Yes, We Can Contain Iran

U.S. President Barack Obama, under pressure from Israel and American conservatives to take a harder line on Iran, keeps insisting that "all options are on the table." That's a diplomatic way of saying that the United States is willing to use force to keep Iran from getting nuclear weapons.

To buttress this thinly veiled threat, however, Obama recently took one important option off the table: deterrence. In an interview with the Atlantic, he ruled out "containing" a nuclear Iran in the same way the United States has contained other unfriendly nuclear powers -- by threatening the country with massive retaliation if it attacks us or our allies.

This is a significant -- and needless -- change in U.S. foreign policy. It raises the likelihood of war with Iran, despite Obama's preference for a diplomatic solution. And launching air strikes on Tehran's nuclear facilities would undercut America's ability to play the long game in Iran by abetting a "Persian Spring" that could eventually topple the Islamic Republic.

No sane person wants to see Iran's theocrats get their hands on nuclear weapons. Nonetheless, the United States didn't attack the Soviet Union or "Red" China -- far more formidable adversaries -- to keep them from getting the bomb. Later, when India, Pakistan and North Korea barged into the nuclear club, U.S. leaders expressed their displeasure with political and economic sanctions rather than military attacks. And we are safer for it.

So why should Washington now regard Iran's nuclear ambitions as a casus belli? Some say that going nuclear would embolden Iran's rulers to make good on their threats to "wipe Israel off the map." Obama, however, doesn't subscribe to the "crazy mullah" theory -- in the same interview with the Atlantic, he made the case that Iran's leaders "care about the regime's survival" and would make pragmatic decisions to avoid its destruction. Obama's biggest fear is a nuclear arms race breaking out in the world's most volatile region.

In an age of terrorism inspired by religious fanaticism, checking the spread of weapons of mass destruction is a vital U.S. and global interest. But you'd think that, having just extricated the United States from Iraq, this administration would be leery of using nonproliferation as a rationale for another U.S. intervention in the Middle East.

By taking deterrence off the table, Obama is upping the stakes in this confrontation. He is saying, in effect, that the United States can't live with a nuclear-armed Iran. This may have the tactical effect of turning up the heat on Tehran, but it also paints the United States into a corner. If diplomatic and economic pressures fail to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions, Obama will be left with no option but to use force, or see his bluff called and America's credibility shattered.

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BING520

3:05 PM ET

March 16, 2012

An attack on Iran

There is no comnpelling reason why we must attack Iran even if it has nuclear weapon. China once vowed to destroy America. We did not attack China's nuclear facilities. I don't think American want to start another war, but politicians are calling with fervor for a military solution to Iran's nuclear ambition. We don't threaten to attack North Korea's nuclear bomb. Iran is less able to threaten its neighbors than North Korea to Japan or South Korea or Guam. What would happen if we actually attack? Would Iran come begging for our our forgiveness? Would the world be safer place? If so why not attack Nor korea first?

TARQUINIS

10:23 AM ET

March 17, 2012

Zionists: A second thought is appropriate

L.A Times, "U.S. DOES NOT BELIEVE IRAN IS TRYING TO BUILD A NUCLEAR BOMB", February 23, 2012:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran-intel-20120224,0,6528507,print.story

"As U.S. and Israeli officials talk publicly about the prospect of a military strike against Iran's nuclear program, one fact is often overlooked: U.S. intelligence agencies don't believe Iran is actively trying to build an atomic bomb. A highly classified U.S. intelligence assessment circulated to policymakers early last year largely affirms that view, originally made in 2007".

"Both reports, known as national intelligence estimates, conclude that Tehran halted efforts to develop and build a nuclear warhead in 2003. The most recent report, which represents the consensus of 16 U.S. intelligence agencies, indicates that Iran is pursuing research that could put it in a position to build a weapon, but that it has not sought to do so. Although Iran continues to enrich uranium at low levels, U.S. officials say they have not seen evidence that has caused them to significantly revise that judgment. Senior U.S. officials say Israel does not dispute the basic intelligence or analysis..."

A war initiated by Israel would spread to our interests in about half an hour. Iran would certainly hit back to the best their abilities. Prices for petroleum would certainly skyrocket to who knows what level, collapsing our fragile economy like a house of cards. Same for the whole world's economy for the same reasons. Mass chaos from Lebanon to Pakistan. Things quickly spiral out of control. Afghanistan explodes. Al-Qaeda claps its hands in glee in Yemen and Somalia. China and Russia get quite hostile. Radioactive clouds drift eastward over India. And of course in this event, Iran would conclude that it must quickly obtain a nuclear WMD capability. Achieving exactly what you claim you want to avoid.

The interests of America are for a peaceful resolution of this conflict, one in compliance with the terms of the NPT.

An Israeli attack would slam the whole world into what? Choose your own apocalyptic metaphors. Zionism (a political philosophy having little to do with Judaism) is racism and unending war.

