# Former UN Ambassador Bolton thinks israel needs to strike against Iran's nuclear capability now! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 4, 2013, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030 "2013-11-04T04:24:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/1 "2013-11-04T04:24:45Z")
Former UN Ambassador Bolton seems to think Israel’s window in this option is closing. Will the Israeli’s strike without US backup or not? Are we compelled to support Israel if they strike unilaterally? [Israel does not have much time to make a “fateful decision” about whether to strike Iran’s nuclear sites, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton said Sunday in a radio interview.](http://www.wnd.com/2013/11/bolton-israel-must-make-fateful-decision-on-iran-hit/#kM4Bd8MYPDbX3Se6.99) > [@](#): > > “I don’t think Israel has much time,” Bolton continued. “Frankly, they should have done this years ago because we all know intelligence is imperfect and Iran may have a more developed capacity than we know about, perhaps in cooperation with North Korea.” ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/2 "2013-11-04T04:28:26Z")
Bolton? Does anybody actually take that clown seriously? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/3 "2013-11-04T06:39:27Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > Bolton? Does anybody actually take that clown seriously? \*Ad hominem. \*He may be a clown, but many non-clowns agree with him. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/4 "2013-11-04T07:04:08Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > \*Ad hominem. \*He may be a clown, but many non-clowns agree with him. Perhaps, but Bolton being a proven mustachioed-cowflop, suggests that _his opinion_ isn’t something to weigh highly. Personally, I’d say that attacking Iran would bring needless suffering into the world, and provide little or no positive effect. But I’m sure wiser people than me can weigh in on that one. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/5 "2013-11-04T07:08:22Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Former UN Ambassador Bolton seems to think Israel’s window in this option is closing. Will the Israeli’s strike without US backup or not? Are we compelled to support Israel if they strike unilaterally? No we’re not. We didn’t back them when they bombed Iraq and when they invaded Egypt during the Sinai-Suez War, Eisenhower rapped them on the nose and sent them home. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/6 "2013-11-04T16:14:35Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > \*Ad hominem. \*He may be a clown, but many non-clowns agree with him. I guess it could be construed as purely an _ad hominem_, but Bolton has a bad track record at international relations. His opinion isn’t worth much. As for people agreeing with him, as these boards show, there are people agree with lots of irrational things. The unfortunate thing is that people in positions of authority and power listen to him, but it’s not like people reach positions of authority and power based solely on their sagacity or sound judgment. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/7 "2013-11-04T16:27:09Z")
If you’ve been paying attention, the same cadre of people have been saying that we must attack Iran NOW since about 1995. Usually because Iran will have the bomb in two years or six months or by 2002 or whatever the timeline du jour is. Obviously, these people were wrong, at least about the imminence. It doesn’t mean they are wrong now. The wolf did eventually eat the flock, as I recall. But it does mean we should probably be taking them less seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/8 "2013-11-04T16:38:26Z")
Your link, World Net Daily, is not known for quality, objective and honest journalism. Kinda like Fox News, but dumber and more paranoid. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/9 "2013-11-04T16:53:06Z")
Let us not forget, regardless of what this guy’s reputation is, that the Israelis have a shorter fuse (ha!) than we do on this issue. The US is able to stop Iran if we have X months notice of when they get the bomb, but Israel needs Y months, and Y \> X. That is a simple fact based on the US having better technology, and assuming we have the same intelligence. Which I think is a good assumption since we all spy on each other (or so I hear). ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/10 "2013-11-04T17:02:08Z")
Is there any conceivable scenario where Israel bombs Iran and no third country gets sucked into the ensuing war? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/11 "2013-11-04T17:05:22Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Is there any conceivable scenario where Israel bombs Iran and no third country gets sucked into the ensuing war? Probably not, but I’m not so sure there will be an ensuing war. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/12 "2013-11-04T17:10:58Z")
I came into this thread to point out that John Bolton is a crazy person. Then I saw the link to World Net Daily and felt obliged to point out that _they_ are also crazy people. Also, if Israel wants to start a war against a huge neighbor over bad intelligence, I don’t see why we should help them. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/13 "2013-11-04T17:14:02Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > \*Ad hominem. \*He may be a clown, but many non-clowns agree with him. Cite please. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/14 "2013-11-04T17:37:51Z")
Of course Bolton wants a strike now. Same reason that we had to invade Iraq just as Saddam was giving in to the inspectors. Things are thawing, the sanctions are working, and there is some chance that the problem can be resolved peacefully. Drives the right absolutely apeshit. One condition would make me support this - that Bolton would agree to ride the bomb down like Slim Pickens in Dr. Strangelove. Might be worth it then. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/15 "2013-11-04T17:46:26Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > \*Ad hominem. \*He may be a clown, but many non-clowns agree with him. Eh, an _ad hominem_ is when you attack a person instead of their arguements. But the article doesn’t really put forward any arguments to argue against, it just states Bolton’s speculation. How valuable one finds it is basically determined by how much value you put in Bolton’s opinion of international affairs. So discussion of Bolton’s sketchy past track record seems entirely appropriate here. ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/16 "2013-11-04T17:51:29Z")
What’s impressive is that this dude - despite the series of missteps and outright wrong calls - gets some sort of exposure. The only explanation I have is that dude, ideologically speaking, is a reactionary bigot who speaks with such a passion and conviction that someone found it valuable enough to pay his air or print time in various publications. He even has a 10 minute appearance, once a week, on a Toronto local morning comedy show parading as a conservative radio. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/17 "2013-11-04T17:58:14Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Your link, World Net Daily, is not known for quality, objective and honest journalism. Kinda like Fox News, but dumber and more paranoid. That might even be overly mean towards Fox News. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/18 "2013-11-04T18:04:11Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Of course Bolton wants a strike now. Same reason that we had to invade Iraq just as Saddam was giving in to the inspectors. Things are thawing, the sanctions are working, and there is some chance that the problem can be resolved peacefully. Drives the right absolutely apeshit. I just want to provide some slight redirection here. It is not all, or even a majority of the right, that provides access for Bolton. It really is the small subset that believes in the use of military power - sometimes almost casually - to effect change. The right is a diverse group of people, some expansionist, some isolationist, some not caring about foreign affairs. To brand them all with Bolton is equivalent to branding all the left with Ralph Nader or such. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/19 "2013-11-04T20:23:23Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Probably not, but I’m not so sure there will be an ensuing war. What, you think Israel can bomb Iran without Iran striking back?! This is a different situation than Israel taking out Hussein’s reactor at Osirak. For one thing, the Iranian nuclear facilities are underground and bomb-hardened and would require much more massive strikes to destroy. And if Rouhani does nothing in retaliation, he won’t be president much longer. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030/20 "2013-11-04T20:43:52Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What, you think Israel can bomb Iran without Iran striking back?! This is a different situation than Israel taking out Hussein’s reactor at Osirak. For one thing, the Iranian nuclear facilities are underground and bomb-hardened and would require much more massive strikes to destroy. And if Rouhani does nothing in retaliation, he won’t be president much longer. Things are never that simple. I’m just saying there might not be a war. It’s in neither country’s self interest to engage in one. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-un-ambassador-bolton-thinks-israel-needs-to-strike-against-irans-nuclear-capability-now/673030.md?page=2)