Israel, Iran and the Bomb

The Wall Street Journal: Opinion ^ | July 15, 2008 | John R. Bolton

[Uncle Ralph]

Iran's test salvo of ballistic missiles last week together with recent threatening rhetoric by commanders of the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guards emphasizes how close the Middle East is to a fundamental, in fact an irreversible, turning point.

Tehran's efforts to intimidate the United States and Israel from using military force against its nuclear program, combined with yet another diplomatic charm offensive with the Europeans, are two sides of the same policy coin. The regime is buying the short additional period of time it needs to produce deliverable nuclear weapons, the strategic objective it has been pursuing clandestinely for 20 years . . .

Estimates vary widely, and no one knows for sure when [Iran] will have a deliverable weapon . . . But that is not the key date. Rather, the crucial turning point is when Iran masters all the capabilities to weaponize without further external possibility of stopping it. Then the decision to weaponize, and its timing, is Tehran's alone. We do not know if Iran is at this point, or very near to it. All we do know is that, after five years of failed diplomacy by the EU-3 (Britain, France and Germany), Iran is simply five years closer to nuclear weapons. . . .

But the urgency of the situation has not impressed Barack Obama . . . Remarkably, on July 9, Sen. Obama, as if stumbling on a new idea, said Iran "must suffer threats of economic sanctions" and that we needed "direct diplomacy . . . so we avoid provocation" and "give strong incentives . . . to change their behavior." Javier Solana, chief EU negotiator, was at the time busy fixing a meeting with the Iranians to continue five years of doing exactly what Mr. Obama was proclaiming, without results.

[Eagles6]

Boy, do I wish John Bolton was running for POTUS.

I do think that he is a bit off the mark(forgive me John).

Iran may or may not have a nuclear weapon ready now. If they do have it they will not use it now, however. If they do it now Armageddon will be unleashed.

They only have to wait until George W is out of office. There is a 50% chance that obama will be elected, then they can strike with impunity.

[matthew fuller]

John Bolton is our country’s best choice for the Republican Candidate for President, with Charles Krauthammer as his VP.

[matthew fuller]

And yes, I know that Krauthammer is physically impaired- So what?

[Ramzi Al Kaboom]

Bolton...in short order gets to the point...and he’s dead on

[Rummyfan]

And yes, I know that Krauthammer is physically impaired- So what?

And I believe that Dr K is also Canadian by birth....

[happygrl]

Thus, instead of debating how much longer to continue five years of failed diplomacy, we should be intensively considering what cooperation the U.S. will extend to Israel before, during and after a strike on Iran. We will be blamed for the strike anyway, and certainly feel whatever negative consequences result, so there is compelling logic to make it as successful as possible. At a minimum, we should place no obstacles in Israel's path, and facilitate its efforts where we can.

These subjects are decidedly unpleasant. A nuclear Iran is more so.

Bolton has tipped his hand.

War is coming, and with it $300/per barrel oil ?

[Stonewall Jackson]

He grew up in Canada, but he was actually born in New York City.

[Diogenesis]

One suspects that when Iran announces, they will have
many, deliverable, and some in place, weapons.

The leaders of the West know this, hence the delay.
They are worse than idiots, they are traitors.

[mkjessup]

"All we do know is that, after five years of failed diplomacy by the EU-3 (Britain, France and Germany), Iran is simply five years closer to nuclear weapons..."

And let's remember that our own Manhattan Project was begun in June 1942, and we had our first A-bomb detonation at Trinity in July 1945.

And we were pioneers in atomic energy, the techniques and methods for developing a nuclear weapon have been highly refined over the past 60+ years and you can bet the rent that the Islamofascists in Tehran have benefited from that.

Tehran needs to be nuked, a message needs to be sent, a message that will cause every jihadist to crap their pants and realize that 'allah' can't save them from the nuclear wrath of a p*ssed off United States.

Turning Tehran into a green glass parking lot will do more to advance the cause of peace in the Middle East than a thousand babbling and delusional diplomats.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

These subjects are decidedly unpleasant. A nuclear Iran is more so.

Sometimes, better a horrible ending than horrors without end.

[nuconvert]

“Israel is now at an urgent decision point: whether to use targeted military force to break Iran’s indigenous control over the nuclear fuel cycle at one or more critical points. If successful, such highly risky and deeply unattractive air strikes or sabotage will not resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis. But they have the potential to buy considerable time, thereby putting that critical asset back on our side of the ledger rather than on Iran’s.

With whatever time is bought, we may be able to effect regime change in Tehran, or at least get the process underway. The alternative is Iran with nuclear weapons, the most deeply unattractive alternative of all.”

Regime change is the answer to all the problems we have with Iran. I hope Bolton returns to government when McCain wins in Nov.

[matthew fuller]

"And I believe that Dr K is also Canadian by birth.... "

"Charles Krauthammer (born March 13, 1950 in New York City[1][2]), is a Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist and commentator." This is according to the sometimes incorrect Wikipedia.

[happygrl]

Agreed.