So now Iran is not a threat?

[1fastredsc]

I'm sure you've all seen the news with Bush's address on new intelligence stating that Iran stopped it's Nuclear weapons program 4 years ago. Now i'm sure that those who work in intelligence get paid well for their highly secretive jobs. How in the hell did this piece of intelligence go unnoticed or unpublished for so long, which i guess now makes it 4 years behind? Also if this is new information, does this makes us behind the curve by about 4 years? At this rate we could find out next year that 3 years ago they restarted the program !

[legion]

Some will say this is proof we should stop putting pressure on Iran.

I say that is snatching defeat from victory. Now is the time to INCREASE pressure so as to get final resolution.

[frogger]

Originally Posted by legion

Some will say this is proof we should stop putting pressure on Iran.

Really? My take is that the result is more voices calling for diplomacy and less of the Bush administration's sabre-rattling.

[legion]

Originally Posted by frogger

Really? My take is that the result is more voices calling for diplomacy and less of the Bush administration's sabre-rattling.

And that is the wrong approach.

The only thing that the Iranian government recognizes is force (or threat of force). They view a willingness to negotiate as proof of a weak hand.

[Superman]

Right you are! At all costs, whatever we do, we should certainly not engage in any discussions or diplomacy or utilize any international influence we might still have. Nope. Nosiree. Obviously, the only reasonable course of action we have is to load their waters up with warships and stack troops along their border. Ain't that right, Billy-Bob?

[Moneyguy1]

legion

You are missing an opportunity. You should run for office so you can really make a difference and influence the decision makers.

Somebody should.......

[Red Baron]

Iran has been a threat for nearly 40 years and will always be a threat unless we keep them in check.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Threat to whom?

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by 1fastredsc

I'm sure you've all seen the news with Bush's address on new intelligence stating that Iran stopped it's Nuclear weapons program 4 years ago. Now i'm sure that those who work in intelligence get paid well for their highly secretive jobs. How in the hell did this piece of intelligence go unnoticed or unpublished for so long, which i guess now makes it 4 years behind? Also if this is new information, does this makes us behind the curve by about 4 years? At this rate we could find out next year that 3 years ago they restarted the program !

Hey, that's pretty cool, actually. If I read this correctly, this really means our crack "intelligence" community are akin to astronomers, but on a lesser, closer to home scale. While our giant telescopes peer into the heavens and see things as they were millions, if not billions of years ago, our "intelligence" community can peer into the Mid East and see it how it was three to four years ago.

[Red Baron]

Everyone in the region except Hezbollah bed mates, whom they sponsor. Are you not old enough to remember the hostages?

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by Superman

Right you are! At all costs, whatever we do, we should certainly not engage in any discussions or diplomacy or utilize any international influence we might still have. Nope. Nosiree. Obviously, the only reasonable course of action we have is to load their waters up with warships and stack troops along their border. Ain't that right, Billy-Bob?

Oh please, sir. Not the green ink! It diminishes you. Have you sadly become numbed to smiling wryly at responses from those who've no clue from whence you come?

[nostatic]

"I view this report as a warning signal that they had the program, they halted the program," Bush said. "The reason why it's a warning signal is they could restart it."

And I thought the comedy writers were on strike...somebody's been crossing the picket line.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

No, I do remember the hostages. I was young, but I remember it. I have no doubt that certain factions within Iran would jump at the chance to embarrass America again.

It just seems to me that action against Iran is ultimately more in defense of Israel than ourselves. Israel frankly ought to be big boys about it and fight their own battles (rather than snookering us to fight them for 'em). I'm sure they're more than capable. Or maybe this is really about defense of imperialist American interests in I-wreck - not that we ought to be there to begin with - right?

Of course if we start respecting the sovereignty of other nations and got the F out of I-wreck like we should and give the people there what they want (the U.S. gone), I don't see who Iran is really a threat to, other than Israel (and Israel can take care of itself far as I'm concerned) or Sunni Iraqis, who will see it as just another chapter in a centuries-old bloodbath over religious dogma.

If Iranian Shiites start openly engaging in cross-border attacks against Sunnis, why do we care exactly? This conflict has been going on for centuries and frankly, I say let 'em kill each other - it makes it less likely that they'll be able to muster a collective resolve strong enough to actually attack Israel anyway. . . or us. If they're busy destroying themselves, we can sit on the sidelines, address the MANY problems we have at home and not worry about them trying to destroy us. The way they behave it seems like they WANT the conflict. Fine. Let 'em have it.

My apologies that my question was a bit of a set-up, but I do want to make the point that (once again) if the U.S. hadn't committed such a colossal foreign policy blunder by invading Iraq, we'd have FAR less to worry about today.

[legion]

You all are right. Iran will forever abandon nuclear weapons--which give them parity on a world stage--because of words and words alone. We don't want to hurt any feelings and motivate them out of fear or self-preservation.

[stealthn]

Yeah, the same "intelligence" people that said there were WMD in Iraq...

End the war in Iraq, get the boys home, and start taking care of those that were injured in the war(s), maybe work on the economy....

Oh yeah, then they can play "where in the world is Osama?"

Flame on

[1fastredsc]

Originally Posted by Red Baron

Everyone in the region except Hezbollah bed mates, whom they sponsor. Are you not old enough to remember the hostages?

What hostages (No smart ass intended, i really don't know)?
Anyhow, my concern was more over our intelligence agencies lack of staying up to date with 4 year old news. I mean having iran temporarily stop their nuclear weapons program seems like significant information. And i know that they can't be dumb, hell the FBI comes recruiting here at our career fairs every now and then. They look for science or math type majors with GPAs of 3.3 or higher. But the governments own classified intelligence agency is 4 years behind, i mean that is just mind boggling to me.

[dd74]

Get Carter - Jimmy Carter.

[legion]

I wouldn't mind him taking a trip to Iran...

If nothing else, it should help remind the world how effective he is.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by 1fastredsc

What hostages (No smart ass intended, i really don't know)?

Iran took Americans hostage in 1979 when the Shah fell and the fundamentalist Khomeni (sp?) took over. This was in direct response to the U.S.'s support of the Shah, who some regard as a despot.

Anyway, ex president Jimmy Carter, tried over and over to negotiate and appease the Iranians, but to no avail. The hostages were released when Reagan took office, who, as I recall, vowed to destroy Iran.

[legion]

You mean they responded to threats and not diplomacy!?

Surely that can't be. People around here keep insisting they will respond to empty words.