Love it, or leave it. Decide while time remains.

BVFNSLFDA89

8:07 PM ET

March 18, 2012

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7:59 AM ET

March 19, 2012

All the Kabuki Theater from Israel

Tarquinis-- You missed a very important bit of information. Both the past and present heads of the Mossad, Meir Dagan and Tamir Pardo, both say that Iran is not a danger to Israel. Dagan was quite vocal, "An attack against Iran would be the stupidest thing I can think of". But yet we hear reports of the US Admiral in charge in that part of the world bragging about all the toys he would use against Iran. Most people don't realize that we have US civilian airlines overflying Iran every day. If they can trust us that much, we should be willing to reciprocate and hold meaningful negotiations. Don't let any members of State anywhere near the talks or allow any input from the Zionist zealots who are traitors to the US. They would quickly sabotage any negotiations at the request of their masters in Israel. If anyone in the US should be prosecuted under the Espionage Act of 1918, it would be the Israeli saboteurs at State.

BOBKLAHN

1:38 PM ET

Well said.

SIN NOMBRE

3:45 PM ET

C'mon folks

Why shouldn't Obama fib further about "taking no options off the table"? By absolute silence on the matter he's already taken off the biggest and the best—pushing a Nuke-Free Mideast Accord which the Iranians have already said they'd agree to.

So why not fib further? If your whoppers are accepted by the fools, what's a further little lie?

As Yousaf Butts has shown (at the National Interest; http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/are-sanctions-fatwa-iran-6363), this isn't about Iranian nukes, it's about Iranian regime change. Look at the actual conditions written into U.S. law about lifting the sanctions we've imposed against Iran: Not one, not two, not three, but *many* have absolutely nothing to do with nukes or nuke power whatsoever, and instead demand things like ... demands for undefined changes to Iran's judicial system.

And of course despite all the drumbeat we hear talking about Iranian nukes the official estimate of all the U.S. intelligence agencies remains that Iran has not been pursuing a nuclear weapons program for almost a decade, and the IAEA continues to assert that Iran has not enriched its uranium beyond the 20% it is allowed under the NPT and that not a trace of what uranium it has is missing.

Presumably FP is a site with readers who are a bit more knowledgeable and sophisticated than the average individual about foreign affairs, and hence a bit less susceptible to being played for fools. So let's stop wasting time here pretending that all this is about nuclear weapons and let's at least start talking from a more informed basis of understanding.

All this "Iranian nukes" talk here is a little like seeing a bunch of intelligent people sitting down wanting to talk about astronomy, and, via the delusions or attempted distractions of a few others, and despite even photographs to the contrary, keep getting drawn into discussing the idea that the earth is flat and rests on the back of a giant turtle.

1:42 PM ET

C'mon Folks

"So let's stop wasting time here pretending that all this is about nuclear weapons and let's at least start talking from a more informed basis of understanding. "

You're right. It's not about Nukes.

In the real world it's all about politics.

Considering what has been often said, and you repeated, there is no evidence Iran is building nuclear weapons, and it would be stupid to attack Iran, politics is the real answer.

Both US and Israeli politics. In both nations the extreme right needs a war issue to hold power.

ROBERTC

4:44 PM ET

Hilarious!

"wipe Israel off the map."

Still trying to parrot that ridiculous old lie?

No wonder this site has virtual no one reading or commenting on it when rambling garbage blog style posts is all it has to offer.

RESPECTABLE LADY

6:55 PM ET

National Defense University said

Although Iran may have done some questionable nuclear weapons research pre-2003, it is in compliance with its safeguards agreemt w/ IAEA
now.

So carrots will have to be used going forward rather than sticks to get
Iranian behavior to change: simply because there is no legal reason their behavior needs to change.

Note also, that in 2005 (when it was thought Iran _did_ have a nuclear weapons program), the National Defense University looked into the matter:

http://www.ndu.edu/inss/docUploaded/McNair69.pdf

The NDU study concluded that Iran desires nuclear weapons mainly because it feels strategically isolated and that "possession of such weapons would give the regime legitimacy, respectability, and protection."

In other words, Iran evidently desired nuclear weapons pre-2003 for the
purpose of deterrence, just like every other nuclear-armed nation.

The NDU study continued, "[W]e judge, and nearly all experts consulted
agree, that Iran would not, as a matter of state policy, give up its
control of such weapons to terrorist organizations and risk direct U.S. or
Israeli retribution." And it said the "United States has options short of
war that it could employ to deter a nuclear-armed Iran and dissuade further
proliferation."

Currently, not only is there no evidence of any Iranian nuclear weapons
program but the US Director of National Intelligence has _high confidence_
that no such program exists.

The Nov IAEA report said that Iran's pre-2003 research program into nuclear
weapons "was stopped rather abruptly pursuant to a ‘halt order' instruction
issued in late 2003."

JOHNBOY4546

10:02 PM ET

Why insist on looking at these things in isolation?

