What Will Happen With Iran?

[BurgundyNGold]

A nuclear armed Iran worries the entire Western world. Well, the entire sane world really. Since it seems that Iran is going down the road of North Korea and, to a lesser extent, Iraq, with the whole nuclear ambition thing, which scenario seems the most likely outcome?

Also, please suggest a course of action for the US...

[RedskinsDave]

Let the U.N handle it. We were told they would have done a great job containing Saddam that we should see. We can afford to do this also because I seriously doubt, even with nukes, that Iran would have the missile capability to hit us (I know, I know, that goes against Bush's threat claim from before but it's what I believe).

[BurgundyNGold]

Let the U.N handle it. We were told they would have done a great job containing Saddam that we should see. We can afford to do this also because I seriously doubt, even with nukes, that Iran would have the missile capability to hit us (I know, I know, that goes against Bush's threat claim from before but it's what I believe).
You don't think that the UN security process is too protracted to effectively deal with such a time sensitive matter?

[RedskinsDave]

You don't think that the UN security process is too protracted to effectively deal with such a time sensitive matter?

Oh I do but didn't we hear that they're better equiped to deal with it than anyone else?

[redskin_rich]

Iran will continue with their nuclear ambitions and Israel will take action. It will then take all of the UN's diplomatic power to prevent WWIII in the Middle East.

[BurgundyNGold]

Iran will continue with their nuclear ambitions and Israel will take action. It will then take all of the UN's diplomatic power to prevent WWIII in the Middle East.
Wow. That's a very Hal Lindsey-like prediction, lol.

[Spence]

Iran is years away from being able to weaponize anything useful from its nuclear program. Could be five years, could be ten years, we don't know more than that. This will drag on for a while. The U.S. isn't going to use nuclear weapons on Iran. The U.S. isn't going to invade Iran either. We don't have the troops to control Iraq, a much smaller country in terms of size and population. Iran would be far beyond our capacities right now, especially with the occupation of Iraq consuming so much blood, treasure, and manpower.

Airstrikes are almost certain to fail, I've been told by more than one defense analyst. The Iranians have buried their sites deep underground and dispersed them around the country, often in population centers. The Iranians got the better of President Carter and President Reagan. These guys are not stupid.

If violence is not a realistic solution to our problem right now, we'll have to pursue diplomacy, which is what the Bush admin seems to be doing. They don't have an alternative right now. One of the reasons I favor a rapid troop withdrawal from Iraq is that I think those soldiers may be needed next door some time around 2010. We better not have an exhausted and demoralized military at that time. We can't afford it.

Iran is not an enemy to be taken lightly. With oil prices spiking and expected to stay at a high level, perhaps permanently, Iran is earning tons of much-needed foreign exchange. The government has more money to spend on national defense and on things like housing programs outside Tehran, which keep the people quiet and happy. In other words, we won't be able to starve these guys out. They're more prepared for us than ever.

I'd try to solve this diplomatically, while getting out of Iraq and planning for a thorough assault on the Islamic Republic, aimed not at occupying the country [or democratizing it or any of that silliness], but at destroying its entire defense infrastructure and removing its current government as a functional entity. Of course, this is an option of last resort, but I don't regard it as a remote possibility.

Iran simply cannot be permitted to possess nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them. It's bad enough we fooled around in Iraq while North Korea moved ahead with its program. We cannot repeat that mistake. The surest guarantee against Iranian-inspired atomic holocaust is a well-armed America, unencumbered by a costly distraction in Iraq and prepared to deal with Iran -- peacefully, if possible and violently, if necessary.

[redskin_rich]

Wow. That's a very Hal Lindsey-like prediction, lol.
Well, I don't know much about Lindsay, other than that he makes apocalyptic predictions and I don't believe in any of that. The way I see it is, Iran is going to continue their development of nuclear weapons and Isreal won't just standby, knowing the first missile could be pointed in their direction.

[VTBob]

The US won't invade for reasons Spence went over, I feel the UN will rattle its sabre with sanctions first and then more severe actions, and (hopefully) Iran will back down.




I doubt it though.

[Booser]

Well, I don't know much about Lindsay, other than that he makes apocalyptic predictions and I don't believe in any of that. The way I see it is, Iran is going to continue their development of nuclear weapons and Isreal won't just standby, knowing the first missile could be pointed in their direction.

Isreal doesn't have the capability to reach Iran with airstrikes unless they use our tankers. That puts quite a different spin on things - how would our Arabic allies like that one?

Also, don't forget that Iran is not an Arab country - they're Persian. They speak Farsi. If you called an Iranian an Arab they would be offended... they dont get along with the Arabs, but they hate the Zionists even more.

[BurgundyNGold]

Isreal doesn't have the capability to reach Iran with airstrikes unless they use our tankers. That puts quite a different spin on things - how would our Arabic allies like that one?

Also, don't forget that Iran is not an Arab country - they're Persian. They speak Farsi. If you called an Iranian an Arab they would be offended... they dont get along with the Arabs, but they hate the Zionists even more.
So, maybe they wouldn't mind so much after all. ;)

[Ibleedburgundy]

The Iranian President has demonstrated a pattern of delusion and support for suicide. That won't change if he gets nukes. I'm hoping there is a way for us to blow up his weapons without having to mount an enormous ground invasion.

[akhhorus]

Nothing will happen. We don't have the military strength to eliminate their program(air strikes will not do the trick, most of their labs are deep underground) and Israel won't dare. The UN will hem and haw and we'll join with China and work out a solution.

[Axegrinder]

Not to change the subject,but do they still have the Iraqi fighter jets?