Does anyone still doubt Iran is a threat?

[Turd Furguson]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/...nce/index.html

Even the French are realizing the truth.

The big question is, what happens next? Does the world community at large sit back and let Iran develop a nuclear weapon?

[shirtsleeve]

Nope, dont doubt it at all. Be scared. Be very, very scared.

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

Originally Posted by Turd Furguson

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/...nce/index.html

Even the French are realizing the truth.

The big question is, what happens next? Does the world community at large sit back and let Iran develop a nuclear weapon?

Actually, Russia is holding Iran's hand...but then again. Whatever I say is just a wacko alert.

[Turd Furguson]

Oh I dont doubt that. Putin is definately in bed with Iran. That could foul things up with the UN Security Council. Then again SOMETHING always fouls things up in the UN Security Council.

[Patters]

Iran became a threat as a result of the Iraq war. It had a fairly moderate government but the people, afraid of the United States, voted in an extremist government. If you scare people enough, they will elect fools as leaders, as we did. Further, Iran is a more serious threat because we took out their biggest regional enemy, Iraq, and are helping to unify the Shiite population of the region.

It's interesting that Bush hasn't even imposed unilateral sanctions on Iran yet. Maybe Rove is waiting until a more strategic time to stoke up the fear machine and rally the paranoid right.

That said, eventually something will have to be done, perhaps a targeted attack on Iran's nuclear facilities to slow down their program, but for now I agree with Rice's $75 million propaganda campaign, though I can't believe that amount of money is enough.

[Patters]

Originally Posted by Terry Glenn is a cowgirl

Actually, Russia is holding Iran's hand...but then again. Whatever I say is just a wacko alert.

Some people do react badly to your posts; but others find them curious and even interesting. Unlike the rest of us, you don't have a mainstream point of view, but that's what makes your posts refreshing.

[Turd Furguson]

Originally Posted by Patters

Iran became a threat as a result of the Iraq war. It had a fairly moderate government but the people, afraid of the United States, voted in an extremist government. If you scare people enough, they will elect fools as leaders, as we did. Further, Iran is a more serious threat because we took out their biggest regional enemy, Iraq, and are helping to unify the Shiite population of the region.

It's interesting that Bush hasn't even imposed unilateral sanctions on Iran yet. Maybe Rove is waiting until a more strategic time to stoke up the fear machine and rally the paranoid right.

That said, eventually something will have to be done, perhaps a targeted attack on Iran's nuclear facilities to slow down their program, but for now I agree with Rice's $75 million propaganda campaign, though I can't believe that amount of money is enough.

I think thats unfair Patters. Iran did not just suddenly wake up the morning after the Iraq war began and said "Death to Israel, Death to America"

They've been a threat for some time now and their latest quest to jump start their nuclear program only now brings them to the forefront.

I believe that their populace (especially the youth) are more moderate but that the government has been run by the extremists.

I also believe that while Iran is a giant threat, look at the countries that surround them; Iraq, Afghanistan and Turkey, All countries that are now somewhat hostile towards them and/or have a U.S military presence.


I think Bush believes that the UN CANNOT ignore Iran's threat as it is much much clearer than Iraq's was. And their nuclear facilities are I believe, spaced out and even underground as they learned Iraq's lesson after Israel bombed their capabilities to hell.

[sdaniels7114]

Pretend that there's a sensible government in Iran for just a moment. In a little more than 10 years they have watched the USA's magnificent military slap their greatest enemy around like a red-headed step-child not once but twice. The enemy that they fought a 10 year war with that ended in a stalemate. Isn't a 10 year stalemate pretty conclusive evidence that the two combatants were evenly matched? And would it therefore be safe to say that since our military rolled over Iraq's like it wasn't even there mean that the same could happen to Iran at any time? Now ask yourself if it really seems so weird, so provocative that they want to acquire the one weapon that we can't defend against.

[All_Around_Brown]

Originally Posted by sdaniels7114

Pretend that there's a sensible government in Iran for just a moment. In a little more than 10 years they have watched the USA's magnificent military slap their greatest enemy around like a red-headed step-child not once but twice. The enemy that they fought a 10 year war with that ended in a stalemate. Isn't a 10 year stalemate pretty conclusive evidence that the two combatants were evenly matched? And would it therefore be safe to say that since our military rolled over Iraq's like it wasn't even there mean that the same could happen to Iran at any time? Now ask yourself if it really seems so weird, so provocative that they want to acquire the one weapon that we can't defend against.

Errr...no. Iran would actually put up a defense, and a pretty tough one at that by all reasonable estimates. The Iraq we rolled through was a shell of its previous military as a reult of the Iran-Iraq war, not to mention the Gulf War and post-war inspections, sanctions and routine bombings of their air defenses.

Iran has had no such softening. BUt I think I get your point, and I agree. They fear the worst, have seen the worst next door, and are preparing for it.

[Patters]

Originally Posted by Turd Furguson

I think thats unfair Patters. Iran did not just suddenly wake up the morning after the Iraq war began and said "Death to Israel, Death to America"

They've been a threat for some time now and their latest quest to jump start their nuclear program only now brings them to the forefront.

I believe that their populace (especially the youth) are more moderate but that the government has been run by the extremists. [

I also believe that while Iran is a giant threat, look at the countries that surround them; Iraq, Afghanistan and Turkey, all countries that are now somewhat hostile towards them and/or have a U.S military presence.

I think Bush believes that the UN CANNOT ignore Iran's threat as it is much much clearer than Iraq's was. And their nuclear facilities are I believe, spaced out and even underground as they learned Iraq's lesson after Israel bombed their capabilities to hell.

I agree with you, but Iran was making inroads towards moderation. Their last government was reasonably moderate, though hardliners still held control of the military and maybe the courts, so the moderates didn't really have that much power. The real solution to all this is an international treaty that denies any country the right to have nuclear weapons, but I don't think the big powers will give up their advantage. The key now is to take whatever diplomatic and nonmilitary steps we can to try to avoid a confrontation. So far we're doing that, and the fact that we're launching a propaganda campaign suggests to me that no military action is imminent.