The scimitar arm gets longer...

[Mikey]

Not so good for our Eastern European friends:

Iran's at it again

[Tsukiyumi]

I hate to sound like a warmonger, but we could avoid an invasion by establishing air superiority, and precision bombing anything that resembles a nuclear facility...

If they want to spend the money to rebuild the weapons program, we've got plenty more precision munitions to use.

[Mikey]

In a vacuum, yes. In the current global climate, are we really in a position to start taking it upon ourselves to attack other sovereign nations?

[Tsukiyumi]

In a vacuum, yes. In the current global climate, are we really in a position to start taking it upon ourselves to attack other sovereign nations?

Seeing as Europeans are the ones in strike range, I suppose we should leave it up them whether they want mushroom clouds in their forecasts. They hit Israel, the whole middle east will turn to glass rather quickly...

Tough situation, but something needs to be done soon, and I don't see anything changing diplomatically unless we all pretend to convert to Islam...

[Teaos]

And the Doomssay clock moves a bit closer to 12...

[Tsukiyumi]

And the Doomssay clock moves a bit closer to 12...

And now I have a reason to post this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skV5N4hN2qo

[Graham Kennedy]

I hate to sound like a warmonger, but we could avoid an invasion by establishing air superiority, and precision bombing anything that resembles a nuclear facility...

If they want to spend the money to rebuild the weapons program, we've got plenty more precision munitions to use.

And if they responded by invading Iraq?

[Tsukiyumi]

I hate to sound like a warmonger, but we could avoid an invasion by establishing air superiority, and precision bombing anything that resembles a nuclear facility...

If they want to spend the money to rebuild the weapons program, we've got plenty more precision munitions to use.

And if they responded by invading Iraq?

If forward air support were in place, they wouldn't get very far. If done properly, they'd be the proverbial wave crashing across our rocky shore.

Listen, I'm not advocating a policy of aggression; I'm saying a military strike may be inevitable, and we should have a good strategy in place to deal with a number of different responses from Iran.

I'm interested to hear what you guys think about possible solutions to this situation. I think diplomacy might be somewhat productive, but I honestly don't think we can get through the ingrained zealotry; they're ruled by an Ayatollah... We should not let them develop nuclear weapons, IMO.

[Teaos]

I believe Iraq could be the one thing to destroy Obama. People are realistic about the economy, they dont expect him to fix it very quickly, they just want him to avoid a massive recession.

Iraq, people want out of and want out now. But doing so, even over a 2 year period is going to be all but impossible. There simply is no way of getting out of Iraq with out it being torn apart by civil war and verious other fractions trying to claim it.

Obama can't solve it and that is going to look very bad for him.

[Tsukiyumi]

Obama can't solve it and that is going to look very bad for him.

It would've looked bad for anyone. We certainly could've handled the whole thing better, if we were to go at all.

[Teaos]

But he can't just say "well we shouldnt have gone in the first place".

The one thing McCain really had over Obama in the publics eye was that he would be the superior commander and chief and handle Iraq/Afganistan better. When Obama hits problems in IRaq the Republicans will eat him alive. The only way he can weather is is if he does an amazing job elsewhere.

[Graham Kennedy]

Iraq, people want out of and want out now. But doing so, even over a 2 year period is going to be all but impossible. There simply is no way of getting out of Iraq with out it being torn apart by civil war and verious other fractions trying to claim it.

I suspect he'll just pull out anyway. Do you really think the American people give much of a damn what happens afterwards?

[Teaos]

Iraq, people want out of and want out now. But doing so, even over a 2 year period is going to be all but impossible. There simply is no way of getting out of Iraq with out it being torn apart by civil war and verious other fractions trying to claim it.

I suspect he'll just pull out anyway. Do you really think the American people give much of a damn what happens afterwards?

They will care when it becomes a massive hot bed for terrorists and such. There is also the little case of the oil there which the world is just a little bit dependent on.

[Mikey]

At the very least, Obama and the Iraqi government seem to be sympatico about a time frame.

I think diplomacy might be somewhat productive, but I honestly don't think we can get through the ingrained zealotry; they're ruled by an Ayatollah... We should not let them develop nuclear weapons, IMO.

It would be nice to have a diplomatic solution, but Iran already blew off the EU when Europe offered assistance in energy supply and non-weaponized production in exchange for halting the enrichment program.

[Graham Kennedy]

Suppose Iran does build nukes. Does anybody here think they would actually use them, given what would happen next?