# Rice, shut the fuck up about Iran already **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 9, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244 "2005-02-09T19:10:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/1 "2005-02-09T19:10:26Z")
[http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/02/09/rice/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/02/09/rice/index.html) “Rice: Iran must halt nuclear program” Bolding mine > [@](#): > > BRUSSELS, Belgium (CNN) – U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Wednesday that Iran must live up to its international obligations to halt its nuclear program \*\*or “the next steps are in the offing.” > > “And I think everybody understands what the ‘next steps’ mean,” \*\*Rice told reporters after a meeting with NATO foreign ministers and European Union officials. Is this going to make Iran… a) Abandon weapon development? b) Expedite weapon development? Iran is totally going to call the bluff too, and then what? What the fuck are the Bush people doing? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/2 "2005-02-09T19:15:31Z")
What are they doing? Following their agenda. It’s not like it’s a shock. I suspect we’ll be dropping bombs after we’ve given FranGermUK a reasonable few months of “negotiations.” ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/3 "2005-02-09T19:27:21Z")
Yeah! Go back to writing crappy vampire novels, and stay out of international politics! Oh, wait. Wrong Rice… ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/4 "2005-02-09T19:30:10Z")
Sometimes I like to think we’re joining the EU in playing a brilliant game of “Good-Cop, Bad-Cop” with Iran. Course I thought that might be the case in Iraq, to, until the bad cop beat the prisoner to a bloody pulp. So yeah, I agree this is pretty dumb. If I were Iran, I’d had both of my neighbors invaded by the U.S., had been put on the axis of evil, and was convinced that the US was out to get me even before any of this happend, Rice’s comments would convince me that a nuclear deterent was a good idea, not a bad one. This is especially true given that the Iranians know that it will be a few years till we can launch a serious assault, given lack of troops, etc. So from their point of view, now might seem the best time to attempt to get some nukes, as we can’t immedietly move to stop them, but that we might invade later unless they have a nuclear deterent. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/5 "2005-02-09T19:36:17Z")
Great work, **Condi** , as this only re-affirms Iran’s _need_ for nuclear deterrents ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/6 "2005-02-09T19:36:35Z")
How about a bipartisan strategy among Democrats, sane Republicans, and Independents, that says: "If you continue to manufacture pretexts for invading countries contrary to international law, we **will** work, regardless of our own party affiliation, to ensure the defeat of anyone in Congress who supports you in the 2006 elections. And then we will proceed to impeach you, considering that you have set the precedent that Presidents (and presumably their subordinates as well) can now be impeached for any pretext whatosever that suits the Congressional majority. Think they might listen to that? ---
**Author:** ![thursday\_next](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@thursday\_next](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thursday_next)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/7 "2005-02-09T19:37:38Z")
Preach it, **World Eater**! We already know what Iran will do. How? Why this lovely [BBC](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4241527.stm) article from the 7th. > [@](#): > > Iran’s top nuclear negotiator says Iran will retaliate and accelerate its efforts to develop nuclear technology if attacked by the US or Israel. Yes, I realize it’s _only_ (yes that was a touch of sarcasm) the top nuclear negotiator, but I still think he’s worth paying attention to. ---
**Author:** ![caphis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@caphis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caphis)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/8 "2005-02-09T19:45:58Z")
Are you seriously surprised? Didn’t this shit break months ago? About Buscho’s planned trump into Iran? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/9 "2005-02-09T19:46:45Z")
The idea that we can somehow stuff the nuclear weapon genie back in the lamp is so far out of date it’s not even funny. Someday Togo, Nauru, and Luxembourg will all have nuclear weapons. We need to get used to it, and start making sensible plans for dealing with it. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/10 "2005-02-09T19:46:46Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > How about a bipartisan strategy among Democrats, sane Republicans, and Independents, that says…? After 20+ years of purging liberal to moderate voices from their ranks, I’m not sure that even _all_ of the sane Republicans could give House Democrats a majority. Most of the party in Congress appears to have tippled the Kool-Aid. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/11 "2005-02-09T19:54:42Z")
