New 'cold war' looms with Iran

BBC ^ | 3/13/06 | Paul Reynolds

[thoughtomator]

Only a fool or an ignoramus would believe in the possibility of a cold war with a nuclear Islamic state.

[varg]

The United States is developing a 'cold war'? More like the Iranian regime not responding and ignoring the legitimate concerns of the international community.

[b4its2late]

It might be cold to them right now, but I have a feeling it's gonna heat up sooner rather than later in order to head off any possibility of a cold war with these terrorists......

[monkeywrench]

"It would be a third way between trying to engage with the hard-line government there and attacking its nuclear facilities "

All these 'third way' clintonites need kicked to the curb.

[L98Fiero]

"Only a fool or an ignoramus..."

In other words, the Beeb.

[SIDENET]

New 'cold war' looms with Iran

I don't think so. This is probably wishful thinking on the author's part.

[stuartcr]

Cold wars are good for the economy.

[ClearCase_guy]

After all, it took 50 years for the Soviet Union to fall.

Only because the US listened to the Leftist traitors in the media and decided not to try and win. Then Reagan came in and said, "Here's my plan: we win, they lose."

And it was so.

[sono]

I'd say there's been a cold war with Iran since Nov 1979 ... Watch for it to go Hot ...

[jveritas]

There will be no cold war with Iran. Within 10 months there will be a massive air war against Iran that will last 4 to 6 weeks where we are not just going to destroy their nuclear facilities but the vast majority of their military infrastructure.

[johnny7]

You're 'gonna hear more of this kind of tripe from our own MSM in the coming days. It will be framed around Bush's 'hastiness' in attacking Iraq... and Feingold's calling for censure. The general idea being... to portray Bush as 'out-of-control'... an 'over-reactor'... and leading us all to Armegeddon.

Mark my words.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

I think what will be interesting is the 2006 fall election campaigns. With everyone speculating that the Republicans will have a hard time - I keep thinking of the comments made on the floor of the Senate by Boxer, Feinstein, Kennedy and others - in efforts to deny the administration's budget request for research on low yield nuclear weapons which could be the specific "bunker busters" needed against Iran. They'd make great commercials once the threat heats up. Oh, about October.

[Tokra]

The United States is developing the concept of a "cold war" with Iran.

Only if one considers a 750,000 degree Farenheit Teheran to be "cold".

[rahbert]

Cold war only exists when the parties fear nuclear war.

I am not convinced that the mullahs fear nuclear war, so
attempting MAD based policies with them is foolish, at the very least.

[GOPJ]

The beauty of a cold war is Iranians will turn out the Mullah's ... in time. And maybe less time if we can figure out how to deal with the people of Iraq rather than their elites. Iranians can look at Iraq and question the feasibility of democratic movements.

IMHO a modern Iraq success will bring down Iranian's Mullahs.

[isrul]

"However such a cold war might turn into a hot war if Washington decided this approach would not stop Iran from developing the technology needed for a nuclear bomb."

Does anyone (except brain dead diplomats) believe that Iran's goal is a nuclear bomb?

I think the diplomats will dither until Iran has it and then use that fact as a reason not to act. The only solution is Israel but it's not the Israel it used to be. so even action by Israel is not certain.

I fear all of the West will attempt to buy time. and I think this may be a catastrophic mistake.

[isrul]

"Only a fool or an ignoramus would believe in the possibility of a cold war with a nuclear Islamic state."

Plenty of both can be found in the ranks of western diplomats.

[isrul]

Your comments ring way too true.

[Mack the knife]

Long before there is an air-war on Iran, there will be an economic embargo ... of gasoline. We could even do it unilaterally - use our navy to halt tankers, and use either airplanes or covert ground forces to cut the pipelines into Iran.

Consequence - the Iranian economy would crash within 30 days. And radio beamed into Iran would explain that this was aimed at the governing Mullahs rather than the people.

The Mullahs would then have to explain to the citizens of Iran why their policy to develop an atomic bomb actually benefits Iranian citizens.

It will then be the citizens of Iran who will have to make the decision - get rid of the mullahs, or side with them.

If the Mullahs ordered their Revolutionary Guard to attack the US positions in Iraq, they would remove the forces that are suppressing dissent, making a 2nd revolution possible ... in addition, the air war would start, starting with MOABs on their attack columns.

Recall Patton: "Give me the go-ahead, and I will have us at war with the Russians within 30 days, and make it look like it is their fault!"