Iran, War by Proxy, and Consequences
Being a response to Chris Gherrib's Bombing Iran
The only "laws" which exist between nations are those which sovereign nations are willing to uphold by force of arms. Everything else is a "suggestion". In order for such "suggestions" to have credibility, there must be the perception that the nation making the "suggestion" is willing to apply enough force to make the "suggestion" a demand if pressed. This is known as deterrence:
...an American commitment to inflict an unspecified but devastating response upon any nation or group that attacks it.
Similarly, Diplomacy has famously been described as:
...the art of saying Nice doggie! till you can find a [suitable] rock.
Given that Iran has indisputably been waging war by proxy against the United States for thirty years (come November), it is time and past time to find a suitable rock and employ it.
Ceterum censeo Parthiam esse delendam
I don't expect such an operation to be well regarded by the Iranians.
What the end result will be (a hardening of nationalism, a revolution against the Mullahs, or any of a number of options in between) will depend largely on how successful such an operation is.
Frankly, as long as any such operation sets back Iran's nuclear program eight or more years, and otherwise hobbles their ability to make war on their neighbors, it seems a net benefit to mankind.
Oderint dum metuant.
The only "laws" which exist between nations are those which sovereign nations are willing to uphold by force of arms. Everything else is a "suggestion". In order for such "suggestions" to have credibility, there must be the perception that the nation making the "suggestion" is willing to apply enough force to make the "suggestion" a demand if pressed. This is known as deterrence:
...an American commitment to inflict an unspecified but devastating response upon any nation or group that attacks it.
Similarly, Diplomacy has famously been described as:
...the art of saying Nice doggie! till you can find a [suitable] rock.
Given that Iran has indisputably been waging war by proxy against the United States for thirty years (come November), it is time and past time to find a suitable rock and employ it.
Ceterum censeo Parthiam esse delendam
I don't expect such an operation to be well regarded by the Iranians.
What the end result will be (a hardening of nationalism, a revolution against the Mullahs, or any of a number of options in between) will depend largely on how successful such an operation is.
Frankly, as long as any such operation sets back Iran's nuclear program eight or more years, and otherwise hobbles their ability to make war on their neighbors, it seems a net benefit to mankind.
Oderint dum metuant.