This isn't the first time that the USA has acted irrationally in its international relations.

As to when the USA started acting all coo-coo-crazy that's pretty easy to pinpoint: it began almost the moment that the USA "won" the Cold War by causing the USSR to and disintegrate.

The Americans allowed that to go to their heads, and they still haven't come back down to reality.

Consider these reckless moves:
1) attempting to box Russia in when it was weak, as if a Putin *wouldn't* emerge to lead a push-back (Georgia joining NATO? Why thought that was a good idea well worth exploring?)
2) deciding that the US Army could "bring" democracy to the Middel East by invading, occupying, and then installing all-new puppet regimes, as if the occupied wouldn't, you know, rather resent being occupied.
3) North Korea? Yeah, let's make a deal with them and *then* renege on it. That's sure to work out well for everyone.
4) Let's not talk to Iran because, of course, not talking to them is the surest way of getting them to come around to our way of thinking.

Iraq wasn't an outlier.
It wasn't some what-was-I-thinking moment.

Iraq was simply the natural outcome of a Superpower that was drunk on power and consumed with hubris.

One day it'll come to its senses but, regrettably, it looks very much like it will take at least one more war before it wakes up to this singular fact: You Guys Won The Cold War Without Having To Fire A Shot.

Think about that......

Maybe, just maybe, that's the correct way to "win".

1:51 PM ET

Looking at things in isolation.

"Iraq was simply the natural outcome of a Superpower that was drunk on power and consumed with hubris."

Wrong. Iraq was simply the natural outcome of a right wing political faction drunk on it's own self importance, with control of the propaganda media, and needing a war to increase it's control, power, and profits.

That and it was mostly a war over oil.

Few Americans would have supported that war if they had the truth presented in the media.

"regrettably, it looks very much like it will take at least one more war before it wakes up to this singular fact: You Guys Won The Cold War Without Having To Fire A Shot."

Wrong. We had to fire one hell of a lot of shots. And a lot more Americans died bringing down the Soviet Union than in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. Korea and Vietnam were wars against Communism. As such they were part of what brought down the Soviet union, especially Vietnam.

Some 58,000 Americans died there, and brought down the Soviet Union. Yes, it was 18 years later that the Soviet Union fell, but Vietnam was the latest, and crucial, step in that process. Was it worth it? Well, the Soviet Union was so corrupt and inefficient it would probably have fallen anyway, just taken longer. How much longer we will never know.

We do know there are some 58,000 names on a wall in Washington DC, and a lot more dead in South East Asia whose names we will never know, and who may have no survivors to remember them.

Now Iraq and Afghanistan. Not Iran, not when there is no known cause for war.

Enough already, no more innocent deaths.

7:07 PM ET

The Vietnam War doomed the USSR?

W.T.F.????????

The USSR collapsed because it felt compelled to attempt to match the military spending of the USA and its allies, and it simply could not afford that arms race.

But if the military supplies given to North Vietnam amounted to even 1/100th of the cost of the American involvement in the Vietnam War then I would be very surprised indeed.

Which means that this was one of the few episodes in the Cold War where the Russians could place a tick in the "we came out well ahead" column, because the Soviet economy did not have to suffer anything like the distortions that the US economy had to go through to pay for that ill-advised overseas adventure.

Attempting to keep in touch with NATO, the Strategic Air Command and the US Navy is what doomed the Soviet Union, because that required the spending of Real Serious Money.

Put not the cost of supplying AK-47's, Mig-21s, and T-55's to the North Vietnamese Army, that was peanuts.

AMERICAN_FOREIGNER

2:01 AM ET

the cons of deterrence are also very bad, however

don't get me wrong, i agree that deterrence is still a better option than military action. but the negatives to deterring, and in essence accepting, a nuclear iran are quite immense.

deterrence resulted in an arms race between the US and the Soviet Union of a ridiculous scale. iran is struggling just to go nuclear and will take even longer to create a large stockpile, but just by having one successful nuclear test they would spark an arms race with the saudis and israel. arms races, by nature, tend to escalate. and with all the proxy guerrilla organizations in the middle east, there's always a chance of one of them such as hezbollah or hamas getting a hold of them. nuclear terrorism is far more terrifying than nuclear missiles, although technology required to make a practical nuclear suicide vest would probably be illusive to iran/hamas/hezbollah.

the cold war remained cold and deterrence worked because despite alarming escalations, cooler heads eventually prevailed on both sides.i understand that the iranian government is more pragmatic and focused on preservation than we give it credit for, but their rhetoric is so much more inflamatory and instigational than the cold war rhetoric of the ussr or china, and saudi and israeli fear and hate of the iranian regime is so high. as such, having to rely on cooler heads prevailing to prevent nuclear war in the middle east is not a comforting idea. we came far too close to nuclear war during the cold war and during the india/pakistan escalation of the 90s, do we really want to have to simply hope that cooler heads prevail again, in such a charged, explosive region?

