# What do we do when Iran drops the big one on... **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 7, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485 "2012-07-07T00:42:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**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:** [July 8, 2012, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/121 "2012-07-08T13:32:57Z")
> [@al27052](#): > > If you think we’d launch a truly unprovoked nuke attack ever, I don’t know what to tell you. I’m sure we’d make up some excuse for it. That doesn’t mean there would actually have to be a provocation any more than Iraq really had WMDs. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/122 "2012-07-08T14:45:40Z")
I’m reasonably certain that we would never initiate a nuclear first strike on a lesser (read: Not China or Russia) nation and probably not on them. The results both diplomatically and environmentally would not be pleasant for the USA for a very very long time. Overwhelming conventional first strike? Yeah, we do that lots. Now let’s go back to that OP. If Iran managed to get a bomb onto US soil and nuked NYC or DC? Oh to be sure, there would be anger and outrage that makes the reaction to 9-11 or Pearl Harbor look like those were only someone looking at us wrong. There would be a huge demand to turn Iran into a sea of glass. I would only hope that our President and his staff have the intelligence and wisdom to pause and look at the consequences of doing so, and would instead revert to my little speech above. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/123 "2012-07-08T14:51:12Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Why would everyone “take it for granted” that we wouldn’t launch a first strike? We _have_, after all. And we’ve rattled the nuclear saber at Iran in the past. > > . . . I believe that. Every time we sand a carrier group to the gulf it’s partially to send a message that we’re here, and we’re ready for whatever crap you pull. And anyone who thinks a carrier isn’t armed with nuclear weapons ( a fact they neither affirm or deny) needs to stop and think just what kind of ship a carrier is. It’s a damn war ship. Whether we use it or not, the threat is real and it’s there. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/124 "2012-07-08T16:41:06Z")
> [@SunGazer](#): > > Sorry to get on a rant. Perhaps I should leave it at this… That would be a good idea. If you want to open a separate thread to discuss the ways in which the U.S. has moved away from what you believe its ideals should have been, feel free to do so. We welcome all sorts of discussions in this forum. However, I have only opened two threads, so far, today, and you have interjected into both of them off-topic rants that were only marginally related to the actual discussion. That sort of hijacking will not go well, here. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![greenslime1951](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@greenslime1951](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenslime1951)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/125 "2012-07-08T18:11:02Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > The threat would be more effective. > > “We will withhold nuclear retaliation _at the moment_, but we do intend to destroy the Iranian regime in response to this crime against Humanity. We would therefore like to put the Iranian people on notice that should there be another incident, we will wipe their nation from the face of the Earth.” > > Then see how quickly the mullahs start swinging from the minarets. I’d like to think this would work, but the mullahs would just paint our restraint as a showing a lack of resolve and that we were a paper tiger. A regime that casually slaughters its own people wouldn’t be deterred, or impressed, by the threat of somebidy else doing the same–especially since the ruling thugs would be safely ensconced in their Holy Bunker long before they launched the initial attack. Also, exactly how could we destroy the Iranian regime in a way that wouldn’t also include the mass slaughter of the Iranian people and the devastation of the country? Do you really think that the regime’s obliterating Tel Aviv or New York would cause another revolution? After all, the most recent one failed bloodily, and the repressive mechanisms would still be fully intact. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/126 "2012-07-08T18:17:00Z")
I honestly don’t think Iran would ever do it. They’re crazy, but they’re not _that_ crazy. And I don’t think Mnogo Nukes would be an acceptable response on our part if they _did_ do it. The impact of 200 nuclear weapons going off simultaneously on Iran would effect _a lot more_ than just Iran. I’m not a scientist, but I have to think it would have an immediate, devastating impact on Earth’s entire biosphere. Besides which… if Iran bombs Israel or the US, and we retaliate by bombing Iran, Russia would retaliate by bombing _us._ Then we’d retaliate by bombing Russia, and then China would get involved, and India and Pakistan would be, “Oh, what the hell, all the cool kids are doing it” and release nukes towards _each other…_ And you can kiss the human race goodbye. ---
**Author:** ![greenslime1951](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@greenslime1951](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenslime1951)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/127 "2012-07-08T18:17:56Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > Also, while we’re piling onto this whopper, I’d point out that Indonesia, which has something like 40% of the world’s Muslim population, has a fairly long (albeit somewhat troubled) history of democratic institutions. Addressing you and the rest of the pile: I suppose I should have said _functional_ democracy. Indonesia doesn’t qualify. Neither does Turkey, now that they’ve **democratically** (supposedly) elected to return to the twelfth century. Tunisia–that remains to be seen. I know there are Muslim countries that CALL themselves democracies, but none actually are, in terms of pluralism and the rule of law (as opposed to the rule of religion). (And perhaps I shoudl clarify: I refer to states, not with large Muslim populations necessarily, but those where an Islamic theocracy is the ruling government–whether or not it does call itself a “democracy”). How can democracy persist in the face of Islam’s crushing restrictions on even the tiniest aspects of personal freedom? (Of course, I should concede that if a people democratically elect to forfeit their freedoms, as, for instance, Egypt recently did, the resultant tyranny COULD be said to be an expression of democracy, in that the Egyptian people democratically voted to crumple up democracy and toss it in the wastebasket.) ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/128 "2012-07-08T18:21:56Z")
Which is a completely different thread than this one. > [@](#): > > I’d like to think this would work, but the mullahs would just paint our restraint as a showing a lack of resolve and that we were a paper tiger. Probably doesn’t work to say that while 500 American aircraft, a hundred or so drones and about a hundred American ships are in the process of obliterating everything remotely resembling ‘infrastructure’ in your country. ---
