Things heating up more?

[humvee2800]

several Iranian diplomats arrested

http://today.reuters.com/news/articl...N-USA-IRAQ.xml

Additional carrier group moved into middle easthttp://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...27/ai_n6282566

patriots along iran and Iraq border
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1767269/posts

This coupled with additional troops being sent to the region one has to ask what is going on. From the looks of it a war with Iran could be afoot. If it does happen though lets hope Bush has the good sence to not occupy the whole country this time.

[zinrohk]

just what the US needs, another war..

[Princeps]

Iran really needs that nuke.

[Tsar Stefan Dusan IV]

Iran really needs that nuke.

I always said, that!!!

It is a matter of survival! You don't have to use one, but surely need to have one. Or everyone else will start harassing You. So, Iran - GO GO GO!!!

[eurolord]

Diplomats!!!!

That is rather a posh term for people who are no more than terrorists themselves.

Eurolord

[Sadreddine]

Diplomats!!!!

That is rather a posh term for people who are no more than terrorists themselves.

Eurolord

True!!

Let´s kill all of ´em browny besterds!

Diplomats are but an obstacle to war, which the world is needing now more than ever. Better us humans than those Islamofacists!

[Tom Paine]

Diplomats!!!!

That is rather a posh term for people who are no more than terrorists themselves.

Eurolord

On what evidence is such an assertion made? I might add that our own agents, in the Cold War, got great benefits from diplomatic immunity.

[Aristophanes]

On what evidence is such an assertion made? I might add that our own agents, in the Cold War, got great benefits from diplomatic immunity.

If only that were true. The Secret War was one of the most lop-sided intelligence victories of all time: if medals were being handed out, the Soviets would have swept the podium.

I have no doubt that Iran is arming many, if not all, the Iraqi insurgent groups, Sunnia and Shi'a alike, playing both sides of the field to maximize chaos.

[Vhailor]

I have no doubt that Iran is arming many, if not all, the Iraqi insurgent groups, Sunnia and Shi'a alike, playing both sides of the field to maximize chaos.

Well if Iran is doing this and I say IF because I havent seen any evidence yet, then it doesnt do anything I wouldnt expect them to do.
The goal would be to keep the US occupied in Iraq long enough for them to obtain an asset(call me nuke) that would stop or seriously jeopardize any american plans for an invasion.

[eurolord]

Ozymandias

Yep, I have served in Iraq with the British Army and know exactly what the Iranian government have been up to and what they are responsible for over the last 2-3 years.

My battalion lost 5 men in 3 months purely down to weapons and manpower supplied by Iran.

Personally, I don't care a hoot whether or not our own diplomats helped UK agents in the cold war, they werent trying to kill me - Iranian ones are - big difference.
Whether you believe me or not is irrevalent.

[Tom Paine]

Basically its amorality then; its not a matter of what they are doing is wrong, to you; its a matter of what they are doing affects me. No?

[Denny Crane!]

Ahhh they are obviously refusing to back down on their idea of trading oil in euros, the USA's economy doesn't like this idea.

Peter

[Thanatos]

Well, the problem is that Bush wanted a nice little war in the Middle East to establish his "legacy." All he's done is stir up a hornet's nest.

[Thanatos]

I thought any potential nukes Iran could possess wouldn't be able to strike much of anywhere except Israel?

America could always threaten to turn Mecca into glass.

[Vhailor]

The political cost for turning Mecca into glass would be far too great IMO, same as America nuking anything anyway. Imagine the backlash, half the west is mad at America's "perceived" warmongering politics already, what would happen if the US started nuking people?
No I dont think thats an option, in a "mexican" standoff one has to negotiate, not be the first to pull the trigger.

[Thanatos]

I was just throwing up random possible outcomes in my head.

If I was the President, I'd just send all the men in Europe and South Korea to Iraq, and either create a temporary peace or split the country up into three sections, one for each respective ethnic group.

After that, I'd pull out of the rest of the world, and just mind my own damn business.

[humvee2800]

But there is a reason for men being deployed in europe and south korea. his is not hearts of iron and divisions are not there for no reason Thanatos despite what you may think.

Iran really needs that nuke.

What are you on? looking for the technologyfor a nuke is exactly what provokes America into doing declaring war. Woudl you really feel safer with a crazed oligarchy to be armed with a nuke likely poined to wipe out millions of israelis or americans?

[Princeps]

What are you on? looking for the technologyfor a nuke is exactly what provokes America into doing declaring war.

I'm sure by the time US is ready for another war, there's already several nukes in Iranian arsenal. If Iran is indeed actively building them.

The fear of nuclear war resulting from a reckless attack against Iran discourages the US to attack.

Woudl you really feel safer with a crazed oligarchy to be armed with a nuke likely poined to wipe out millions of israelis or americans?

We already have 40 000 or so nukes controlled by a warmongering cult in Washington.

[humvee2800]

We already have 40 000 or so nukes controlled by a warmongering cult in Washington.

Of which washington has not fired a single one in anger, (warmongering cult?, seriously man try and understand politics before you call washington a warmongering cult)

The fear of nuclear war resulting from a reckless attack against Iran discourages the US to attack.

but the fact that someone as unstable as Iran having the nuclear weapons provokes the U.S, that and the fact that Iran is not necassariyl the most sanely led country in the world.

I'm sure by the time US is ready for another war, there's already several nukes in Iranian arsenal. If Iran is indeed actively building them.

From the looks of the build up they appear to be ready right now, you forget that fighting a country directly is fairly easy for America, Iran would stand next to no chance in conventenial war and could only resort to unconventional if america tried to occupy it (which they would not do)

[King Sakkeus]

Iran is actually quite stable. There is no chance that Al Qaeda like folks would stage a coup and its obvius that the iranian leadership is not going to use a nuke unless attacked.
The pressure to turn Iran into a more secular country is great and whats better is that the pressure actually comes from iranians themselfs and not from outsiders who have their own interests in pursuing a regime change like in Iraq.

If attacked now, Iran has several cards up their sleeve. I mean right now the only support Iran gives is to shia militias that are not actively fighting the coalition. Then theres the straits of Hormuz.
Attacking Iran will only bring the hardliners more support.

The best course of action for USA is to finally swallow their pride and make a deal with the iranians.
Iran has offered help in fighting Al Qaeda and the Taleban but they were always refused. Remember that Al Qaeda is an enemy of Iran as much as they are enemies of United States.