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severn's avatar

I replied in the wrong spot, to myself!

I mean -- Iran would if it could "get rid of Israel". It doesn't have the ability. It's developed some kind of drone, cruise tech but we can handle it. Today They're working on nukes. This bothers me. It bothers me in the same way the North Koreans do, who are doing the same. The ability to send target-able ballistic nukes to any place on the world by either regime is more than troubling. While deterrence might work, both of these countries are run by mad-men, or at least mad-people -- it's not clear deterrence is enough.

Given all that -- there's some kind of case to be made that perhaps, in this immediate one, that some message should be send to Iran. But I'm not making it, I can just see the case's outlines a little. But having said that, the case if it can be made has to be very clean and concise -- otherwise, it'll just be another roll of the proverbial snowball down the hill and pretty soon this thing will go side ways... or it seems likely at least.

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Kathleen Weber's avatar

Well, deterrence is the best we have. If we invade either country to take out the nukes, we almost guarantee the regimes will use them. BTW, I think Iran cares about its civilian population somewhat more than North Korea does—N Korea is willing to tolerate some percentage of its population starving to death.

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severn's avatar

Ah but they don't have them yet. And I didn't say anything about invading. The point I was going for was for a possible calibrated response -- we're talking Iran. That there could be a case to made about a calibrated response because "nukes" (in development). I mean I'm not making that case, I'm just saying I can see some perhaps making it.

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Kathleen Weber's avatar

Yep. Maybe someone is making that case, but I fail to see how attacking Iran will make them less likely to develop nukes. I think it would make them want to speed up their program. The only way we can prevent the development of Iranian nukes is either to bribe Iran (unlikely) or take out the nuclear facility by infiltration or cyberattack. Or assassinate key personnel.

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severn's avatar

well wanting to and being able to are two different things. also i note there seems to have been a mid-east coalition against the attack. perhaps these same countries are not that interested in iran attaining well.. anything, either.

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