To: RetiredNow who wrote (246097 ) 8/15/2005 5:29:33 PM From: tejek Read Replies (1) | Respond to I am saying you will not stop them from getting the bomb short of nuking them. If you think nuking them is worth it, then go for it. Then the U.N. came in and dismantled most of the rest of their WMD capabilities. Then we finished the job once and for all with the Iraq war. We didn't have to use nukes on Iraq. The most important lesson the whole world learned about Iraq was that the combination of U.S. air patrols and U.N. sanctions pretty much destroyed Iraq's economy. That lesson is not lost on Iran. You see, they still have plenty to lose. They may not fear a U.S. ground war against them, but I guarantee you they fear losing their oil wealth. A U.S. air war against Iran will accomplish two things: 1) complete destruction of all of their anti-aircraft capabilities and all of their military and nuclear complexes, and 2) severe degradation of their economic wealth. It will cost us less to prosecute an air war against Iran than it will cost their economy and they know it. That is their achilles heel, because they are currently using their oil wealth to buy off their disgruntled youth who yearn to join the world community in freedom. Without their wealth, they will face a very formidable young population that won't put up with much more shit from the theocracy. Iran's only hope, frankly, is to somehow stall for 3 more years and hope a Democrat is elected. At that point, I certainly will have to agree with you that all hope will be gone from us preventing Iran from getting nukes or from preventing terrorists from nuking the U.S. However, as much as I hate Bush, I think he is the only real hope of forcing Iran to the negotiating table with Europe or alternatively, a U.S. air war lead by Bush to destroy their nuke capabilities once and for all.