**Author:** ![greenslime1951](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@greenslime1951](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenslime1951)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/129 "2012-07-08T19:06:58Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Which is a completely different thread than this one. > > Probably doesn’t work to say that while 500 American aircraft, a hundred or so drones and about a hundred American ships are in the process of obliterating everything remotely resembling ‘infrastructure’ in your country. Probably not. But I was responding to a hypothetical scenario postulated by a poster who said that if we, in effect, said we were really really mad (after an Iranian nuclear strike on an American city) and intended to obliterate the regime responsible, that would cause a popular revolution out of fear. _Before_ we did any kind of retaliating. I also wonder if our blowing up every kebab stand in Iran wouldn’t harden the people against us and provide ample support for the mad mullahs’ constant painting of us as “The Great Satan.” ---
**Author:** ![Uber\_the\_Goober](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/58956e/32.png) [@Uber\_the\_Goober](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uber_the_Goober)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/130 "2012-07-08T19:11:11Z")
> [@greenslime1951](#): > > I’d like to think this would work, but the mullahs would just paint our restraint as a showing a lack of resolve and that we were a paper tiger. A regime that casually slaughters its own people wouldn’t be deterred, or impressed, by the threat of somebidy else doing the same–especially since the ruling thugs would be safely ensconced in their Holy Bunker long before they launched the initial attack. > > Also, exactly how could we destroy the Iranian regime in a way that wouldn’t also include the mass slaughter of the Iranian people and the devastation of the country? Do you really think that the regime’s obliterating Tel Aviv or New York would cause another revolution? After all, the most recent one failed bloodily, and the repressive mechanisms would still be fully intact. Lack of resolve? I think you missed the part about truly and completely destroying Iran but without nuclear weapons. That’s showing great resolve, in a responsible manner. ---
**Author:** ![Uber\_the\_Goober](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/58956e/32.png) [@Uber\_the\_Goober](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uber_the_Goober)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/131 "2012-07-08T19:13:05Z")
> [@greenslime1951](#): > > \ > > I also wonder if our blowing up every kebab stand in Iran wouldn’t harden the people against us and provide ample support for the mad mullahs’ constant painting of us as “The Great Satan.” It might, but who cares? They’ll be functionally gone from any discussion or action for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![SunGazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@SunGazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunGazer)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/132 "2012-07-08T19:15:04Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > :dubious: This is absolutely untrue, historically and etymologically. A “republic” is not necessarily individualist by definition. Looks like you have someone making up their own definitions for words. > > This should be its own thread, though. So, you are not refuting the fact that we are a Constitutional Republic? Regarding Republics and Individualism are all of these researchers, historians, constitutional scholars also “making up” the same definition? - What Is America? - Republic vs Democracy [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6CbbnNzyKE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6CbbnNzyKE) - “Democracy or Republic, Which is it?” by Benedict D. LaRosa About the author: Benedict LaRosa is a historian and writer with undergraduate and graduate degrees in history from the U.S. Air Force Academy and Duke University, respectively. > **[larosa\_democracy\_or\_republic.pdf](https://www.devvy.com/pdf/larosa/larosa_democracy_or_republic.pdf)** > > 3.98 MB - Excerpt from “The Chasm - The Future Is Calling” by G. Edward Griffin Author Info: [http://www.gedwardgriffin.com/](http://www.gedwardgriffin.com/) > **[Campaign for Liberty - Reclaim the Republic. Restore the Constitution.](https://campaignforliberty.org)** > > Reclaim the Republic. Restore the Constitution. - Article: “Republic v. Democracy” by David Barton Author Info: [http://www.wallbuilders.com/ABTbioDB.asp](http://www.wallbuilders.com/ABTbioDB.asp) [http://www.wallbuilders.com/libissuesarticles.asp?id=111](http://www.wallbuilders.com/libissuesarticles.asp?id=111) - Excerpt from a Study Guide titled: “The American Ideal of 1776” by Hamilton Albert Long Author Info: [http://lexrex.com/enlightened/AmericanIdeal/author\_info\_intro.htm](http://lexrex.com/enlightened/AmericanIdeal/author_info_intro.htm) [http://lexrex.com/enlightened/AmericanIdeal/aspects/demrep.html](http://lexrex.com/enlightened/AmericanIdeal/aspects/demrep.html) ```auto A poster had suggested that I'm wasting my time. I have concluded that he is absolutely correct and I shall heed his sage advice to leave this forum. I was unable to find the link to unsubscribe/unregister from the forum. Perhaps someone can tell me how I may do that. Don't all of you jump up at once. :D Good luck to all you truth-seekers. May you all achieve your goal sooner rather than later. ``` ---
