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Oh, it was on AIM. Legolas Send a noteboard - 24/02/2010 01:13:07 PM
I would say they are worse about it than most of their neighbors.

Probably because they can afford to, as they aren't getting American aid anyway. ;)
I think some of them know it very well, but never forget how truly effective propaganda can be, say it long enough and you believe it. Large elements of their leadership really would like to exterminate Israel. I'm less worried about the current regime getting it then the current regime getting tossed out by even worse hardliners. Nukes are inherently defensive weapons, but only as long as everyone involved would rather live then kill their enemies or firmly believes that they will actually die if they try it. I prefer not to gamble much where fundamentalists who lean toward believing suicide is a good way to get into paradise go.

I think people overestimate how many people actually are delusional, for religious or other reasons. And if "even worse hardliners" try to oust the current government, it'll mean civil war, surely, with the hardliners having their hands more than full without taking on Israel. The more sensible elements cannot afford to let such a coup happen without a fight.
It really revolves more around power projection, assuming everyone involved remains very rational (which is a big assumption in this case) then you have Iran in a far more dominant position because they are effectively immune to invasion so long as they don't go too far. Having nukes means having a lot of muscle, especially when people take as a given you're aggressive. You don't invade nuclear powers, and they always know they have a decent bargaining chip if things go bad if they invade, interfere, etc. If Iran arms, others will too, other Arab nations will not feel safe having Israel and Iran on either side of them with nukes, insofar as they find both places seriously threatening to begin with. I don't think the world will come to an end if Iran get's the bomb, but I would prefer they didn't, and I really have few qualms with bombing them to stop it. I don't think we're there yet though.

I would prefer they didn't, too, but it's not worth bombing them over and antagonizing the large part of their population that has a more or less positive stance towards the US. Bomb them, and they most likely *will* start firing missiles at Israel and US targets in the Gulf, and create as much of an oil crisis as they can.
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Why Iran's dictators can be deterred - 23/02/2010 01:31:52 PM 833 Views
Not sure he showed us how they can be deterred - 23/02/2010 01:56:42 PM 374 Views
Er yeah, that's totally the argument I was going for. - 23/02/2010 02:06:52 PM 418 Views
No Palin was simply cover for the "we just have to accept Iran will get the bomb argument" - 23/02/2010 02:26:45 PM 444 Views
She wasn't cover for anything, but I like how this argument keeps going that way. - 23/02/2010 02:36:47 PM 422 Views
As I have noted it isn't conseratives that keep bring her up - 23/02/2010 03:26:11 PM 366 Views
and I tried to take her out of the argument. But here we are. - 23/02/2010 03:39:29 PM 400 Views
dealing with the repercussions of attacking another Islamic country may be our best option - 23/02/2010 04:25:47 PM 495 Views
The world needs to decide how it feels about non-proliferation. - 23/02/2010 07:11:51 PM 338 Views
yes American used the bomb so now we should let everyone else take a turn *NM* - 24/02/2010 06:22:23 AM 222 Views
It would certainly demonstrate the folly of that view. - 24/02/2010 06:49:56 AM 392 Views
well hell then why not just sel them nukes and get it over with - 24/02/2010 02:33:00 PM 392 Views
I really don't think the folly need be demonstrated more than once. - 28/02/2010 02:49:30 AM 329 Views
No I never played Civ - 28/02/2010 06:02:38 PM 410 Views
It's a classic, you should. - 28/02/2010 06:19:21 PM 459 Views
Oh. - 23/02/2010 02:07:32 PM 352 Views
Sheesh! - 23/02/2010 02:11:34 PM 552 Views
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I think this guy lives on the moon - 23/02/2010 02:51:20 PM 480 Views
Ehm. I disagree strongly with your opinion of Mr. Zakaria. - 23/02/2010 03:23:09 PM 492 Views
Views on him tend to be polar - 23/02/2010 04:06:04 PM 538 Views
I was just talking to Lupine about how I like your posts, but I'm gonna make an exception here. - 23/02/2010 09:28:44 PM 440 Views
You'll have to link that then, I always like to read things that feed my ego - 24/02/2010 12:17:37 AM 444 Views
Oh, it was on AIM. - 24/02/2010 01:13:07 PM 515 Views
Should've been on wotmania Skype chat. - 25/02/2010 12:47:42 PM 366 Views
Here's an article in response to Zakaria's article - 23/02/2010 03:19:41 PM 485 Views
I like that article, actually. - 23/02/2010 03:58:39 PM 373 Views
Re: I like that article, actually. - 23/02/2010 04:22:27 PM 372 Views
I don't believe they can be stopped - 23/02/2010 10:37:47 PM 377 Views
One thing he forgets... - 24/02/2010 12:19:12 AM 402 Views
Iran is a thorny problem - 24/02/2010 05:38:09 AM 409 Views
I still don't believe North Korea harmless. - 24/02/2010 06:59:15 AM 507 Views
I never used the term 'harmless' - 24/02/2010 10:01:14 PM 441 Views
Fair point, sorry. - 25/02/2010 12:45:47 PM 478 Views
No worries - I was just making sure you understood my position - 25/02/2010 05:19:10 PM 373 Views
Re: No worries - I was just making sure you understood my position - 28/02/2010 02:30:26 AM 509 Views
Re: No worries - I was just making sure you understood my position - 01/03/2010 03:53:58 PM 386 Views
A carrot without a stick is just a free carrot. - 02/03/2010 08:01:23 AM 487 Views
It's not a carrot/stick thing at all - 02/03/2010 04:29:00 PM 479 Views
Maybe I'm just out of the loop, but it doesn't seem that way. - 05/03/2010 01:02:57 AM 517 Views
They can hit Tokyo - 25/02/2010 06:10:44 PM 401 Views
So? - 25/02/2010 07:01:37 PM 552 Views
I think you are grossly overestimating our border security - 25/02/2010 08:03:13 PM 336 Views
Well, I KNOW you're ignorant about a lot of things and this shows it. - 25/02/2010 08:56:45 PM 397 Views
Yes you are the Great Cold War Warrior of the chairforce - 28/02/2010 06:44:31 PM 449 Views
Oh I'm sorry - so you're not so much ignorant as idiot. - 01/03/2010 03:48:32 PM 333 Views
Is that what taught you in chairforce school loser boy? - 01/03/2010 04:33:53 PM 429 Views
Nope, it was the internet actually - 02/03/2010 04:31:36 PM 362 Views
Israel does not have the military capability to destroy or significantly damage Iran's nuclear sites - 24/02/2010 12:33:00 PM 487 Views
I agree, even if for different reasons. - 24/02/2010 01:01:00 PM 341 Views
You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about - and it shows to anyone who does - 24/02/2010 10:33:29 PM 438 Views
But... - 25/02/2010 12:44:15 AM 476 Views
Re: But... - 25/02/2010 05:52:07 PM 575 Views
Here's a few questions for you then. - 25/02/2010 02:55:00 AM 522 Views
You're not asking questions you're trying to support your point - 25/02/2010 06:49:28 PM 459 Views
I think this ties in well with this article - 25/02/2010 09:56:04 AM 404 Views
That's actually a really good idea - 25/02/2010 07:05:37 PM 338 Views

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