Causus Belli?

I'm sure everyone knows this, but this is one of those stories that's too big not to blog: Iranian intelligence agents -- they say they are, at least -- have been captured with explosives in Baghdad, apparently planning a car-bombing.

Without doubt, we have the right to bomb the living shit out of Iran. As has been the case for 10 years, though, we probably won't, because we have what seems increasingly-futile hope that the Iranian democracy movement can change the regime at some point, and we don't want to turn those pro-US reformers against us.

But I don't know. This is clearly an act of war (at least assuming this all gets confirmed). How can we not bomb Iran?

Are we going to let Iran continue to make war against us and build atomic bombs simply because we have hopes that one day, perhaps in the far future, the indiginous pro-democratic opposition may topple the mullahs? How long can we wait for that string to play out?

I'm not making an argument either way. This sort of a decision is well above my pay-grade. I'm just asking questions.

posted by Ace at 01:03 PM

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