boots on the ground for an extended period of time

[BurningOak]

I am very skeptical towards such promises. Iran MUST be stopped, but I see little willpower among Americans to begin a major war which is what we are talking about here. Its a very easy thing to say, and a very hard thing to do. We are talking about trillions of new debt, and skyrocketing oil prices.

[americanophile]

Agreed. It's crazy to think about invading Iran, but you can make their nuclear program incredibly costly to them. I truly hope it doesn't come to this, but if they insist on their nuclear martyrdom program, it's incumbent upon the rest of us to ensure their inability to complete their calling.

[hosepipe]

Compassionate conservatives won’t like that...
You know the ones that voted for Juan McLaim..

[RC one]

it’s a good excuse to put their military capabilities back on par with Iraq too which serves our interests in the region.

[Seeing More Clearly Now]

Rick Santorum is right. Iran can neither be ignored nor placated.

There is no more pressing issue than Iran’s being at the very brink of having operating nuclear weapons.

[reaganaut]

Iran should be nuked back to the stone age.

[dantaylorca99]

Let’s do everything short of war to keep Iran from getting nuclear weapons, including all kinds of secret maneuvers, but let’s avoid war. We are fighting too many politically correct wars these days, it will be Iraq all over again. I used to go for the NeoCon line, but I don’t think it is consistent with actual conservatism. It is too grandiose, too willing to spill American blood to achieve “idealistic” goals that make our leaders feel “noble”

[reaganaut]

I’m not saying send in ground troops, but I am for first strike. If they get Nukes it will be us or Israel that are hit first and I don’t want to see another Pearl Harbor but worse.

[Venturer]

Rick’s biggest problem is that by the time he gets elected and sworn in at his inauguration, Obama will have closed down the military to the point we cannot stike at Iran.

[Darksheare]

Romney busts so many moves

I wouldn't trust him to be an ice cream man.
Support FR, defeat the rinos.

[DaveA37]

Unfortunately for the U.S., if we attack Iran, as I see it we will be going it alone. There are no other countries that I see that will jump in the fight.

When Buckwheat reduces our military as he has stated, we will have one hell of a time beating down Iran. They are insane fanatics and will resist will all their might. They were not to successful it their fight with Iraq and I don’t see any BIG change in their powers today other than having a “big mouth” leader/dictator (Sorry, I got Buckwheat mixed in there for a second. sarc.)

[Doofer]

I am very skeptical towards such promises. Iran MUST be stopped, but I see little willpower among Americans to begin a major war which is what we are talking about here. Its a very easy thing to say, and a very hard thing to do. We are talking about trillions of new debt, and skyrocketing oil prices.

More debt and the country goes tits up...

[Darksheare]

We’re in for it anyway.
Carter 2.0 is letting everyone with a beef know that we are weak and getting weaker.