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Iran getting the bomb or not depends solely on our ability to stop them. That's all. Nothing more.

We have the ability to stop them. It has nothing to do with a port in Dubai.

Taking the UAE out of the picture (as far as our presence there) will limit that ability. That's the point of having the UAE.

It's not working, if that's the case. Iran magically circumvented our steel curtain in Dubai and is building nuclear weaponry anyway.

"Take a look at the map and see where the UAE is relation to the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran said they were going to "shut down". Then you'll see the extreme advantage of having a presence *exactly there*. "

How will this stop Iran from launching a nuclear missile at Israel? And how does NOT having it prevent us from firing off a nuclear missile from a sub outside the gulf if Tehran decided do just that?

I understand what you're saying, but we have a massive base of operations in Baghdad already. You think Iran isn't a little queasy about that? Dubai won't make them any queasier. We can drive our tanks right over the border and go straight to the Capital.

And if that wasn't enough, you also have another position and side to launch attacks upon Iran, besides from within Iraq. We're tied down in Iraq whereas we're not tied down in the UAE.

You make a good point here, although, let's face it, Iran would love to have control of Dubai all the same. I HIGHLY doubt UAE will actually tell our military to go home, whatever business punishment they try to inflict.

You said -- "We have the ability to stop them. It has nothing to do with a port in Dubai."

I'm not entirely sure about that from a political standpoint. I already see what trouble it was to go to war in Iraq and I wonder if people would see another war as something necessary. Iran is probably counting on it not being politically viable. And that's why it's important to have the UAE in the equation. It makes it much more of a politically viable situation if we are protecting our interests and the interests of those who are supporting us. That's much better than going into some sort of an Iran conflict with no other "interests" in the region (plus the support that those interests give us).

And also you said -- "It's not working, if that's the case. Iran magically circumvented our steel curtain in Dubai and is building nuclear weaponry anyway."

They were going to attempt that no matter what -- because of the radical and rabid nature of Islam and how dedicated they are to it. In fact, I would say that us going into Iraq probably made their attempt more certain.

If they didn't make a move towards "the bomb" -- they would be minimized as a regional power and also in their ability to "take out" Israel -- which seems to be the whole aim of their religious government. I think the only way we're going to stop this now is militarily -- and that's why we need to be in the UAE.

And, you said -- "How will this stop Iran from launching a nuclear missile at Israel? And how does NOT having it prevent us from firing off a nuclear missile from a sub outside the gulf if Tehran decided do just that?"

The U.S. (and Israel) will be attempting to stop Iran before it gets to that point. That seems to be the stance of both the U.S. and Israel. And the fact of the matter is that the U.S. does not want to find itself launching a nuclear missile at Iran. That would open up a firestorm around the world and in Islamic countries. That would be a doomsday scenario and that's not going to happen from the U.S. side.

And -- "I understand what you're saying, but we have a massive base of operations in Baghdad already. You think Iran isn't a little queasy about that? Dubai won't make them any queasier. We can drive our tanks right over the border and go straight to the Capital."

I think Iran is looking at what we're doing in Iraq as "tying us down" rather than anything else. Where do you think all these attacks are coming from in Iraq? It's coming from Iran. Iran is the one who is stirring up the trouble in Iraq. They're doing this to tie us down and give us a big headache. And they seem to be doing a pretty good job of it, too.

The more they tie us down in Iraq, the less they have to worry about any of those units being free to roll into Iran.

At this point it looks like the Administration has cut another deal with the UAE and things will settle down now with the port deal. It was a stupid "tempest in a teapot" in the first place, stirred up, primarily, by the Democrats, as a political footbal (and joined by some idiotic Republicans).

So, I would say that most of this will go away now -- with this new "quid pro quo" that the Bush Administration has made with the UAE. It looks like Bush has done an "end run" around this whole thing, now.

Regards,
Star Traveler