Comments on: Iran’s nuclear program, Israel and the US : buying time after Geneva http://themoderatevoice.com/21195/irans-nuclear-program-israel-and-the-us-buying-time-after-geneva/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Mon, 28 May 2012 14:15:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: runasim http://themoderatevoice.com/21195/irans-nuclear-program-israel-and-the-us-buying-time-after-geneva/comment-page-1/#comment-115920 runasim Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:29:27 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/war/nuclear-weapons/21195/irans-nuclear-program-israel-and-the-us-buying-time-after-geneva/#comment-115920 Life Trek,<br><br>"Winning in Iraq' and "Afghanista' is a fine , inspirational slogan, but neither you, nor anyone else who stands by it ever defines what 'winning' means, in real terms<br>No matter what the situation is in Iraq, winning is always something that can only happen in the future. <br><br>Terrorism as a tactic, now that it's been used effectively, can never be put back in the genie's bottle. If 'winning' means the complete eradication of terrorism, then, winning can never happen, not in Iraq, not in Afghanistan and not anywhere else.<br><br>Another definition that has been used for Iraq is that it should be 'strong democracy' But what measures does it neeed to meet in order to qualify are never mentioned. On this front, too, winning is always and only possible in some distant future. <br><br>In the meantime, there is the home front to consider. Our natonal interest extends far beyond these two countries, and we are at risk of sacrificing our overall national security for the sake of 'winning' in these two countries. In fact, our getting bogged down in Iraq is a basic causative factor for Iran's new prestige and power. <br><br>While we're destroying our military and emptying our coffers in order to build up the thriving democracies you envisison for these two areas, we are weakening our ability to keep our own going and to react to new situations around the globe. <br><br>As we struggle to deal with current crises, what we really need is an overarching tactical strategy for how to deal with problem spots anywhere on earth as they occur. Getting bogged in any of them is the opposite of maintaing such an overarching strategy. What we need is a clear, realsitic, assessment of what we can do, and also what we can't do, in any of these trouble spots.<br><br>An undefined 'winning' just doesn't measure up as a policy or a tactic. Life Trek,

“Winning in Iraq' and “Afghanista' is a fine , inspirational slogan, but neither you, nor anyone else who stands by it ever defines what 'winning' means, in real terms
No matter what the situation is in Iraq, winning is always something that can only happen in the future.

Terrorism as a tactic, now that it's been used effectively, can never be put back in the genie's bottle. If 'winning' means the complete eradication of terrorism, then, winning can never happen, not in Iraq, not in Afghanistan and not anywhere else.

Another definition that has been used for Iraq is that it should be 'strong democracy' But what measures does it neeed to meet in order to qualify are never mentioned. On this front, too, winning is always and only possible in some distant future.

In the meantime, there is the home front to consider. Our natonal interest extends far beyond these two countries, and we are at risk of sacrificing our overall national security for the sake of 'winning' in these two countries. In fact, our getting bogged down in Iraq is a basic causative factor for Iran's new prestige and power.

While we're destroying our military and emptying our coffers in order to build up the thriving democracies you envisison for these two areas, we are weakening our ability to keep our own going and to react to new situations around the globe.

As we struggle to deal with current crises, what we really need is an overarching tactical strategy for how to deal with problem spots anywhere on earth as they occur. Getting bogged in any of them is the opposite of maintaing such an overarching strategy. What we need is a clear, realsitic, assessment of what we can do, and also what we can't do, in any of these trouble spots.

An undefined 'winning' just doesn't measure up as a policy or a tactic.

