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Nik: Add as a Colleague
12/15/2010 11:59:21 AM EST

please define/ overt or covert

Nik: Add as a Colleague
12/15/2010 11:58:12 AM EST

OP.. No

tyork: Add as a Colleague
05/25/2010 4:51:35 PM EDT

An interesting view point from burb1456. Certainly I am wary of the ultra hawkish element who have been calling for some form of military action in yet another theatre of operations... especially with the North vs South Korea cold war now more fridgid than it has been for nearly a decade, Iraq *still* suffering insurgent action, Afghanistan *still* so far from any form of stability, and Pakistan fast decending into the maelstrom. +++ Iran is not the big bad wolf. Certainly some elements within Iran do pose a very real and significant threat, from training and supporting external terrorism, participating in international fraud and money laundering through to its radical and ultra hawkish stance against Israel and the Jewish people as a whole. Having said that Iran is also a vast and ancient nation of many peoples with a myriad of views, politics and personalities (including many hundreds of thousands who risked arrest, torture and murder to protest for their basic democratic rights). +++ We in the West have squandered many opportunities at normalising relations / supporting the road to moderation and perhaps fostering some sort of mutual accord with Israel. We missed utilising the sterling work the Iranians had achieved in Northern Afghanistan against the Taliban. We have handed Ahmedinijad more political capital than we should have, and in all this he and the ultra hawkish extremists in the Republican Guard have successfully hijacked a nation's desire for nuclear energy and perverted it into a nationalist rallying cry pitting the "down-trodden" Iran against the scheming West especially USA, Israel and the UK... at the expense of several very realistic peaceful options for non-fissile nuclear energy programmes which might have actually worked quite well for the people of Iran. Despite the rhetoric I think that if Iranian scientists could develop a bomb then the current regime would do everything possible to make that happen assuming this has not already begun. +++ As to building relationships, I doubt that this will be possible with the West for many years to come. The recent elections have shown just how ready the extremist elements are prepared to go to secure power, paying the price in the blood of their innocent countrymen and women... and with that ends the chance for a democratically elected government which might have entertained dialogue with the West. If normalisation with the rest of the world is to occur it will be via a major third party like China... and that will likely be to China's ultimate benefit alone. +++ As to the likelihood of US action against Iran, there have been recent news articles of the US Army inserting undercover special forces teams into countries (possibly including Iran) for intelligence gathering purposes. The Pentagon has also confirmed that it has laid out a set of plans allowing President Obama numerous options including 1st strike against Iran. I would suggest that we are likely to witness a protracted wait and see approach with a heavy intelligence focus on the potential of weaponised / fissile nuclear material, and preparation at least on paper for the worst case scenario(s). Without an Iranian trigger event, US military action might only occur with regime change in the US (especially if an ultra neo conservative with extremly hawkish views like Mrs Palin takes the helm), unless Iran does something drastic first, or Israel makes it's move (problematic given the logistics of a bombing run over Iraq to get to Iran - but not completely unlikely given the current ultra neocon extremely hawkish views of the current coalition government).

burb1456: Add as a Colleague
05/25/2010 12:08:45 PM EDT

Why should they, at the moment there is just posturing going on and it is in no ones interest to have an unstable coutry in the region. Look I am no fan on some of the comments made but you have to look at the fact that Iran is surrounded by hostiles that push it about. in some respects it is one of the last independent states that no superpower controls so no wonder it has a lot to fear. I hope that in time the achievements of Iran are reported more than its anti israeli statements. It has already accomplished a lot for the people of afgahnistan (more than some NATO pledges). I just wish there was some way of building a relationship with Iran similar to the one that the UK has with india. Once again America has no need to take physical action with Iran.

tbaldwin: Add as a Colleague
05/07/2010 11:29:41 AM EDT

This administration is doing the exact same thing the Bush administration was doing; and the same thing a McCain administration would do. Much like the N. Korea situation, where the Bush administration spent eight years doing the same thing the Clinton administration did, despite lots of campaign rhetoric in 2000. The US will not attack Iran for at least a couple more years, if ever. Israel will consider, but it's a much more difficult scenario than their bombing of the Syrian nuclear facility a couple years ago. Syria is right next door (no overflight issues, or aerial re-fueling needed), had no significant air defense capabilities, and can't threaten to withhold oil from the market. All those factors are in play with Iran. It will be interesting over the next year or so.

Zilwiki: Add as a Colleague
04/30/2010 11:40:04 AM EDT

Yes, tongues will continue to wag under Obama administration. Israel, thats another story. When they become convinced the US will do nothing, and an Iranian nuclear capability is very near, they will take action. Israel will have the "secret" permission of Saudi Arabia to overfly their airspace to hit Iran.

KEVINWELCHTX: Add as a Colleague
04/29/2010 8:52:44 AM EDT

THE US PROBABLY WILL NOT TAKE EFFECTIVE(MILITARY)ACTION UNDER THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.HOWEVER ISRAEL VERY WELL MAY PROVIDE THE NEEDED SPARK AS THEIR NATIONAL SURVIVAL IS AT STAKE.IF IRAN GETS NUKES THEY WILL USE THEM TO BRING ABOUT THE COMING OF THE 12TH IMAM,WHEN DEALING WITH FANATICS WISHFUL THINKING GETS YOU NOWHERE.

PHOTOREMAKE: Add as a Colleague
04/28/2010 12:30:50 PM EDT

Not in 2010 - to observe and gather more infos are more important for the time beeing

PHOTOREMAKE: Add as a Colleague
04/28/2010 12:30:37 PM EDT

Not in 2010 - to observe and gather more infos are more important for the time beeing

massdieye: Add as a Colleague
04/27/2010 8:47:19 AM EDT

what do u mean by bad reply?

nickrasaily: Add as a Colleague
04/26/2010 9:32:05 AM EDT

Not until any bad reply from Iran