3:08 AM ET

Yeah, and? So?

"but just by having one successful nuclear test they would spark an arms race with the saudis and israel."

Not with the israelis, because they already have their nukes all squared away and ready to fire. They can just sit on their stockpile and watch everyone else go bankrupt trying to play catchup.

Maybe with the Saudis.
Maybe.

But what's so bad with that? After all, both the Saudis and the Iranians have deep, but not inexhaustible, pockets. So if you are going to have those two fighting it out for "supremecy" then better it be a Cold War than a Hot One, and everyone else can lay bets on which one will run out of money first, then collapse.

The other side can then cry "Victoooooooory!!!!!!" and go back to more important things.
You know, like running their own country.

You have a "winner", and nobody has to die.
What's So Bad About That?

6:59 AM ET

Correct

And some further deep neural activity would reveal that the nuclear arms race has ALREADY been kicked off by Israel.

How is Iran to blame for something Israel started?

Propaganda is so fun.

Anyway, our DNI says there is NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS program in Iran. The IAEA says it was stopped in 2003 -- the incipient little research program that it was.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/01/19/stop_the_madness?page=full

12:47 PM ET

what's so bad about that

What I am saying in a nutshell is based on the hatred with all the parties involved, what's the guarantee that this cold war won't turn into a nuclear hot war?

Because the cold war between the USSR and the US and India and Pakistan remained cold everyone is suddenly assuming that all nuclear arms races in the future will remain cold. What is the guarantee of this? It doesn't matter if Israel already has a head start. Look how small Israel is, Iran needs only a handful of nukes to wipe it completely off the map. And if the Saudis get involved as well? What would be the global consequences of a nuclear hot war in the Middle East?

6:54 PM ET

You want Israel to have *guarantees*!!!!!!

Why, exactly?

Q: What "guarantees" did the USA have that Mao wouldn't go carpet-munching, barking-mad and launch his nukes?
A: They had none.

Q: Did that mean the USA was entitled to launch a pre-emptive strike on China?
A: No.

Ditto for USA/USSR.
Ditto for India/Pakistan.

Your argument appears to be that if Israel *doesn't* get such a guarantee then it is entitled to attack! attack! attack!

Sorry, but Israel has no such entitlement.
Neither did the USA.
Neither did China.
Neither did the USSR.
Neither did India.
Neither did Pakistan.

12:44 PM ET

March 20, 2012

Israel is not entitled to attack

Israel is not entitled to a preemptive strike. Israel IS entitled to EXIST. Iran doesn't even recognize that entitlement.

During the height of the Cold War, no matter how much things escalated, the USSR NEVER questioned the US's right to exist, nor did the US question the USSR's. And yet, people forget just how close the Cold War got to becoming a hot war. When the Republic of China government escaped to Taiwan and when the US still recognized the ROC as the legitimate government of China, it didn't call for the PRC's destruction. But Iran routinely calls for Israel's destruction. The Saudis and Israel don't routinely call for Iran's destruction, but they routinely call for military action, which also proves my point that the idea that cooler heads will prevail in the mideast is wishful thinking.

I'm NOT arguing FOR a preemptive strike. But the idea in this article scares me. This idea that "oh well the Cold War ended in peace and India and Pakistan haven't nuked each other yet, therefore all nuclear arms races will never result in a hot war." Is that really the lesson we are to learn from history? That proliferation is not desirable yet leads to more peace?

ILLBUNCH

8:25 AM ET

Stay HOME

10 years in Iraq, tens of thousands of civilian died for mass destruction weapons that were never found. Plus : it was USA that gave power to Saddam.
10 years in Afghanistan to remove Bin Laden, you created him to fight the cold war with. You assasinated an outrageous number of civilians with drones and airstrike, and nobody in the US care because you never tried on your skin what's the meaning of collateral murder. What happened in Kandahar lately is just a proof of how you handle the situation : it's obvious that it wans't a single person but you keep telling lies, and still Obama says "I don't think Karzai really wants us to go away". Maybe not Karzai, but the rest of the afghans would love the idea, that's sure.
There was an old article on FP that said that Iran isn't violating any international agreement on nuclear power, and that other countries like Brazil don't let observers enter in some nuclear sites.
Come on guys, it's obvious that this hype regarding Iran is all about the jew lobby pushing for intervention, and the oil that you'd love to have.
At least this time do the right thing and stay home, the world has had enough of your fake democracy.

BROWNSHIRTSFORFAGS

10:14 AM ET

havent we just read like 50 articles like this?

its called liberal groupthink....sticking to the WH talking pts...give obama cover so that when he changes his position from what he ran on in 08' , no one will really mind....

iran cannot be contained. moreover, for MANY other reasons, allowing iran to go nuclear is a terrible idea. but all of these issues have been hashed out over and over and over again...not sure why we need more silly articles like this...

bomb iran now and do it over and over if necessary. not just their nuke facilities, bomb all oil installations, all ports, all refineries, all related elements of oil, all irgc sites, all basij sites, etc...etc...

iran may hit israel, but that's ok..they have well prepared with many bunkers to withstand the reprisals...if irans program is downgraded for 5 -10 yrs? its worth it...and NOTHING says that in those intervening yrs they wont have regime change and that the nuke program may never come back to life.

iran with nukes will have all of the EU and all of the US in range ....its not a good thing for anyone going forward..and thats what most dont seem to want to face up to. This is not just israels problem, its everyone's.

