Dang, you just beat me to this article - I was about to post it as well.

This is, to say the least, a bit troubling no matter how pro-Israeli one might be. I would also say the backlash on Israel would be pretty intense not just by her enemies but her allies as well. Throwing nukes around via Bush Doctrine means is a pretty dangerous step in the wrong direction. Furthermore, most analyst reports indicate that Iran is at least 8-10 years away from successfully creating a nuke anyway. Taking such a drastic step of nuking Iran, let alone killing countless numbers of innocent civilians either with the blast itself or the radiation and fallout that proceeds it simply cannot happen.

I also recall the most recent elections (to which DevilDog posted here a coupla weeks ago) that demonstrated the will of the Iranian people directly countering the extremist leaders in Iran.

Besides, can someone explain how Israel has nukes to begin with? Isn't that against a few U.N. Resolutions, by chance?

With all that said, I do not deny that Israel has every right to protect itself. I also think that their involvement with engaging Iran versus the U.S. engaging Iran, sadly, might actually be the lesser of two major problems. It's easy to see how a number of pundits and neoconservatives deliberately tangle up Israeli problems as being 100% U.S. problems as well. While one cannot deny that there is a shared number of issues between Israel and the U.S., I think the degree of what those issues are shared needs to be separated a bit more.

So while I don't necessarily disagree entirely with Israel engaging Iran, I simply cannot agree with the extreme stance of nuclear warfare is the most viable answer. The consequences are just too great at this time. It seems that diplomacy and summit talks are such a thing of the past anymore.

___________________
Whence September dusk grows crisper still,
with leaves all crimson conquered,
I yearn to shout,
and dance about,
and stick pickles in my honker...

I agree.

The use of even ONE tac-nuke is enough to spin a whole lot of resentment from all angles and justifiably so.

All I can say is that Israel's preemptive strike (sans nuke) better have concrete evident before they do it however Iran's (read Iran's current government) doesn't give everyone the warm fuzzies either...

___________________
"...End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path...one that we all must take.
The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all change to silver glass...and then you see it...
...white shores...and beyond...the far green country under a swift sunrise."

With regards to a potential middle east nuclear arms race, I think it would be interesting to see what the political spin on the situation would be. If Iran were to get a nuke, then as mentionned before, the Saudis, Jordanians, Egyptians and maybe even the Turks would want them.

These countries are all friendly to the US and it's interests.

My question is would the US change it's tune on the allowance of nulear weapons because these countries are buddies? There certainly wouldn't be talk of sanctions against the Saudis...

All in all, any nukes in the region are destabilising to say the least, and I'm honestly surprised that bombs haven't been bought somehow instead of developing them yourself.

A pre-emptive strike on Iran (nuclear or not) would have to carry some seriously damnning evidence that Israel should have to prove publicly, otherwise sanctions should be brought on them (though I doubt the US would allow that lol)

Wow, a nuke strike? I never want to see that. A nuke test sent the entire world into a frenzy. The real thing will turn everything upside-down.

___________________
"You won a new refrigerator, great! Where you gonna put it?" - Tony Danza

Just another example of Western hypocrisy.

___________________
"The Greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." -Stephen Hawking
"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me— and there was no one left to speak out for me." -Martin Niemöller

quote:

Originally posted by shaolin_Z Just another example of Western hypocrisy.

where were you in 1981?

quote:

Originally posted by Q5echo where were you in 1981?

Not yet born lol .

___________________
"The Greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." -Stephen Hawking
"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me— and there was no one left to speak out for me." -Martin Niemöller

quote:

Originally posted by pmoisse My question is would the US change it's tune on the allowance of nulear weapons because these countries are buddies?

It's already happening. Egypt got the go-ahead from the US a few months ago to develop its own nuclear arsenal, and Israel hasnt resisted that option either.

If Israel were to nuke Iran's nuclear facilities (and it's a big if), you can expect Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan, as well as the country of Turkey, to be somewhat in the loop. While there would be outrage in Arabic and Moslim media, the leaders of many Middle Eastern countries would actually be happy with Israel's decision as it would save them from trying to take down Iran themselves. Same deal with Europe and the US, and this is one of the main reasons why back in the 60s France supplied Israel with nukes to begin with.

Do I think this will actually happen? Not necessarily, as there are many forces within Iran that are trying to bring back a more moderate leadership. Former Iranin leader, Khatami, who has decent/good ties with the West, just stated the other day that Iran's current problem should be blamed on Ahmedanijad. Many in Iran are also embarassed by the recent holocaust denial conference that took place in Tehran. The Arab media didnt come out and say it directly, but it too frowned upon such an extreme conference.
Several years back, I also recall that when Iran called for the elimination of Israel, even the PLO condoned the statements, and said it recognizes Israel as a country.

If Syria and Israel will enter into peace talks in the coming years, and you can bet Egypt and the Saudis will try to make it happen (alongside the US), Iran will have a much tougher time threatening Israel. Once Syria and Israel enter into a peace agreement, Lebanon, Sadi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE are also expected to follow suit quickly.

quote:

Originally posted by shaolin_Z Not yet born lol .

well, it shows.

quote:

Originally posted by CHRles It's already happening. Egypt got the go-ahead from the US a few months ago to develop its own nuclear arsenal, and Israel hasnt resisted that option either. If Israel were to nuke Iran's nuclear facilities (and it's a big if), you can expect Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan, as well as the country of Turkey, to be somewhat in the loop. While there would be outrage in Arabic and Moslim media, the leaders of many Middle Eastern countries would actually be happy with Israel's decision as it would save them from trying to take down Iran themselves. Same deal with Europe and the US, and this is one of the main reasons why back in the 60s France supplied Israel with nukes to begin with. Do I think this will actually happen? Not necessarily, as there are many forces within Iran that are trying to bring back a more moderate leadership. Former Iranin leader, Khatami, who has decent/good ties with the West, just stated the other day that Iran's current problem should be blamed on Ahmedanijad. Many in Iran are also embarassed by the recent holocaust denial conference that took place in Tehran. The Arab media didnt come out and say it directly, but it too frowned upon such an extreme conference. Several years back, I also recall that when Iran called for the elimination of Israel, even the PLO condoned the statements, and said it recognizes Israel as a country. If Syria and Israel will enter into peace talks in the coming years, and you can bet Egypt and the Saudis will try to make it happen (alongside the US), Iran will have a much tougher time threatening Israel. Once Syria and Israel enter into a peace agreement, Lebanon, Sadi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE are also expected to follow suit quickly.

+1

Bush just put an Admiral in charge of CENTCOM. what does that tell you people?

quote:

Originally posted by Q5echo where were you in 1981?

That's when Israel successfuly took down Iraq's nuclear facility. This implies that if Israel did something like this in the past, it might risk doing it again over in Iran.