Bulgaroctonus

Use subtle and long-term methods to undermine the nuclear enemy. Also consider using biochemical weapons to wipe out his populace or cause mass panic that may paralyze his nuclear system. Also, cyber terrorism could disable a weakly engineered nuclear system.

If the nuclear system of the enemy can be disabled for only a number of hours, the enemy can be eliminated. If the nuclear capabilities cannot be eliminated, caution is in order. However, as horrific as nuclear war is, it is no longer believed to be unwinnable.

Try to ally with this friendly country, or at least enact a non-aggression pact. If they turn hostile, refer to point a.

Prevent this power from gaining nuclear weapons. If possible, strategically destroy their weapons production facilities. Or, if one is fortunate to have plentiful military strength, defeat and occupy the country in conventional warfare. Then set up a puppet state that does not make nuclear weapons.

Keep them at this level, do not allow the production of nuclear weapons.

Defeat them and shamelessly extract their resources for the benefit of thy nation.

Ninjas.

Bulgaroctonus

Iran should not be tolerated. If there was ever a enemy, Iran fits the bill. Sometimes tolerance and negotiation are beneficial. However, I don't think this is one of those times.

We can't make the error of giving Iran too much credit. They are an enemy and are constantly opposed to United States interests. I would like to see that country severely maimed. Imagine the new respect for American power then. Europe, the Middle East, and a whole host of other nations are able to mock us because ever since World War II, American foreign military ventures have often been unsuccessful or frustrating. America needs to silence Iran, and the world's critics. Never underestimate the power of unbridled terror and fury.

The thing I'm worried about is the U.S. army becoming overstretched physically and financially.

I will not buy into the Thomas Friedman notion that war is irrelevant today, or somehow old-fashioned.

Leader

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Confed999

The ACDA (US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency) called it up to 2000 tons of chemical, including possible nerve and bio-toxin weapons. But... There should have been weapons in Iraq too, even old ones...

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No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry

Confed999

Was with you up to there...

Bulgaroctonus

Huh? ....Cannot understand syntax.....

bull

U r very right about the middle class,but these classes dont grow in countries like iran .What i have seen is that a middle class arises mainly when the services industry takes of in that country.And for the same reason it wotn happen in Iran.

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What's the difference between people who pray in church and those who pray in casinos?
The ones in the casinos are serious.

Confed999

I was on your side, until it became nationalist.

Bulgaroctonus

I see. So you are in favor of the general practice of military force, but not necessarily on behalf of America?

Confed999

Military force is, and should be, an option of last resort. I do not support the use of military force in general practice. And when I do support the use of military force, it certainly isn't going to be for the cause of making my country look cool. Also, there's nothing wrong with another country opposing your interests. That happens every day. It's called business.

astralis

and why won't it? iran actually had a large middle-class under the shah (and prior to the shah). after the '79 revolution many of them fled to america; that is why there are such large persian communities in places like orange county and LA.

by the way, the middle-class is not necessarily based off the service industry. to take one example, japan's middle-class grew heavily in the 1960s, long before japan started to shift to the service industry area in the late 70s and early 80s. this is true for south korea and taiwan as well.

Confed999

New government, new rules, new country. The current government has the ability to repress the people's economic growth. Best way to get ahead is to know someone, and be a loyal supporter.

astralis

it has the ability, but it largely chooses not to do so. much like china's gov't, the student protests of the late 90s has shown the regime there that repressing the economy is not a good idea. yet it's in a bind: if it doesn't repress the economy, people will get more contact with such uncomfortable ideas as freedom and economic wealth; but if it does so, it risks pissing off the people.

the current iranian solution is to selectively repress some people (the most rowdy students) while giving everyone else some pretense at political power (the presidency) as well as some economic freedoms. the iranian people have found out, though, the limits to their political power (the president isn't all that important). this at first caused quite a few protests, but rising oil prices (mostly) and (a lot less so, but still there: you may even ask iranian EXILES, the opponents of the regime, what they think about iranian nuclear power, and they will support it) resentment to the pressure from the west has turned what was rage into a sullen apathy.

which is why i'm not a big fan of a confrontational approach with the iranians. it risks pushing the iranian populace unwillingly into the arms of a leadership that will use the siren song of nationalism. then we could very well stop reform in its tracks, and ironically give the ayatollahs exactly what they want.

Bulgaroctonus

I am not usually a nationalist or a warmonger. However, I think that Iran poses a serious threat that has moved beyond the negotiation level. I support military force if it serves the my interest. As an American, I think that a war against Iran could be to our advantage. I don't view this as an instance where we're trying to look cool.

There is something wrong with another country opposing my interests when that country is Iran.

Bulgaroctonus

The situation in Iran is more complicated than many people recognize, that is true. There is a large, young population that has dubious loyalty to the theocracy. However, we can't wait forever for their second revolution. If Iran is about the go nuclear, we'll have to make a choice.