Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Dutch Central Bank Sale Announcement Imminent? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: philv who wrote (22362)	2/12/2005 2:12:44 PM
From: Raymond Duray	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 81137

Re: But do we really have any alternatives? Start to eliminate the fascist militarists who are ruining America. *** Re: Ironically, unless Iran gives in to pressure, it may well suffer the same fate as Iraq which didn't actually have any W.M.D.'s. or even a credible nuclear program. You don't understand the order of battle. Iran has been annually spending about $9 Billion on its military, mostly on hardware. Prior to getting whacked, Iraq was spending $1.5 Billion per annum, mostly on staff. Iraq had a small handful of Scud and other primitive missiles and no air force to speak of. Iran has a plethora of sophisticated missiles and an intact air force with active radars. Iran has a strategic stranglehold on the Straits of Hormuz, and can and will destroy all American-friendly shipping at the location when Crazy George decides to do something stupid. Crazy George also has the foolish notion that young Iranians will flock to the side of the infidels once the shooting war starts. This would be the first time in history that a people would do such a thing. More likely will be the creation of an entirely unified resistance in Iran to the Great Satan.

To: philv who wrote (22362)	2/12/2005 3:22:34 PM
From: sea_urchin	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 81137

Phil, I agree with you about Iran -- when rather than if. And I don't believe the mullahs will cave in simply because it doesn't help them -- they are damned if they do and damned if they don't. A Catch 22 if ever there was. I feel N. Korea is more of an irritant to the US than an object of desire, like Iran is. So I don't think there will be any military stuff there. Hypocrisy is, of course, the name of the game. No revelation about that. In fact, the real reason why the Arab nations want nuclear weapons is because Israel has them -- completely without international approval -- but no-one is allowed to mention such a thing. Frankly, I'm not confident that they won't use the nuclear weapons. In fact, I am sure that if the US or Israel felt they could get away with it, they would do so. Just like the invasion of Iraq. If I remember correctly, Rumsfeld said the reason they "did" it was because it was "do-able". That's all that concerns them. Pure expediency and, of course, what suits Israel. You might find this lecture by Naom Chomsky of interest. Many feel he's too far on the left but I find his commentary very perceptive, although lengthy. democracynow.org