quote:
Originally posted by delete:
Pretty sure we have two options here.
Plan A: Let Iran get the bomb, control the region, and nuke Israel
Plan B: Return Iran to the stone age
delete , Just because GW Bush has PROVEN that he will do the deed doesn't indicate that anyone else on earth will.
Making Life and Death Decisions should not be up to people who think in terms of "either/or."
Iran, should it decide to destroy Israel is perfectly capable of doing it without using Nukes. They are detered from that particular course of action by the Presence on the Planet of the United States of America, and should they decide to act against Israel, even I would support a "regime" change. Bellicose Public posturing is NOT warmaking. It is a means of opening dialog, a warning of the possibilities.
A major reality is the Presence of a well armed, and well Trained Russian Military directly adjacent to Iran. Russia is the deterent to attacking Iran, and it is a real, and credible deterrent.
When the US Congress authorized the Use of Force to Disarm Iraq, it resulted in Saddam Hussain opening his nation to inspectors. That is Part of negotiation with a recalcitrant. The FACT is Bush, using that authorization to excuse invading Iraq only demonstrated His basic dishonesty. His use of that legislation as a basis for invading Iraq is ONE OF HIS CRIMES. He asked for the authorizaton to FORCE inspections and disarmament. It worked, but he decided to invade anyway. He was NEVER authorized to invade a Disarmed Iraq, yet he did.
Iran's President Made Bellicose Statements about Israel in an effort to point out the basic insecurity of the Arab world because of Israel's expansionist National Policy. The internal effect of those comments, In Iran, has been the defeat of most of his political supporters in recent elections. Iran's people have rejected his position. He does not have the support of his legislature for an attack on Israel. He will be up for election soon, Just as the US Congress was up for election in 2006, and the Presidency will be decided in 2008. YES, Iran is a democracy. A theocratic, Islamic Democracy, but a Democracy.
Democracies function on the basis of INFORMED VOTERS MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT NATIONAL POLICY.
That is why the question of continuing American Military involvement in Iraq was part of the funding bill that was Passed this Friday in the House of Representatives.
George Bush and his spokespeople seem to be ignorant of the fact that the PEOPLE of the United States decide United States Policy, and in 2006, Elected representatives to END American involvement in Iraq.
Nearly 7 out of 10 Americans want the USA to withdraw from Iraq.
During the Past four years, Bush, and most Republicans have been Promising Victory in Iraq, and that Victory includes a PERMANENT US Military presence in Iraq. Even without armed conflict in Iraq, A military presence there of any meaningful strength will entail the deployment of thousands of US troops.
New Military Construction in Germany in 2004 was nearly 300 million Dollars. 80 thousand US troops are stationed in Germany. If the average pay is 20 thousand dollars per year for each of those troops, WAGES amount to 160 million dollars a year.
Kay Bailey Hutchinson, in a 2003 Heritage Lecture estimated the cost of overseas deployments OUTSIDE IRAQ in the billions. She made that statement as a Senator, Representing Texas, less than one month after the invasion of Iraq began.
To respond directly to your Question, "Will USA blast Iran?" I can only say you better pray we don't, the consequences could be conversion of the USA from a Prosperous Nation of 300 million to a nation in the same condition as pressent day Iraq.