MORI

11:19 AM ET

iran reply

I have a better idea for the world.
Get rid of zionism. A world without Netaniaho and liberman is a world in peace.

12:35 PM ET

I have an even better idea mori

get rid of morons like you, bomb iran back to the stone age where they are most comfortable, and have the jews and israel still contribute to the progress of the world like no other people have....

i think thats a much better idea :-)

JAC323

11:07 PM ET

To start a war is for small primative minds.

I find it amazing that the pro Israel crowd never has anything intelligent to say it is always emotional, irrational garbage. Are you sure that you are not a neonazi? You and your ilk have to be the worst spokemans for Israel that there ever was. You come across as a racist bigoted (I am superior) fool. Say something intelligent before everybody in the world is Israel's enemy. Nobody likes Iran's, at times, nutty leadership but you are coming off as even more out in left field.

FREETHINKER12

10:02 AM ET

"and have the jews and israel

"and have the jews and israel still contribute to the progress of the world like no other people have...."

endless war, endless inflation, and a constant push for perversion is not much of a contribution. Iran over history has contributed to the world many times over

2:10 PM ET

Persian reply

· I think Israel is making lots of noise for her size. Israel knows that they have not te capability to defeat Iran so they want US to do it for them but fortunatly US nows that this war could lead to a ww3 and Iran can inflict huge damage to the world economy and countries in the Persian Gulf if these countries allow Us to lunch an attack on Iran.If US and Israel could do it they would have it done long time ago.Israel knows that in the event of a war, iranian soldjers are able to cross Iraq , syria and lebanon and fight israelis on their northern border and nock on their doors. Can israeli do that? israel has not even managed to defeat Hamas in Gaza and was clearly defeated by Hizballah how can tey imagine to defeat Iranian Armee? in short israel has not have the gutts to start a war and it is only a propaganda tool in israeli hands to deflect the attention from other matters like Palestinan question. On the other hand I belive Obama nows that as well but he can not tell israeli in publick that they should do it on their own and us do not want to have anything with that war. Netaniho even lied to Mr Obama about the history and claimed that Iranian were about to kill them ca 2500 years ago and everybody with a lttle knowledge knows that the jews were freed by Persian King "Daryos The Gereat" at that time and this is the way zionist saying thank you .He is a chicky guy and think he can fool every one.I also do not see any problem with Iran having the Bomb otherwis they would keep us treathening for ever.
In short we are ready in Iran and one of our minister was on the israeli border in south Lebanon and asked them to start the war if they can.
A world without zionism is a world in peace.
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/2012/03/201231083221669780.html
Weiss: Zionism has created 'rivers of blood'
and please do not come with "antisemitism" as my friend in Tehran is a jew and I am not anti Jew,

KTS10110

6:13 PM ET

Iran needs to get over itself

It wouldn't be world war III. It would look more like the Gulf war where the US would crush their conventional capability very quickly. The Iranians sound just like Saddam before he was crushed twice.

2:20 PM ET

@and have the jews and israel still contribute to the progress of the world like no other people have....

-Hitler and South Afrikaappartheid regime were claiming that as well.
Tell me what brought Israel to the ME since its creation?
have a guess

3:25 PM ET

mori you asshole...try starting with this...

agricultural drip technology...thats just one significant thing israel has brought to the world since 1948...

you asked for one thing, and there you have it...want more? there are tons of things...breakthroughs in medicine, computers(microprocessors), mathematics, nanotechnology, solar energy, communications, art, etc...etc...etc...

obviously you are a giant ignoramus. but that's ok....us jews piss on people like you.

3:54 PM ET

Persan Reply

First of all try to talk poleitly.
Secoundly the Persian have contributet to the human civilisation since she was created tousends of years ago and contrary to zionist that brought War crime, Apartheid, war,..... to the ME.

6:11 PM ET

Who started those wars?

Israel didn't come into existence and start attacking it's neighbors. Instead nearly every arab swore to destroy the small state of Israel. The arabs started that entire conflict because they are unable to accept a jewish state in their region.

10:04 AM ET

drip technology?? really

drip technology?? really dude. Thats not exactly cutting edge. Anyone who REALLY wants to farm in a desert can figure that out. And all those other technologies you mentioned are just transferred from American firms. You guys dont contribute anything stop lying. Tweeking others technology isnt creative

2:56 PM ET

Nazis also contributed to Progress

So what?

Hitler made autobhans and the VW bug and listened to Opera while killing Jews.

