# Should we attack Iran? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 15, 2012, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775 "2012-09-15T07:20:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/1 "2012-09-15T07:20:18Z")
I couldn’t think of a better thread title, I’m not really asking such a simple question, that’s been asked before. What I’m more interested in is what’s in this article from yesterday: > **[Obama Rebuffs Netanyahu on Setting Limits on Iran’s Nuclear Program...](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/14/world/middleeast/obama-rebuffs-netanyahu-on-nuclear-red-line-for-iran.html?_r=2)** > > President Obama on Tuesday rejected an appeal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to spell out a specific “red line” that Iran could not cross in its nuclear program. \*\* Mr. Obama, the official said, repeated the assurances he gave to Mr. Netanyahu in March that the United States would not allow Iran to manufacture a nuclear weapon. But the president was unwilling to agree on any specific action by Iran — like reaching a defined threshold on nuclear material, or failing to adhere to a deadline on negotiations — that would lead to American military action. “We need some ability for the president to have decision-making room,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the delicacy of the talks. “We have a red line, which is a nuclear weapon. We’re committed to that red line.” \*\* I’d heard this before, but never so explicitly. So we’ve decided that if Iran actually builds a weapon, we are attacking? That begs two questions: 1. This seems to be a bipartisan policy, with the only difference being that a GOP President might attack sooner. Is there no anti-war opposition aside from the Kucinich and Paul wings of the two major parties? 2. If we are going to do it, is that the wisest time, AFTER they have a functioning weapon? Or does the administration mean that intelligence showing an attempt to build a real bomb would trigger an attack? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/2 "2012-09-15T08:28:41Z")
My best guess is it means when we are convinced they have the present ability to build a functional weapon. It wouldn’t make much sense to wait any longer than that, and the political will to act sooner may not exist. ---
**Author:** ![moonshot925](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@moonshot925](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moonshot925)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/3 "2012-09-15T08:53:13Z")
We should have attacked yesterday. There is a heavy water reactor under construction at Arak and Iran will probably have a nuclear weapon by 2016. Time is running out. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/4 "2012-09-15T09:08:43Z")
> [@moonshot925](#): > > We should have attacked yesterday. I think there is still a chance to resolve this situation without violence, and I’d like to see that happen. We don’t need another war, even one limited to air strikes and cruise missiles. We need to get our fiscal house in order, and more military adventures aren’t going to help the process. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/5 "2012-09-15T09:23:27Z")
Well, violence is already being used to stop them, and it seems to be working. giving them a taste of their own medicine, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/6 "2012-09-15T10:06:15Z")
SSHHHHHH! You’ll ruin the surprise! ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/7 "2012-09-15T10:38:29Z")
No. Pakistan has nuclear weapons and is a much worse shit hole than Iran. And why specifically should it be in the USA’s best interest to attack Iran, when it is not the USA that Iranian nuclear weapons would be a potential threat towards? Let the regional countries do their own dirty work. Saudi Arabia et al. can deal with their own problems. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/8 "2012-09-15T11:20:22Z")
My main concern is their support for terrorism. Right now, if they go too far, we just make them pay dearly. We can do military action against them if they go too far. If they have nukes, we can’t. And personally, I think that’s why they want them. So they won’t have to show any restraint and fully unleash Hezbollah. ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/9 "2012-09-15T11:27:55Z")
Both nuclear armed Pakistan and the whole of the Arab Peninsula supports terrorists. Hezbollah isn’t a treat to the USA either, so why should American men lay down their lives to combat it? Hezbollah is also - with the recent things going on in Syria - quickly becoming irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/10 "2012-09-15T12:09:14Z")
