Ah well, I'll have to self feed my ego instead, fortunately I'm very good at that
Isaac Send a noteboard - 25/02/2010 03:44:43 PM
Probably because they can afford to, as they aren't getting American aid anyway.
True, though one note's they could easily have it if they'd back down a bit and not deliberately antagonize us. There is no non-military application to enriching beyond 3-4% except strictly scientific, and that's a poor excuse when you already have access to 65 years of freely available research from all the scientific juggernauts.
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.
Well, let's say the 'moderates' look to be in a position to seize control, violent or non-violent, in such cases the current government may find their own attitudes switching more hardline and those with more hardline stances might rise to higher power and prominence within them. Predictions along these lines are necessarily difficult, not only because of how hard it really is to gauge public reaction anywhere, but because of the relative closed nature of Iran, we can't really see polls or free press comments to guess how the dice will land.
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.
Realistically their counter-strike couldn't amount to much. If we do this while we still have military force in Iraq, we could smash such an attempt before it got rolling, if it's done afterwards they have limited targets, just Israel against whom they can't really do much conventionally. However, with nuclear weapons, they do have the capital to do all those things, an announcement that Iran has nukes is likely to fluctuate the oil market too. I do not think there will be lots of outrage if the US bombs key facilities, less so than if Israel does it and if progress is not made soon, they may well do so. I think that if we did bomb those facilities, and Iran used it as cassus belli to launch attacks, they would not gain much sympathy in the international community or even in the muslim world, after all, short of a few relatively weak missiles, they really only have the power to strike at other Arab nations.
Personally, I don't think we'll attack them, and Israel might not either, and Iran will get the bomb, which I feel will leave us in a worse situation than attacking and taking all the heat over it will.
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
- Albert Einstein
King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
- Albert Einstein
King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
Why Iran's dictators can be deterred
23/02/2010 01:31:52 PM
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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
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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
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She wasn't cover for anything, but I like how this argument keeps going that way.
23/02/2010 02:36:47 PM
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As I have noted it isn't conseratives that keep bring her up
23/02/2010 03:26:11 PM
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and I tried to take her out of the argument. But here we are.
23/02/2010 03:39:29 PM
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dealing with the repercussions of attacking another Islamic country may be our best option
23/02/2010 04:25:47 PM
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The world needs to decide how it feels about non-proliferation.
23/02/2010 07:11:51 PM
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yes American used the bomb so now we should let everyone else take a turn *NM*
24/02/2010 06:22:23 AM
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It would certainly demonstrate the folly of that view.
24/02/2010 06:49:56 AM
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well hell then why not just sel them nukes and get it over with
24/02/2010 02:33:00 PM
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I really don't think the folly need be demonstrated more than once.
28/02/2010 02:49:30 AM
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I think this guy lives on the moon
23/02/2010 02:51:20 PM
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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
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You'll have to link that then, I always like to read things that feed my ego
24/02/2010 12:17:37 AM
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Oh, it was on AIM.
24/02/2010 01:13:07 PM
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Ah well, I'll have to self feed my ego instead, fortunately I'm very good at that
25/02/2010 03:44:43 PM
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Here's an article in response to Zakaria's article
23/02/2010 03:19:41 PM
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I generally don't care for Fareed, but believe he's right this time.
23/02/2010 05:59:00 PM
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Iran is a thorny problem
24/02/2010 05:38:09 AM
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I still don't believe North Korea harmless.
24/02/2010 06:59:15 AM
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I never used the term 'harmless'
24/02/2010 10:01:14 PM
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Fair point, sorry.
25/02/2010 12:45:47 PM
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No worries - I was just making sure you understood my position
25/02/2010 05:19:10 PM
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Re: No worries - I was just making sure you understood my position
28/02/2010 02:30:26 AM
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Re: No worries - I was just making sure you understood my position
01/03/2010 03:53:58 PM
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A carrot without a stick is just a free carrot.
02/03/2010 08:01:23 AM
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They can hit Tokyo
25/02/2010 06:10:44 PM
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So?
25/02/2010 07:01:37 PM
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I think you are grossly overestimating our border security
25/02/2010 08:03:13 PM
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Well, I KNOW you're ignorant about a lot of things and this shows it.
25/02/2010 08:56:45 PM
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Yes you are the Great Cold War Warrior of the chairforce
28/02/2010 06:44:31 PM
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Oh I'm sorry - so you're not so much ignorant as idiot.
01/03/2010 03:48:32 PM
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Israel does not have the military capability to destroy or significantly damage Iran's nuclear sites
24/02/2010 12:33:00 PM
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You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about - and it shows to anyone who does
24/02/2010 10:33:29 PM
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I think this ties in well with this article
25/02/2010 09:56:04 AM
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It's going to happen regardless sooner or later; might as well get out in front and claim leadership
01/03/2010 06:29:57 AM
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