Active Users:182 Time:17/05/2024 11:28:15 AM
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.
Reply to message
Why Iran's dictators can be deterred - 23/02/2010 01:31:52 PM 733 Views
Not sure he showed us how they can be deterred - 23/02/2010 01:56:42 PM 285 Views
Er yeah, that's totally the argument I was going for. - 23/02/2010 02:06:52 PM 325 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 350 Views
She wasn't cover for anything, but I like how this argument keeps going that way. - 23/02/2010 02:36:47 PM 325 Views
As I have noted it isn't conseratives that keep bring her up - 23/02/2010 03:26:11 PM 276 Views
and I tried to take her out of the argument. But here we are. - 23/02/2010 03:39:29 PM 311 Views
dealing with the repercussions of attacking another Islamic country may be our best option - 23/02/2010 04:25:47 PM 406 Views
The world needs to decide how it feels about non-proliferation. - 23/02/2010 07:11:51 PM 254 Views
yes American used the bomb so now we should let everyone else take a turn *NM* - 24/02/2010 06:22:23 AM 179 Views
It would certainly demonstrate the folly of that view. - 24/02/2010 06:49:56 AM 298 Views
well hell then why not just sel them nukes and get it over with - 24/02/2010 02:33:00 PM 297 Views
I really don't think the folly need be demonstrated more than once. - 28/02/2010 02:49:30 AM 236 Views
No I never played Civ - 28/02/2010 06:02:38 PM 314 Views
It's a classic, you should. - 28/02/2010 06:19:21 PM 361 Views
Oh. - 23/02/2010 02:07:32 PM 262 Views
Sheesh! - 23/02/2010 02:11:34 PM 460 Views
- 23/02/2010 02:16:24 PM 464 Views
- 23/02/2010 02:41:40 PM 463 Views
I think this guy lives on the moon - 23/02/2010 02:51:20 PM 395 Views
Ehm. I disagree strongly with your opinion of Mr. Zakaria. - 23/02/2010 03:23:09 PM 388 Views
Views on him tend to be polar - 23/02/2010 04:06:04 PM 438 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 356 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 355 Views
Oh, it was on AIM. - 24/02/2010 01:13:07 PM 419 Views
Should've been on wotmania Skype chat. - 25/02/2010 12:47:42 PM 274 Views
Here's an article in response to Zakaria's article - 23/02/2010 03:19:41 PM 385 Views
I like that article, actually. - 23/02/2010 03:58:39 PM 278 Views
Re: I like that article, actually. - 23/02/2010 04:22:27 PM 291 Views
I don't believe they can be stopped - 23/02/2010 10:37:47 PM 285 Views
One thing he forgets... - 24/02/2010 12:19:12 AM 306 Views
Iran is a thorny problem - 24/02/2010 05:38:09 AM 316 Views
I still don't believe North Korea harmless. - 24/02/2010 06:59:15 AM 416 Views
I never used the term 'harmless' - 24/02/2010 10:01:14 PM 355 Views
Fair point, sorry. - 25/02/2010 12:45:47 PM 383 Views
No worries - I was just making sure you understood my position - 25/02/2010 05:19:10 PM 277 Views
Re: No worries - I was just making sure you understood my position - 28/02/2010 02:30:26 AM 393 Views
Re: No worries - I was just making sure you understood my position - 01/03/2010 03:53:58 PM 294 Views
A carrot without a stick is just a free carrot. - 02/03/2010 08:01:23 AM 407 Views
It's not a carrot/stick thing at all - 02/03/2010 04:29:00 PM 385 Views
Maybe I'm just out of the loop, but it doesn't seem that way. - 05/03/2010 01:02:57 AM 423 Views
They can hit Tokyo - 25/02/2010 06:10:44 PM 311 Views
So? - 25/02/2010 07:01:37 PM 457 Views
I think you are grossly overestimating our border security - 25/02/2010 08:03:13 PM 247 Views
Well, I KNOW you're ignorant about a lot of things and this shows it. - 25/02/2010 08:56:45 PM 293 Views
Yes you are the Great Cold War Warrior of the chairforce - 28/02/2010 06:44:31 PM 358 Views
Oh I'm sorry - so you're not so much ignorant as idiot. - 01/03/2010 03:48:32 PM 241 Views
Is that what taught you in chairforce school loser boy? - 01/03/2010 04:33:53 PM 339 Views
Nope, it was the internet actually - 02/03/2010 04:31:36 PM 270 Views
Israel does not have the military capability to destroy or significantly damage Iran's nuclear sites - 24/02/2010 12:33:00 PM 396 Views
I agree, even if for different reasons. - 24/02/2010 01:01:00 PM 249 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 349 Views
But... - 25/02/2010 12:44:15 AM 390 Views
Re: But... - 25/02/2010 05:52:07 PM 475 Views
Here's a few questions for you then. - 25/02/2010 02:55:00 AM 411 Views
You're not asking questions you're trying to support your point - 25/02/2010 06:49:28 PM 366 Views
I think this ties in well with this article - 25/02/2010 09:56:04 AM 307 Views
That's actually a really good idea - 25/02/2010 07:05:37 PM 245 Views

Reply to Message