What does progress have to do with morality?

There is no nuclear weapons program in Iran. There is no reason for US to get into Israeli-Iraian piss match.

3:19 PM ET

disrespectable lady

there is a nuclear weapons program in iran. Ask the IAEA...ask ollie heinonen, ask david albright, ask almost any nuclear weapons expert and they will tell you that iran is most defiinitely working towards the bomb....

your naivetee or willing ignorance is stunning...

7:16 PM ET

David Albright?

Please. I'd rather ask Bibi.

Read this FP article:

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/01/19/stop_the_madness

"The real legal red line, specified in the IAEA's "Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements," is the diversion of nuclear materials to a weapons program. However, multiple experts and official reports have affirmed over the years that they have no evidence that any such program exists.

For example Mohamed ElBaradei, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who spent more than a decade as the director of the IAEA, said that he had not "seen a shred of evidence" that Iran was pursuing the bomb. The latest IAEA report on Iran's nuclear program also backs up this assessment, stating that Iran's research program into nuclear weapons "was stopped rather abruptly pursuant to a ‘halt order' instruction issued in late 2003."

Even U.S. officials have conceded that they have no proof that Iran is actively pursuing a nuclear bomb. Following the release of the classified National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) in 2011, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper confirmed in a Senate hearing that he has a "high level of confidence" that Iran "has not made a decision as of this point to restart its nuclear weapons program." And earlier this month, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta weighed in: "Are they [Iranians] trying to develop a nuclear weapon? No. "

So, like I said, no nuclear weapons program, k?

10:05 AM ET

if there is a nuke program

if there is a nuke program deal with it yourself. Why is isreal the only nation screaming about iranian nukes? the majority of the world doesnt care. Fight your own battles

3:39 PM ET

Persian Reply

BROWNSHIRTSFORFA
@there is a nuclear weapons program in iran.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Only a zionist can lie like that.

In the Video here you can see that polenishe jews were in Iran during the WW2
and we have welcomed them in Iran but ythey ad noting to do with guys like U.
http://raminrad.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/%D9%BE%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%B4%D8%AF%D9%86-%D9%87%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%84%D9%87%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%84-%DB%B1%DB%B9%DB%B4%DB%B3/

MIZAH

5:02 PM ET

turkey reply

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TOOTS

7:40 PM ET

World's Reply

@Mori - I agree Iran has made incredible contributions to humanity over several thousand years and that the modern world has stemmed from the influence of the Persian civilisation, as well as many others (including the Jews). There is a nuclear enrichment program in Iran, but for anyone to claim a weapons program given the distinct lack of proof from the IAEA is synonymous with Iraq in 2003 and 1981 (Operation Opera).

The worry of an arms race starting is unfounded, the arms race started decades ago! The Saudi's openly funded the Pakistan nuclear program (whether they dictate rule of some of these is unknown but probable) and indeed continue to govern extreme influence over the Pakistani government and many terrorist organisations.

To the children @KTS10110 and @BROWNSHIRTSARE, I understand that you're vested interests lie in your roots and you feel 'patriotism' to Israel, although I doubt you have visited or understand the governance of the Jewish state.

I want you kids to imagine wherever you live... that tomorrow a Chinese Soldier knocks on your door and says you must leave, your family must leave and if you don't we will beat you, take your house and your money and strip you of your nationality. Your children will live oppressed and hungry and when they raise their voice to defend themselves they are labelled terrorists and shot. How would you feel?

The arab attacks on Israel were not motivated by religion or race, they were motivated by humanity, which I'm sorry to say... of which the Zionist governance has none.

7:51 PM ET

2007 NIE is right

See also:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/world/middleeast/iran-intelligence-crisis-showed-difficulty-of-assessing-nuclear-data.html?pagewanted=all

The 2007 NIE is correct and always was.

9:14 PM ET

see the lady salivate

eom

TRUTH85

1:18 AM ET

@johnboy

The Iraqi government is as far as possible from a puppet regime of the US (in fact it's closer to Iran probably and is standing with Assad), Karzai is openly challenging the US in Afghanistan, how are these puppet regimes?

The US did not destroy the Soviet Union, it contributed to the eventual destruction, but the bigger causes were the crappy economy, people wanting freedom, Gorbachev's policies in countering the crappy economic situation and the failed Afghan invasion (which the US helped in).

About a new cold war between Iran and Saudi Arabia, you forget that the cold war between the US and USSR became hot on several occasions in proxy wars that cost millions of lives (korea, vietnam, nicaragua, arab-israeli wars...).

Iran and Saudi Arabia already have a cold war situation going on that sometimes bursts into real conflict: the short Lebanese conflict in 2008, the gaza conflict between Fatah and Hamas in 2007, competing interests in Iraq throughout the war there and the revolution in Syria (government is supported by Iran, Saudis want to arm the rebels).

