higgins
Footballguy
A few years ago, I read an article from The Atlantic that questioned whether the costs of the US striking the Iranian nuclear program would be worth the risks considering that the program may not be set back enough to justify the costs. That article certainly left an impression in my mind that the US really making those strikes may not be good policy.
Now I've just read a new article from The Atlantic ('The Point of No Return') that makes me wonder if this isn't an inevitability within the next half year (by the US or, specifically, Israel).
No, this isn't the standard periodic saber rattling by whomever -- this article goes over much food for thought from various points of view, and the thunder clouds do seem to be looming if things keep going on their present course.
It's a long (but interesting) article, and I was just curious on on others' thoughts on it in general or certain sections.
Now I've just read a new article from The Atlantic ('The Point of No Return') that makes me wonder if this isn't an inevitability within the next half year (by the US or, specifically, Israel).
No, this isn't the standard periodic saber rattling by whomever -- this article goes over much food for thought from various points of view, and the thunder clouds do seem to be looming if things keep going on their present course.
It's a long (but interesting) article, and I was just curious on on others' thoughts on it in general or certain sections.
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This is at the very least, the most reasonable and cogent response based on history, what we know about the struggles inside the country and the current regime. People also discount Iran's isolationism, something they've been very good at for centuries. They are not particularly fond of any of their neighbors, the mullahs and their mouthpiece Ahmadinejad can only manage the situation within so long and the Iranian people have always been resolute in their individual freedom. It is not Saudi Arabia, the NW Frontier Province or Kuwait. The last time Iranians were subjected to an overbearing and diabolical regime they fought through it and rose up during the Islamic Revolution. People seem to think the revolution was some sort of anti-American movement, it was a movement against one of the most oppressive regimes in modern times. We will not attack Iran, and for the record we develop battle scenarios for almost every country in the world friend or foe. Of course we know how to attack Iran, and we certainly have the firepower to get it done. But we've already committed too much time and resources in the region and this is not our fight. If you think Pakistan or Saudi Arabia is comfortable with a nuclear capable Iran, you are mistaken. It's not just Israel that has something to lose and the Saudis are right behind Israel and us on the Iranian governments hit list. But this is also to suggest Iran would do something rash, which is not the case. Iran wants nuclear weapons as a bargaining chip and as a matter of survival in their minds, right or wrong. Pakistan has the weapon, and a lot less internal stability than Iran. Russia has thousands and thousands of them, and they don't think much of their security up there based on some reports I've read. North Korea has them, talk about an unstable country. At some point that country is going to implode, it will be almost overnight and it will all be over. Iran? Iran will gradually gravitate to the current world order, because it is something they have always done. It and Pakistan are the most important Muslim nations, and they have been for some time based on culture, charisma, world events, transformation and will. Neither should be underestimated or disregarded. They should be watched, but when there is an opportunity for diplomatic discourse then we should go that route with Iran. For the time being we have to wait it out because we simply do not have the leverage to attack another sovereign nation. We spent our paycheck in Iraq, and will be paying for that for many years to come. What will have to come from a free and democratic (Islamic style) Iraq is an indirect relationship with Iran. I think we had hoped for that after invading Iraq but it never surfaced because we had the clumsy and inept Bush administration, and they had the hot dog eating mullahs. Some day this will change, and I think that day is closer than people think. 
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