Perhaps I was wrong about Iran

[big_bad_al]

Up until now, I've been thinking the US has been making a big stink about Iran's nuclear programme over nothing: just another superpower hoping that their enemies will not be given their inalienable right to improve their lot. However, I've been reading more on the subject, and it looks like there may very well be a sinister undercurrent to Iran's

Comments

[eve_wyoming]

Haha...and here I thought you were doing homework! Crazy me. ;)

[krustad]

Iraq had no nukes. We took them out. North Korea has nukes. We're mostly leaving them alone. The lesson's been learned.

What's more, the threat of the US unilaterally invading another country *right now* is pretty minimal. Considering the level of overstretch our troops are seeing in just Iraq and Afghanistan, America starting another land-based conflict would be completely insane. If Iran manages to become a nuclear power before any threat of invasion could become credible (the gamble I suspect they may be taking), then they'll become uninvadable for the foreseeable future. And they'll have WAY more power at the bargaining table with the US, Israel, and other rivals.

I think the Israel rhetoric is overblown--post-WWII, nobody builds nuclear weapons for offense. Mutual assured destruction and all that. But nuclear weapons are pretty damn good for getting other nations to do what you want (or at least mind their own business).