]]> By: LifeTrek http://themoderatevoice.com/21195/irans-nuclear-program-israel-and-the-us-buying-time-after-geneva/comment-page-1/#comment-115860 LifeTrek Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:54:19 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/war/nuclear-weapons/21195/irans-nuclear-program-israel-and-the-us-buying-time-after-geneva/#comment-115860 Your analysis is leaving out one option some seem to dismiss out of hand -- win in Iraq and Afghanistan!<br><br>It is a far better option to build up those two regional power balances then it is to attack a nation. When attacked most nations rally around the flag and Iran is no different, regardless of the loss of life. <br><br>However a thriving and strong democracy on both the Eastern and Western boarders, particularly when your under sanctions, can be far more effective at regime or attitude change!<br>Daivd Your analysis is leaving out one option some seem to dismiss out of hand — win in Iraq and Afghanistan!

It is a far better option to build up those two regional power balances then it is to attack a nation. When attacked most nations rally around the flag and Iran is no different, regardless of the loss of life.

However a thriving and strong democracy on both the Eastern and Western boarders, particularly when your under sanctions, can be far more effective at regime or attitude change!
Daivd

]]> By: jdledell http://themoderatevoice.com/21195/irans-nuclear-program-israel-and-the-us-buying-time-after-geneva/comment-page-1/#comment-115859 jdledell Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:41:30 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/war/nuclear-weapons/21195/irans-nuclear-program-israel-and-the-us-buying-time-after-geneva/#comment-115859 Brij - Your analysis is spot on. Good Work. Brij – Your analysis is spot on. Good Work.

]]> By: runasim http://themoderatevoice.com/21195/irans-nuclear-program-israel-and-the-us-buying-time-after-geneva/comment-page-1/#comment-115819 runasim Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:42:53 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/war/nuclear-weapons/21195/irans-nuclear-program-israel-and-the-us-buying-time-after-geneva/#comment-115819 I think the analysis is very sound, but it depends on a lot of IF's. If the US does this, or not.. If Israel does this, or not. If this happens inside Iran, or not. <br>There is no central force in control of all these IFs, however, and we're left with a lot of unsettling possibilities. <br><br>Good post, lots of reasons for nail biting..<br>--------------------- <br><br>PS TO CHRIS: Crazy people can make briliantly effective plans , Inquire at any psychiatrist's office for confirmation. I think the analysis is very sound, but it depends on a lot of IF's. If the US does this, or not.. If Israel does this, or not. If this happens inside Iran, or not.
There is no central force in control of all these IFs, however, and we're left with a lot of unsettling possibilities.

Good post, lots of reasons for nail biting..
———————

PS TO CHRIS: Crazy people can make briliantly effective plans , Inquire at any psychiatrist's office for confirmation.

]]> By: DLS http://themoderatevoice.com/21195/irans-nuclear-program-israel-and-the-us-buying-time-after-geneva/comment-page-1/#comment-115767 DLS Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:49:50 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/war/nuclear-weapons/21195/irans-nuclear-program-israel-and-the-us-buying-time-after-geneva/#comment-115767 Actually, this is more like your kind of entertainment, Chris.<br><br><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121607841801452581.html?mod=loomia&loomia_si=t0:a16:g2:r4:c0.0369196">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121607841801452...</a> Actually, this is more like your kind of entertainment, Chris.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121607841801452…

]]> By: ChrisWWW http://themoderatevoice.com/21195/irans-nuclear-program-israel-and-the-us-buying-time-after-geneva/comment-page-1/#comment-115764 ChrisWWW Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:28:26 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/war/nuclear-weapons/21195/irans-nuclear-program-israel-and-the-us-buying-time-after-geneva/#comment-115764 <blockquote>[Iran's] apparently irrational regime may think the mess in the region will be so great that it will obtain even bigger gains in political influence than those from the debacle in Iraq.</blockquote><br><br>You claim the Iranians are irrational, and then proceed to describe what you think is their rational plan for internal and regional domination. Hrmm.

[Iran's] apparently irrational regime may think the mess in the region will be so great that it will obtain even bigger gains in political influence than those from the debacle in Iraq.

You claim the Iranians are irrational, and then proceed to describe what you think is their rational plan for internal and regional domination. Hrmm.

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