Absolutely not. Any American politician who suggests that it is is unfit for office. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/11 "2012-09-15T14:56:54Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I’d heard this before, but never so explicitly. So we’ve decided that if Iran actually builds a weapon, we are attacking? That begs two questions: \*\*\*RAISES \*\*\*two questions. Nope, I will not give up that fight, not yet anyway 🙂 > [@adaher](#): > > 1. This seems to be a bipartisan policy, with the only difference being that a GOP President might attack sooner. Is there no anti-war opposition aside from the Kucinich and Paul wings of the two major parties? IRL, flatly ruling out use of force up front, when you have the means (or when you don’t, but the other guy may think you do and you want to keep him wondering), is not the greatest strategy when facing a plausible-threat adversary. > [@adaher](#): > > 1. If we are going to do it, is that the wisest time, AFTER they have a functioning weapon? Or does the administration mean that intelligence showing an attempt to build a real bomb would trigger an attack? I’m with **Oakminster** in that the meaning is probably the latter. Of course, that carries with it a risk of miscalculating how far ahead is the work. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/12 "2012-09-15T15:10:53Z")
BobLibDem, that’s Obama administration policy! Iran will not be allowed to get a nuclear weapon. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/13 "2012-09-15T15:11:29Z")
> [@moonshot925](#): > > We should have attacked yesterday. […] Iran will probably have a nuclear weapon by 2016. Weird. My watch says this year is “2012.” ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/14 "2012-09-15T16:00:29Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > My main concern is their support for terrorism. By that logic America shouldn’t be allowed to have nuclear weapons. ---
**Author:** ![Andiethewestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Andiethewestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andiethewestie)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/15 "2012-09-15T16:23:34Z")
When does Israel have the right to dictate US foreign policy? We know the Israeli PM is A hawk, and pushy. This OP ED piece by Joe Klein of Time says it all > **[Enter Bibi | TIME.com](https://swampland.time.com/2012/09/12/enter-bibi/)** > > It may be, as Jeff Goldberg asserts, that Bibi Netanyahu is just frustrated over President Obama's refusal to approve an Israeli attack on Iran. Or it may be something else: an unprecedented attempt by a putative American ally to influence a U.S.... ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/16 "2012-09-15T16:35:22Z")
> [@Andiethewestie](#): > > When does Israel have the right to dictate US foreign policy? Israel doesn’t dictate U.S. foreign policy and the U.S. doesn’t dictate Israeli foreign policy. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/17 "2012-09-15T16:56:59Z")
**Marley** , that’s not the point. Now let’s all get angry at Israel. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/18 "2012-09-15T20:39:20Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > By that logic America shouldn’t be allowed to have nuclear weapons. Oh come on now, it is only terrorism if _we say_ it is terrorism. The US does not support terrorists, only _freedom fighters_. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/19 "2012-09-16T19:48:01Z")
Here’s a red line: if Israel starts a war, we bomb the shit out of Israel. We ought to treat destabilizing influences in the Middle East the same, similar to how we kicked Saddam out of Kuwait in the first Gulf War. Initiate a war in the ME? Kablooey. The world doesn’t need the trouble. I would go along with an attack on Iran if they started a war first. Their developing nuclear weapons does not amount to a caussus belli AFAIAC, since they can’t use them without being obliterated. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775/20 "2012-09-16T20:04:41Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Here’s a red line: if Israel starts a war, we bomb the shit out of Israel. Well, as awful ideas about the Middle East go, this isn’t the absolute worst that’s even been posted on the Dope, but it sure is close. The idea that we should begin bombing friendly nations because we don’t like their politics is not only tailor made to remove any faith other nations might have in the benefits of cooperation with the United States, it’s also remarkably nonsensical and, I suspect, even more remarkably inconsistent. Have you, for instance, advised that we “bomb the shit” out of Iran every time it’s given Israel a valid casus belli by attacking it with Hamas and/or Hezbollah? Have you, for instance, advised that we “bomb the shit” out of Lebanon when their government has cooperated militarily with Hezbollah, directly contributing to attacks against Israel? Have you advised that we “bomb the shit” out of Hamas when they launch rockets from Gaza? Do you hold a single standard, or a double standard? > [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > We ought to treat destabilizing influences in the Middle East the same Your rhetoric is getting away from you some more, seeing as how Iran _is_ a destabilizing influence in the Middle East. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-attack-iran/634775.md?page=2)