Fear of Nuclear Iran Could Influence U.S. Diplomacy

[papau]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=10&u=/nm/20040721/ts_nm/iran_usa_strategy_dc

Fear of Nuclear Iran Could Influence U.S. Diplomacy

By Carol Giacomo, Diplomatic Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A revived debate in Washington over possible diplomatic engagement with Iran has been fueled by the growing fear that Tehran is determined to become a nuclear power and time is running out to stop it.

A quarter of a century of U.S. hostility and sanctions have not deterred Iran's nuclear ambitions and what Washington calls its support for terrorism.

A growing chorus of American experts says a fresh approach -- sustained dialogue coupled with carrots and sticks -- must be tried. But they acknowledge this is a long shot.

The intense antagonism that has existed since militant students held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days during the 1979 Iranian revolution "could become a collision course," former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski said this week. <snip>

"Once enrichment capability exists a major barrier to producing a nuclear weapon virtually vanishes. ... We are at a critical moment," former national security adviser Brent Scowcroft wrote recently in the Washington Post. <snip>

"Right now, we have no influence on the outcome of issues that are of real importance to our security interests in that region," including Iran's nuclear ambitions, terrorism policy and involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, which could make or break stability in both those countries, (former CIA Director) Gates said.

[thebigidea]

1. there are no plans on my desk to attack Iran!

[papau]

3. LOL - but sigh - yes we have heard that before! :-)

:-)

[Rex]

2. OOOOOOOOOoooo...."Nuclear Iran"

GD that sounds scary! Are we bombing them yet? If not, why not!!!!

[patdem]

4. Booo...Boooo...Boooga Booooga Boooooo...Nucular....Boooooooo

I am so sick of this shit I could SCREAM!!!!

[DaveClearwater99]

6. Do I hear a drum beat ?

[asjr]

5. Diplomacy? Diplomacy? What is that?

I am afraid it is not in the Shrub's dictionary.

[Bandit]

7. Isn't that right next to Dignity? They don't get that one either

Maybe we could just have Cheney say Fuck you to Iran and all will be well. That is as diplomatic as it is dignified.

[Larkspur]

8. Since Israel has nuclear weapons, why can't Iran?

I mean Iran is only doing what the US, former USSR, Pakistan, India, major European countries, and Israel have done, develop nuclear weapons.

[daleo]

9. An air strike on Iran, early October

The more I hear, the more I think this is likely. There will be lots of repetition of "nuclear Iran" to scare people first, of course. It will be part of Bush's "rally round the flag" effort to be re-selected. I don't know if it would enable him to win an election, but possibly it could be useful as fog during the effort to steal another one.