Has France surrendered yet?

All along the Iranians have been saying words to the effect that they're quite willing to negotiate with the Europeans as long as the Europeans don't make any silly demands -- like demanding that the Iranians abandon their ambition to produce nuclear weapons.

What the hell is Iran up to? I just understand what the endgame is intended to be. One would think that if they were serious about getting nukes, they'd play a very quiet and circumspect public game; or just make a treaty and then flout it like the DPRK did.

It's the rhetoric that really has me on edge. This continued avalanche of anti-semitism, belligerence, and saber-rattling indicates to me that the Iranians are spoiling for a fight because they think the Americans are powerless to stop them (or lack the will to do so).

Sharon's sudden illness couldn't have come at a worse time for Israel, either -- Iran will perceive that Israel is in an uncertain transition period where they will be slow to act as well. In fact, I think the opposite is true: the Israeli's will probably be more prone to attack now, just to show that there is no power vacuum.

So really, the US and Israel are running out of reasons not to attack Iran. I wouldn't look for an invasion, but I would look for a comprehensive air campaign and an airtight naval blockade. (Although this could get very messy if Russia tries to break the blockade....)

I just understand

should be

I just don't understand

Applying Occam's Razor the explanation would appear to be that Ahmadinejad and the Mullahs are nucking futs. Ok, I admit I have no geopolitical analytical skilz.

I wonder what they mean by a "hell" for Europe? Europe already pays out the wazoo for oil, at least the citizenry and their outrageous taxes. And if they destroy Israel, Europe would love for that to happen.

BrewFan: You have it right.

The Iranian leadership is batshit crazy. Trying to work out the logic of their positions is not going to get you anywhere because they are not working by logic.

I suspect that if we weren't all a bunch of unnuanced wingnuts, we would realize that Bush is far, far scarier and more dangerous than Ahmadinejad.

How many kilos of recreational pharmaceuticals a week do ya suppose it takes to achieve and maintain this kind of 'nuance'?

I suspect that if we weren't all a bunch of unnuanced wingnuts, we would realize that Bush is far, far scarier and more dangerous than Ahmadinejad.

How many kilos of recreational pharmaceuticals a week do ya suppose it takes to achieve and maintain this kind of 'nuance'?

How many kilos of recreational pharmaceuticals a week do ya suppose it takes to achieve and maintain this kind of 'nuance'?

I've been trying, but I'm still not there yet.

If Iran destroys Israel, millions of nearby Arabs - Palestinians mostly - will need to move out of the fallout zone.

We already know the other Islamic countries won't take 'em., so where would they go? Hmm, lemme think, mon ami, lemme think.

I'd say Venezuela, but I'd prefer to keep them out of our hemisphere.

"If Iran destroys Israel, millions of nearby Arabs - Palestinians mostly - will need to move out of the fallout zone."

I hear there is an extra room at Rachel Corrie's place.

A terrorist sponsoring terrorists and they still beling to the wretched UN lets get ourselves out of the wretched UN

Using a nuke on Israel would be the stupidest thing humanity ever did. Ever. In its entire history. Entire.

Why? Just think of the fallout. Besides Israel, who would be affected? Just because of proximity, Jordon, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt would be seriously affected. Of course, the Palestinian territories (Gaza and West Bank) would also be most seriously affected. Throw in also other nearby states: Cyprus and Saudi Arabia. What about nearby water areas? Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea? Surely that'll spread the negative affects. And depending on which way the wind blows, the entire region of the world could be in for some serious fallout.

Such weapons do not respect borders. Radiation will not stop and proceed only when Arab immigration control personnel permit it to, examining its passport to make sure it never visited Israel.

If Russia intervenes, perhaps it would be time to remind the Russian Federation how the Soviet Union felt when many American nukes were pointing towards targets in the USSR.