The Road to War, Part II

Iran and iraq fought an 8 year war to a standstill. In the 2 wars America has had with Iraq, our armed forces were able cut through Iraq's military defenses like a "hot knife through butter." If there is going to be a war with Iran, it should happen before they get the bomb, not after. A war might be tough, but I have no doubt that America's military will overwhelm Iran's.

"I love what this country used to stand for, but now our world image is so horrible I am disgusted with our leaders."

Our world image?Are yo muts? Should the US fall in line with...who? Russia? China? Korea? For what purpose? So we can all "be friends"?

I am more interested in our strength in the owrld versus other's views of us. And why is it that the rest of the world hates us, but the instant there is a natural disaster, everyone looks for the Americans to bail them out?

Our leaders need to listen better to those who sent them to Washington. What Americans want is clear: freedom from fear; freedom from want; freedom of speech and freedom to PRACTICE their faith.

Iran with nukes threatens those very things.

Saul Fish - You may support that Iran's words were "mistranslated. What you cannot deny are the photos of Ahmadinijad standing in front of huge pictures showing a broken "egg" with the Isreali flag painted on it - following a broken American "egg" down into an hour glass. If THAT picture DOESN'T say it all, I guess you will be one of those denying Iran's aggression right up to the time they come to your door and take you to another concentration camp for indoctrination or death.

Wake up America. MSNBC should NOT be your only news source.

I used to like President Bush. But now I just wish that we would be impeached and we could just speed the 2008 elections up. He and Cheney are no good. You remember that song, "I'm proud to be an American", well I definitely don't feel that way right now. I love what this country used to stand for, but now our world image is so horrible I am disgusted with our leaders. I just want to pack it all up and move to Australia. Who hates The Aussies? No one!

What scares me most are the comments by Realistic American. Invoking religion into this mess is what brings us to the brink. What struck me most in the article were the comments made by General Abizaid. Please give these comments another read and then tell me...do you know something that this general does not? What Jesus may have told you does not count.

This is a completely biased piece. No one in the administration has said they are in favor of war to address Iran's nuclear issue. As a matter of fact, many in the adminstration, including Bush, have many times said they favor diplomacy. Sometimes getting the attention of nations like Iran requires tough diplomacy. The soft diplomacy favored by the left and Europe has produced little results. It is extremely naive to believe that the Iranian regime, based on it's history, will do anything but continue to sponsor terror and seek the distruction of Israel just because we talk to them. The only way to change Iran is to change the regime. This can be accomplished without war if the world wakes up and starts using some tough diplomacy.

I can agree that Bush/Cheney probably don't know what they're doing in the mideast based on what they have done to this point. It could also be true that some of our generals are shills for their policies. OK, we got it. But what is the basis for the writer's assertion that the Iranians are playing "a minor role at best" in Iraq and Afghanistan? That seems to defy logic and the facts.

Anyone providing commentary herein ever studied any third world history? Iran lost about 300,000 of their military during the 8 year war with Iraq in the 1980's. They were attacked with weapons of mass destruction by Iraq. Iran has seen the results that a protracted groundw ar brings to their country and recognize that, without a signature defensive capability (nuclear weapon), they would likely suffer similar military disasters should another major war break out on their border. The real truth is that they are scared to death of the US military and the last thing they want with the United States is war. But they also must be pragmatic and to see the world for what it is. After all, Iran does not have 150,000 troops on the Mexico-US border, just south of Juarez. but the US does have 150,00 troops close to the iraq-Iran border. Iran sees US interest in regional and global economic hegemony for exactly waht it is. Take all the oil for our economic engine and to hell with everyone else. Why should they play ball with us on that? The United States is the major arms supplier to the entire world. Our government spends more $$ for our national military than all the other nations on earth combined. We have more nuclear weapons than any other nation on earth. Until we commit to nuclear disarmament ourselves, why should the irans of the world take our word that we have no intention of using our military might against them in our hugner for world oil? They wuld be fools to do so and they know it. Iran has no interest or military technical capacity fo strike the US homeland and they fully realize that an all out war with the US would mean the end of their country as they know it. But they have their national pride and their people have their self respect and way of life to defend, the same as we in the united States do. To suggest they are the bogeyman everywhere over every little thing goping wrong in the world is simplistic in the extreme and an insult to any rational, analytical examination of the facts.

It is bad enough to have super (and former super) powers to have access to such destructive power. However these nations have developed enough to understand the concept of total nuclear destruction. We have a unique situation with rogue Islamic states like Iran. If this situation is left to its own evolution Iran will undoubtably have developed a nuclear weapon. My big two questions are, "Will it stop with Iran?" Or will every other middle eastern state demand the same technology? That's when the realy trouble will start. and question Number 2, "Can a religous based government that places very little value in "life on earth", that its leader truly believes that through some sort of catestrophic event he can trigger the return of some religous icon have access to militarily significant assets (i.e significant ground and air forces etc) much less nuclear weapons technology?"

As we hurl ourselves toward the inevitiable by our decision of "not to make a decision", the gravitational pull of the conflict will create desprate and hasty alliances (i.e Russia and China etc..) that will by our hesitation place us on the threshold of WWIII.