**Author:** ![greenslime1951](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@greenslime1951](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenslime1951)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/133 "2012-07-08T19:45:11Z")
> [@Uber\_the\_Goober](#): > > Lack of resolve? I think you missed the part about truly and completely destroying Iran but without nuclear weapons. > > That’s showing great resolve, in a responsible manner. So the way to be “responsible” would be to utterly destroy the country, but without using nuclear weapons? What’s the distinction? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/134 "2012-07-08T19:54:07Z")
> [@SunGazer](#): > > Good luck to all you truth-seekers. May you all achieve your goal sooner rather than later. Just stop hijacking the thread! We’re discussing nuclear policy in this thread, not individualist republicanism. Start your own thread or go here: > **[But we already threw off the Admiralty!](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=657842)** > > Ahem. The USA has been on common law all along. And we threw out the Admiralty in the 1770’s. Those words mean things other than what you think they mean. I’m seriously worried for you here. When you use language like this, you sound dangerously... ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/135 "2012-07-08T20:34:06Z")
> [@SunGazer](#): > > A poster had suggested that I’m wasting my time. I have concluded that he is absolutely correct and I shall heed his sage advice to leave this forum. I was unable to find the link to unsubscribe/unregister from the forum. Perhaps someone can tell me how I may do that. Don’t all of you jump up at once. 😃 > > Good luck to all you truth-seekers. May you all achieve your goal sooner rather than later. You have already been told to stop hijacking this thread. You have also been told in two separate threads that this sort of off-topic pushing of a personal agenda is not appropriate. This is a Warning that you are on thin ice. If you want to discuss the wonderful ideals of various tax evaders and their long-discredited beliefs, you are welcome to do so in your own thread. Stop hijacking other threads with off-topic personal beliefs. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![SunGazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@SunGazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunGazer)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/136 "2012-07-08T20:51:46Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > You have already been told to stop hijacking this thread. > > You have also been told in two separate threads that this sort of off-topic pushing of a personal agenda is not appropriate. > > This is a Warning that you are on thin ice. > > If you want to discuss the wonderful ideals of various tax evaders and their long-discredited beliefs, you are welcome to do so in your own thread. > Stop hijacking other threads with off-topic personal beliefs. > [/Moderating] I received this as a private message also and the following was my response to you, also via private message: Tom, I have already requested, via private message to C K Dexter Haven, that my registration to this forum be deleted. Would you be able to comply with this request? Or tell me how I may do that myself. I was unable to find an deregistration link. I have no “personal agenda”. If you truly want to censor me then delete my registration to the forum. It’s really that simple. Warning indeed … you’re funny! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/137 "2012-07-08T20:54:55Z")
> [@greenslime1951](#): > > Probably not. But I was responding to a hypothetical scenario postulated by a poster who said that if we, in effect, said we were really really mad (after an Iranian nuclear strike on an American city) and intended to obliterate the regime responsible, that would cause a popular revolution out of fear. _Before_ we did any kind of retaliating. > > I also wonder if our blowing up every kebab stand in Iran wouldn’t harden the people against us and provide ample support for the mad mullahs’ constant painting of us as “The Great Satan.” I’m pretty sure that a nuclear attack on an American city by Iran would result in the quick and complete destruction of Iran’s ability to wage war anytime in the next century. The intent of the retaliatory strike would be just that, not sending the Iranian people back to the stone age. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/138 "2012-07-08T21:06:23Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > Besides which… if Iran bombs Israel or the US, and we retaliate by bombing Iran, Russia would retaliate by bombing _us._ Then we’d retaliate by bombing Russia, and then China would get involved, and India and Pakistan would be, “Oh, what the hell, all the cool kids are doing it” and release nukes towards _each other…_ I can’t imagine Russia coming to Iran’s defense if they chose to launch a preemptive strike. Putin isn’t going to put his nation’s ass on the line to defend a bunch of wannabe martyrs - he’ll tell them “Sorry, fellas, you’re on your own on this one” and express his absolute _grief_ that a peaceful compromise couldn’t be achieved after the US does what needs to be done. ---
**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:** [July 8, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/139 "2012-07-08T21:13:10Z")
> [@greenslime1951](#): > > I also wonder if our blowing up every kebab stand in Iran wouldn’t harden the people against us and provide ample support for the mad mullahs’ constant painting of us as “The Great Satan.” Considering that there are few, if any “kebab stands” in Iran that would be rather difficult to do. Kebab is certainly a popular dish in Iranian restaurants but I’ve never heard of any “kebab stands” there. The closest I’ve heard of are some amongst Iranian-American communities in LA, though for a variety of reasons they’re not all that representative. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485/140 "2012-07-08T21:19:42Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > I’m pretty sure that a nuclear attack on an American city by Iran would result in the quick and complete destruction of Iran’s ability to wage war anytime in the next century. The intent of the retaliatory strike would be just that, not sending the Iranian people back to the stone age. I dunno. “If you insist on living in the 12th century, we’ll be happy to return you there” works for me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-do-when-iran-drops-the-big-one-on/627485.md?page=8)