7:01 AM ET

Weiss: Zionism has created

Weiss: Zionism has created 'rivers of blood'
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/2012/03/201231083221669780.html

8:59 AM ET

@MORI

weiss? lol....uh huh...how ANYONE can defend the arab record of the last 100 yrs is delusional. the arabs have started so many wars over the last 70 yrs, they've sided with hitler, sided with the soviets, etc...etc...etc...

created terrorism infrastructure all over the muslim world, taught their youth to hate, sent them to the west's universities to study chemical engineering, and other sciences so they can go back home and build weapons and bombs etc..etc...what a disgrace they have been. In the 20th century, i think its more than fair to say that the world has been severely hurt by 3 forces...nazi germany, soviet stalin, and radical islam. take those 3 elements out of the picture, and it would have been a much better world ....

2 down, one to go.

mori, as I have said; clearly you are a racist...and as a jew., a secular non religious, very socially liberal jew, I say to you, I piss on you and love doing it too. Being morally superior to trash like you is easy.

10:29 AM ET

Zionist Jewish Bristish member of Parliament comments on Israel

This is a knighted Zionist Jew from Britian's Parliament, SIR Gerald KAUFMANN defending Israel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMGuYjt6CP8

12:48 PM ET

As far as I know zionist brougt terorism to the ME and people like Ben gorion,..... were the real terorist.
-Secoundly Israel started all the wars in ME and even attacked "US navy Liberty" so please do not think that we are fool and know nothing about zionism.
-Israel is a problem for te whole world and zionism has got nothing to do with jewis fate because of tat the iranian jews are still living in Iran like other minorities like Armanies and..
-Israel is a smal country that is acting like Apartheid regimes.
- I am iranian and not arabs but I think it is their right to defend themselves and fight for their land.
-Even in israel you ave different kind of jews and it seems to me that there is a kind of rasism going on.
-Iran has never attacked any country in thhe last 200 years and I do not understand what do you want from Iran? who is israel? a smal country with 5 milion people how dare you are even talking about a country that is faraway from you? you should first deal with your neighbours and then you can nock on our doors.

10:07 AM ET

zionism will be wiped out

zionism will be wiped out looooooong before. Also what have you guys brought other than nation wrecking, war mongering, perversion. Zionist are a disease many times worse than "radical" islam.

9:57 AM ET

National Defense University Agrees that Iran can be deterred.

Not much new here.

Back in 2005 (when it was thought Iran _did_ have a nuclear weapons program), the National Defense University looked into the matter:

And it said the "United States has options short of war that it could employ to deter a nuclear-armed Iran and dissuade further proliferation."

12:54 PM ET

@BROWNSHIRTSFORFAGS mori, as

@BROWNSHIRTSFORFAGS mori, as I have said; clearly you are a racist...and as a jew., a secular non religious, very socially liberal jew, I say to you, I piss on you and love doing it too. Being morally superior to trash like you is easy...
-Only a zionist like U can call me a rasisit. You are a zionist and rasism "God Chosen" is the base of your philosophy and Lies.

MAIWAND

5:21 PM ET

IRAN IS A POLITICAL/IDEALOGICAL CANCER!!!!!!!!!! SHIA NAZI

It is not only that Iran is in possession of an insane regime from MARS but we need to undersstand the regional policy of the regime.
1) It is an extremely oppressive regime where minorities have no rights to exist....take for example the brutalities committed against Balochs, sunnis , etc

2) It has immensely exploiting the SHIA CARD in the entireMiddle East, SOUTH ASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA, thereby promoting extreme sectarianism in the regions leading to gross political and social instability.
IRAN is actively seeking religious sectarianism in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and arab states in Middle East.....
HOW LONG CAN THESE STATES ALLOW IRAN TO PLAY WITH THEIR DESTINY???

3) IRAN is not just another Islamic state based on islamic laws, it strongly endorses the very principles of Nazism based on the doctrine of extreme shiaism

4) HITLER used race for his NAZI doctrine and policy, Irani Mullahs believe in similar idealogy of extirpation of other races, faiths, languages using Shia idealogy. SHIA IDEALOGY in this case is synonamous with PERSIAN fascism, so in other words the PERSIAN fascism is shrouded in sanctity of SHIA IDEALOGY, so as to make it look less evil!!!

5) THE ABOVE ARGUMENT MAKES IT CLEAR THAT IRANI SHIA/PERSAIN FASCISM IS A MODERN FACE OF GERMAN NAZISM.!!!!!!!!

6) SO CAN WE AFFORD TO LIVE WITH IT FOR LONG????????

7) THE ANSWER IS HOW LONG WE COULD AFFORD TO LIVE PEACEFULLY WITH HITLER!!!!!!!!

8) WE DONT HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE OF IRAN OR SHIA ISLAM AS SUCH BUT WE CANT AFFORD THIS CANCER ANY MORE WHICH IS ERODING US ALL AROUND!

