We don’t have to have a war with Iran, just tell them that if they build a bomb making plant, we’ll bomb the plant. If it’s underground, we’ll bunker bust it. You just won’t get the bomb, keep trying if you like, it’s just target practice for us.

Would a nuclear Islamic state use the nukes? Russia understood the concept of mutually assured destruction, I’m not so sure that the culture of 57 virgins care if they die or not. If they are anxious to get to the 57 ladies, they can camp out by the nuke plants.

I can see the conversation now with my future grown grandchildren : Well, we could have stopped them back way back in 2008, but nobody had the nerve then. Now half the world is radioactive, it’s a shame I know.

Not if the NeoConservatives at the American Enterprise institute have their way.

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=Mjc5ZjVlYTIzM2QwMDY3MzE1Nzk3Y2MxNDA1ZDJiYzk=

I think you make some valid points, and, in his post, he makes some of the same. Overall, however, I tend to agree with Ledeen. We’ve been doing what you’re advocating for decades and have been met with nothing but the mullahs scorn, hostility & violence.

Don’t think the mullahs don’t read the Times & watch C-SPAN. I’m not trying to stifle debate, but suggesting carrot/stick, weak tea diplomicy coming from a divided America will be received with anything other than the mulllahs laughter seems rather ridiculous.

We share no common values with these people. The mullahs & their army (Qods, etc.) worship in 12th imam death cult. They care nothing for their country or the world. The jews & the infidels MUST be destroyed. We have a disire to LIVE in peace and prosperity. They desire only to murder us, and have demonstrated the will to do so directly, and through proxy (Hammas, Hezbollah, Syria, Al Qeada) for over 30 years. Iranians love American suff #6? Wearing bluejeans, adidas, and occasionally having sex before marriage doesn’t make one pro-western (though I guess they’ll look ‘cooler’ at the next Death to Israel/America rally).

War with Iran is a horrible prospect. So was war with Germany & Japan. In fact, in 1941, it seemed impossible. The stakes are just as high here. Setting their program back gives us room to maneuver, but I’m not ‘pro-war’ yet. I’m simply for the stick then the carrot approach. And the stick is a big one, and one we should use.

Iran imports 65% of their gasoline. While they sit on a sea of oil, they have only a handfull of refineries. Bomb those refineries (and take a few terrorist training camps on the Iran/Iraq border for good measure), cut their only gas pipeline, and blockade the Persian Gulf. Allow all the food, water & medical supplies in the world through, but block gas tankers headed for Iranian ports. This would absolutely cripple Irans military infastructure. And as much as the mullahs would cry, “look how the infidels agress against us,” the Iranian people would start revolting against them pretty damn quick. THEN head to the negotiation table and start the diplodunk. At that point you can offer them gift cards to Best Buy for all I care. I expect the quid pro quo would be quite different.

Apologies for the length.

You should read Ed Morrisey’s take on this. To save you the time I’ll paraphrase it for you.

The EU and UN have been trying this same approach for 2+ years and Tehran has not budged one bit.

Obama is the one peddling the kool-ade this time around. Increasing sanctions while fomenting unrest in the opposition are the only remaing alternatives we have short of bombing Iran. With inflation running at 15%+ and a crumbling oil infrastructure the Iranian people will not rest much longer if the house of cards continues to collapse at it’s current rate.

Dan