Per these comments it appears that Israel is prepared to semi-unilaterally (with US approval) make a move against Iran’s growing nuclear capability with a military air strike.
Is this sabre rattling a good idea strategically and realpolitik wise or not? Unless Bush wants to add “insane” to the “incompetent” bullet point on his historical resume I can’t see even him being reckless enough to acquiesce to this.
Israeli minister says alternatives to attack on Iran running out
I think this represents the last Israeli attempt to get the USA to attack Iran. I also think the Israelis are very foolish if they think this will happen-the LAST thing GWB needs right now is another wasting war.
As they say, “be careful what you wish for, in case your wishes come true”.
You can’t blame them for trying, worked so well last time. And not a single Israeli exposed to hostile fire in over 5 years fighting. While still Americans can be lead to refer to Israel as “our strongest military ally in the Middle East”. To laugh, 'tis.
If it were only the posturing, that would be bad enough. But ratcheting up the tension increases the liklihood of a war without real intent, a hothead here, a blunder there, next thing they know, they’re knee deep in a war that nobody started.
Why no intent?
If the U.S. weren’t in the way, we’d have attacked Iran years ago. As things stand now, I don’t want you guys dragged into our fight, but make no mistake - it is our fight.
What are you supposed to do when a country whose government announces its intent to erase your country from the map is close to getting nuclear weapons?
Seriously, what’s the alternative here?
Israel has more strategic savvy then the Western Coalition,I suspect that when they say attack they dont mean sending an incredible number of air,sea and groundforces in WW2 style as we have done in Iraq and Afghan followed by occupying the country and trying to make everyone like them,but a lightening strike to take out the Nuclear facilities using a comparitively limited number of resources.
Lets face it since the Shah was deposed successive Iranian governments have done nothing whatsoever to demonstrate to the world that they are fit to be included within the community of civilised nations.
Admittedly this is not the fault of the mass of the Iranian people but is very much down to the Revolutionary guard and clerics enforcing corruptly laws amongst other things to suit themselves.
Not too long ago there was a BBC documentary that told the story of a young girl executed by hanging for prostitution.
By Iranian law she was too young for the death penalty but someone in authority had altered her date of birth on the documentation.
She was mentally subnormal.
The people who arrested,tried and killed her were in fact the officials who had forced her into the business and owned the brothel.
It is believed that they were scared that their running of the prostitution had been exposed so they got rid of her to protect themselves.
No men who have used prostitutes have even been arrested apparently,the woman is guilty,the man is not.
The programme mentioned the clergys involvement in the drug trade aswell.
Apparently these sort of crimes are widespread throughout the country.
I will try to find a cite,the programme was about ten months ago.
That’s great, but what does it have to do with the topic again?
Get nuclear weapons yourselves
Oh wait… you already did that
The FIRST thing Bush wants right now is a war with Iran. He’s wanted it for a while. It’s got nothing to do with him being the President of the US. It’s got everything to do with him getting rich if Iran’s pipelines are shut off and his friends getting rich if the US spends another trillion or two to buy another war.
But still, I think the middle east countries are mostly used to this kind of abuse. It’s like kicking a dog. Iran won’t fight back. It just spoils relations for the longer-term.
Wow. That’s one of the most racist things I’ve ever read on this board.
Sometimes wars are entirely intentional, Japan’s attack on the US, Germany’s invasions of Poland and Russia. Lord knows, this is bad enough.
But as Barbara Tuchman famously pointed out in The Guns of August, war can happen without such intent, because they are expected and planned for, and because some stupid incident starts the massive gears turning, and no one knows how to stop the horrible momentum.
And these days we don’t need to mobilize armies and get them to train depots, war can begin at a moment’s notice, one hothead, one fool, one blunder, and we are up to our necks in the blood of innocents.
That is “war without intent”.
I understand what you meant (and I’ve read plenty of Tuchman), I just don’t think it’s applicable. In other words, I don’t think it’s so much saber rattling, as it is saber sharpening, saber oiling, and saber drawing.
Yes, absolutely serious. I expect a reprise of Opera. The problem with that though is the Iranians have learned from Opera and have hardened their targets.
No one really profits from the fall of Iran. It’s just that it hurts China/India/Russia more than it hurts us, at least in theory. If so, we’ll have a hotbed of terrorist anarchy from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia. Less people to fund terrorism, but more people willing to be recruited.
Are you serious? You’re happy with the defense of mutually assured destruction?
Just out of curiosity, if Isreal doesn’t hold that position, who in your opinion does?
Strictly my gut feelings, backed up by no info.
I’d take Isreal’s concerns very seriously. They don’t see the whole “we’re gonna exterminate you” rhetoric as a joke. And when your life is on the line for real…
The Isrealis have taken out nuclear mischief in Iraq and Syria, and I’ll bet $5 they didn’t wait around long for permission.
Dubya would love it if Isreal hit Iran, but they wouldn’t be doing it for him.
Haha, we’re not happy with defense by mutually assured destruction… because that would mean Iran would have a defense!
Huh?? How is that racist? Non sequitor, much? Do you have some sort of subconscious problem with the fact that we can smack around any middle east country we want knowing that they won’t fight back?
Of course they do. I’m repeating myself here, but it would send the price of oil through the roof and anyone who manufactures and sells armaments would rake in too. If Iraq didn’t prove so successful, we’d already be in Iran.