*****THIS INSANE REGIME MUST FALL************WE AND PEOPLE OF IRAN WANT A MODERN SECULAR DEMOCRATIC IRAN*****************

6:10 PM ET

There is only one big cancer in ME and it is Israel and it should be wipped out of the page of history according to jewish fate.

8:23 PM ET

Knighted Member of Parliament Says

JAKENFENCH

10:01 AM ET

Why Make War again?

Why attack Iran even if they nuclear weapon. America should not start another war-"but politicians are calling with fervor for a military solution to Iran's nuclear ambition Josefina Vazquez Mota. We don't threaten to attack North Korea's nuclear bomb. Iran is less able to threaten its neighbors than North Korea to Japan or South Korea or Guam. What would happen if we actually attack? Would Iran come begging for our our forgiveness? Would the world be safer place? If so why not attack Nor korea first?"-Great Comment Bing520

MSAM

11:01 AM ET

Risk of Proliferation

Those that argue that a Nuclear Iran will lead other Middle eastern countries to try to aquire nuclear weapons are assuming that these states would be allowed to take such steps by their masters.

The Persian gulf arab states are completely dependent on the US and other western nations for their economic and security needs, they would never risk losing their support by attempting to get nuclear weapons.

Egypt and Iraq are in no position to even try.

The risks of proliferation in the middle east because of Iran's nuclear program are completely over blown.

12:51 PM ET

the saudis aren't just

the saudis aren't just subordinates to the west. if iran goes nuclear the saudis will demand that the western nations allow them to and help them become nuclear.

12:55 PM ET

Who started it?

That is a superb reason to declare the whole middle east a nuclear free zone.

Israel started the nuke arms race and Iran is actually showing restraint by resisting going nuclear, as Mossad just verified US Intel.

3:38 PM ET

the saudis aren't just subordinates

The Saudi's demands mean absolutely nothing.

Without western support the house of Saud would collapse like a house of cards.

Every aspect of the Saudi government from its oil infrastructure to its security and defence, even its drinking water, is absolutely dependent on the west.

If the saudis make threats it would be the easiest bluff to ever call.

1:44 PM ET

March 22, 2012

israel started it

by asking "who started it?" and alluding that israel started a nuclear arms race, you are in effect admitting that you think that iran is continuing what israel started, and in effect admitting that you also think that iran's nuclear program is not peaceful. i do think that it's a double standard that the US wants to stop proliferation everywhere else but turns a blind eye to israel's nukes, and i do think that a nuclear free zone in the mideast is a great idea. but israel is a democracy that doesn't support terror groups or insurgencies, doesn't support dictators who kill their own people like assad, and doesn't have a basiji to terrorize its own people. guess which country does? iran. now tell me which country would you be more comfortable with having nukes?

BEATRIX

1:24 PM ET

The Mideast will replace

The Mideast will replace Europe as the power center of the future. Her hatred of the West results from years of humiliation under European colonialism, and Iran's hated of America stems from our overthrowing their beloved democratic leader, Mohammad Mosaddegh, in the 1950s and replacing him with the detested Shah. The current leadership in Iran consists of the people who overthrew the Shah.

Mideastern peoples don't hate the West because of Israel. They hate Israel for aligning herself with the West. They're willing to use Western antisemitism against us, and laugh at our pettiness in blaming Israel for problems we caused ourselves.

The future behemoths of the world are jockeying for power right now while America has a weak President like Obama and the American people are focusing on tiny Israel as the source of their problems. Israel is where she belongs. It's America whose position in the world might change.

If Obama remains President, Iran will get the bomb unless Israel finds a tactical way of wiping out their nuclear facilities as they did with Iraq and Syria. If Romney becomes President, Iran's talks will mean something, other than just being used as a delaying tactic.

1:58 PM ET

False premise

If you start with a false premise, it's hard to reach a true conclusion.

Obama did not take containment off the table. He said his policy is prevention, not containment. If prevention fails containment would be the next logical step. Change of plans, doing what was not off the table, but was just not plan A.

You need to be more careful in your reading, and more precise in your analysis.

Though, since Iran is not known to be pursuing nuclear weapons development, Plan A should be, diplomacy to keep Iran on this path.

Silence the war drums, no more billigerence against a nation that does not threaten us or our friends.

And empty threats do not constitute threatening our friends, just spouting off with no means or intention of following through.

3:42 PM ET

Right you are!

Right you are.

That is the problem with the propaganda driven media: Iran HAS NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS program.

There is nothing they need to do. There is little Obama needs to do.

Everyone needs to go home.

Take it easy. And remove the sanctions.

End of story.

MEXICCAAPET3

4:02 PM ET

The US has no business in

The US has no business in Iran. Let Israel handle it's own business, and we can lend them hardware if need-be.

hosting

Foreign Policy Magazine

Inside National Security

By ruling out the possibility of deterring a nuclear Iran, President Obama is needlessly increasing the risks of a ruinous war.

BY WILL MARSHALL | MARCH 16, 2012

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