The problem with our situation is this: after the oil embargo of the 1970's, Jimmy Carter said the ONLY smart thing of his administration - we needed to cut foreign oil imports. We did not. The country who got ot the moon in a decade did nothing to find new fuel technology.

If we fight Iran's nuclear weapons bid, Iran will shut off the Straits of Hormuz. THen we will all be in DEEP trouble. no gas, no heat, no diesel, no economy.

Iran cannot be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, but we cannot step up to stop it without ruining our lives.What we need to do is strive for diplomacy and beat feet to develop new technology to fuel our country. WE have many options to put in play -
drill in ANWR (for the short term only)
More wind turbines
More solar power
Clean coal to liquid fuel (yes, it is a clean technology)
more nuclear power (come on people - if France can do this right for 30+ years, so can we
TDP - Thermal De-polymerization - garbage to liquid fuel (we have plenty of garbage to use)

With all these options, we can get ourselves off of foreign oil in 10 years. Then, let the Middle East blow themselves up for all we care.

Iran sponsors events where they chant "Death to Israel" and finance Hezbollah who attack Israel and desire an Islamic state in place of the Jewish one. In addition, Iran has on multiple occassions called for Israel's destruction. Syria and Iran are allies and a nuclear "start-up" facility was recently bombed by Israel. I want peace, but not at the expense of a people. Some may be willing to live with a nuclear Iran as were many willing to live with a militarized Germany. You say can we not negotiate or talk a while longer? Easy for you to say Iran could not wipe your nation out...a few nuclear warheads could wipe us out...and you say talk a while longer. Liberals hatred of George Bush outweighs any love for Israel...a fact.

Bush and Cheney have little in the brain department and do not seem to have a great concern for human life, like the enemy kind of.

Realistic American is right. If good men do nothing, evil triumphs. We the people NEED to stop the downward spiral in our govenrment not listening to the people. Iran is a danger. Iraq MUST be protected to help stabilize the Middle East. Liberalism - and pacifism in this game will be viewed as weakness. TO that end, there is not one Democratic candidate that can be trusted to defend this country against all enemies. I predict given this, that our President will take action before leaving office. If he does not, he risks leaving the US in the hands of those who would turn our country over to UN rule.

I am afraid too many people are like the ostrich, their heads are in the sand but a vital part of their anatomy is exposed. Iran is a dangerous rogue nation that needs to be stopped, period. To fail to do so will not only ensure WWIII but bring about Armageddon. Wise up, America, before it is too late. Or, perhaps we also believe that a nuclear confrontation would bring about the twelveth IMAM who will bring us world peace instead of the true Savior of the World, Jesus Christ?

I don't understand how this administration can continue to make mistakes and get away with them. The Iranian regime may not be what anyone (including the Iranians) want to see in power, but they have proven time and again that they are rational and pragmatic. They proved this after 9/11 when they helped the United States overthrow the Taliban government in Afghanistan (only to be labeled as a member of the Axis of Evil.) Again in the run-up to the Iraq war (invasion,) they correctly assessed what would happen once Saddam was overthrown and offered their help and support in stabalizing Iraq, again to be turned away by this administration. Since things are going horribly for the U.S in Iraq (mainly due to a complete lack of understanding of the region and its people by the current Bush administration,) Iran is being used as a scapegoat.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, from which Osama Bin Laden and 19 of the 9/11 hijackers were from; and also the country supplying over 70% of the insurgents in Iraq, continues to undermine the U.S. with impunity, simply because of the Bush family's extensive ties with the Saudi royal family. Sad to see special interest hijack the American democracy and manipulate the media to advance their personal interests at a cost of 4000 American lives and more than 100,000 Iraqis and billions of dollars of American taxpayer money. It is time we stop the madness and hold this administration accountable for their failures. The only way to prevent Iran from pursuing its regional ambitions is by engaging the regime and not isolating it further (which in reality will have the effect of isolating the U.S from the rest of the world.)

God Bless America and president Bush. It was America who freed millions of people in Europe and around the world. Just imagine if there was no america. Wemon would in burca, blakcs would slaves to muslems, and all liberals would have had their heads chpped off for their their solcialsit beliefs. Are'nt you liberals happy to live in USA, protected by our brave men and women in our arm forces. I say go in Iran and Syria and clean out the trash and get rid of thees cut throats and murderers. 10 years form now, after USA frees the iranians and Syrians, there would be freedom and you see Mr. Bush's name on many monuments to freedom. God bless USA and Mr. Bush. The rest of the worlsd can kiss my rear..

If the United States unilaterally attacks a country that does not pose an imminent threat - that is not "war." That is a War Crime. Already, Hirsh and his MSM pals are referring to a possible "war" with Iran, when, in fact, it would be Illegal Aggressive Invasion II, the most supreme of all crimes. Journalists MUST cease enabling this administration by repeating Rove "frames" as facts and start reporting the truth before it's too late.

War is usefull for nobody.
War will open hell's door for the west. The west need Iran. It is a fact. We can speak first.
United States of America must accept some problems.

I am forced to agree with clikdawg. Anyone who even remotely thinks that a third World War could be won without destroyiing the earth has some serious problems understanding reality.

I recall a debate between the then Vice President Gore and Mr. Bush. Mr. Bush said if he were elected, the United States would no longer be the policeman of the world. History has proven the truth of that lie.