> [@thursday next](#): > > Preach it, **World Eater**! > > We already know what Iran will do. How? Why this lovely [BBC](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4241527.stm) article from the 7th. > > Yes, I realize it’s _only_ (yes that was a touch of sarcasm) the top nuclear negotiator, but I still think he’s worth paying attention to. No I think the actual quote was “we’ll retaliate with holy fire the likes which you can’t imagine”. Hmmm I wonder if he’s talking about nukes? Ya think? I find this course of action insane, and it seems like everyone else does. If that’s the case why are we still proceeding? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/12 "2005-02-09T19:54:45Z")
> [@caphis](#): > > Are you seriously surprised? > > Didn’t this shit break months ago? About Buscho’s planned trump into Iran? There’s a significant difference between speculation on an internet message board and a direct statement from the US Secretary of State with slightly-more-than-implied threats implicit. It does, however, explain Powell’s rush to leave the post, if Bush has been pressuring him to make this same policy statement. ---
**Author:** ![caphis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@caphis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caphis)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/13 "2005-02-09T19:56:48Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > There’s a significant difference between speculation on an internet message board and a direct statement from the US Secretary of State with slightly-more-than-implied threats implicit. It does, however, explain Powell’s rush to leave the post, if Bush has been pressuring him to make this same policy statement. Speculation which, IIRC, came from one of the most reputable news reporters in the country. I’d be shocked if anyone is truly surprised by this course of action regardless of past speculation, given this administration. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/14 "2005-02-09T20:06:11Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > "If you continue to manufacture pretexts for invading countries contrary to international law, we **will** work, regardless of our own party affiliation, to ensure the defeat of anyone in Congress who supports you in the 2006 elections. And then we will proceed to impeach you, considering that you have set the precedent that Presidents (and presumably their subordinates as well) can now be impeached for any pretext whatosever that suits the Congressional majority. > > Think they might listen to that? I doubt the neo- cons will listen–I would like to see the Dems work on finding support in the mods (if any are left). I would love to see this bandied about–but the American people have to wake up to their role in the world. I know I’m preaching to the choir, but we really don’t need to be the spoiled babies of the free world. We could be true leaders, not resented bullies. And that Kool-aid has got to go. Someone here (on another thread) said it best: the neo-cons put party before nation–and that is deadly to the nation. Just my 2 cents. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/15 "2005-02-09T20:07:01Z")
> [@caphis](#): > > Speculation which, IIRC, came from one of the most reputable news reporters in the country. I’d be shocked if anyone is truly surprised by this course of action regardless of past speculation, given this administration. Well, I didn’t say I was _surprised_. Truthfully, the only thing that this Administration could do that would surprise me is be either honest or competent. If they did both, I think I’d die of shock. That said, nobody’s surprised, I don’t think. They’re somewhat rattled by the bluntness and threat-tossing by the chief _diplomat_ of the US, but that wouldn’t be the first time the Bush White House has gotten the definition of a government position wrong. I didn’t expect an outright “Let’s you and him fight!” statement from Dr. Rice… ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/16 "2005-02-09T20:18:23Z")
Does anyone else get the feeling btw that Iran will be more likely to give/sell some wmd shit away? ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/17 "2005-02-09T20:49:15Z")
Well even if we didn’t think it I’m sure in the months to come we will be told that is what they are planning to do … or are doing based on “Special intellegence” Lord I hope their chemical weapons trucks look more realistic this time round. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/18 "2005-02-09T21:05:22Z")
> [@kingpengvin](#): > > Lord I hope their chemical weapons trucks look more realistic this time round. Lol, I wonder if “Cody” has a toy truck he drives. I can just picture Condi at the UN now with photos of it. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/19 "2005-02-09T21:21:11Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > What the fuck are the Bush people doing? Starting another war. Stop the planet - I want to get off. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244/20 "2005-02-09T21:26:24Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > There’s a significant difference between speculation on an internet message board and a direct statement from the US Secretary of State with slightly-more-than-implied threats implicit. For the record, the slightly more then implied threat is to refer Iran to the security council, not to bomb the crud out of them. As I said earlier, we are to tied up and vulnerable after Iraq to plunge in to Iran in the immediate future. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rice-shut-the-fuck-up-about-iran-already/289244.md?page=2)