US Backs Europe on Iran's Nukes

[Frodo]

i am just glad that this administration has foregone any talk about invading or launching military precision strikes on Iran, and quit backstabbing European efforts to reach a deal with Iran on its development of nuclear weapons:

U.S. Backs Europeans on Incentives for Iran
Rice Announces Shift on Nuclear Issue

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27108-2005Mar11.html

[ATFFL]

I think the US was trying to play good cop bad cop with the EU but the move was a bit too complicated for the EU to figure out on its own and no one told the EU about it.  Terrible communication caused by a general distrust of each others motives and a change in administration at the Department of State.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I also don't think Iran was stupid enough to buy the rhetoric anyway. They know the US is too bogged down in Iraq to attack a country twice its size.

[Frodo]

I also don't think Iran was stupid enough to buy the rhetoric anyway. They know the US is too bogged down in Iraq to attack a country twice its size.

i am relieved not so much because there is less likelihood of us invading Iran or launching military strikes on it, but more because the rhetoric alone was detrimental to the student-led movement, undermining its efforts to bring freedom and democracy to Iran.  the government there is unpopular enough as is -i am not entirely sure what Bush was hoping to accomplish by rattling the sabre of war, but his rhetoric about it being part of the 'Axis of Evil' was serving merely to divert attention away from the regime, and inspiring Iranians' sense of patriotism in support of their regime when it came under threat from a foreign power.  in short, it was backfiring on our goal of seeing Iran become a democracy, and postponing the day when the Islamists would lose their power to the rising generation of democrats. 
 

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Seriously. There is no reason at all to screw with Iran at the moment. It'd be like bombing the Soviet Union in 1987.

[M]

Frodo, BRTD-

That is, unless they appear to be on the verge of actually getting the bomb, and there is a realistic chance of them immediately using it on Israel. In that case, we will unleash an apocalypse upon them. Otherwise, the best strategy is to bide our time and support the student movement in any way possible.

[phk]

Declare war, even if it calls for a draft.

[opebo]

Iran would be very foolish, given what was perpetrated upon Saddam, and given the example of North Korea's continued survival, to accept these petty 'rewards' and abandon its nuclear program.  No nation stands a chance against the US unless it is nuclear armed.

[Erc]

Iran would be very foolish, given what was perpetrated upon Saddam, and given the example of North Korea's continued survival, to accept these petty 'rewards' and abandon its nuclear program.  No nation stands a chance against the US unless it is nuclear armed.

It seems that Iran agrees.

[phk]

Iran would be very foolish, given what was perpetrated upon Saddam, and given the example of North Korea's continued survival, to accept these petty 'rewards' and abandon its nuclear program.  No nation stands a chance against the US unless it is nuclear armed.

It seems that Iran agrees.

They aren't as dumb as we thought. Oh well.