By Thomas Sowell
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
It is hard to think of a time when a nation -- and a whole civilization -- has drifted more futilely toward a bigger catastrophe than that looming over the United States and western civilization today.
Nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran and North Korea mean that it is only a matter of time before there are nuclear weapons in the hands of international terrorist organizations. North Korea needs money and Iran has brazenly stated its aim as the destruction of Israel -- and both its actions and its rhetoric suggest aims that extend even beyond a second Holocaust.
Send not to know for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.
This is not just another in the long history of military threats. The Soviet Union, despite its massive nuclear arsenal, could be deterred by our own nuclear arsenal. But suicide bombers cannot be deterred.
cont'd here
41 comments:
Shouldnt we try to "feel their pain" because afterall terrorists dont kill people, well actually yeah terrorists do kill people...nevermind.
Can you direct me to ANY evidence that Iran is developing nuclear weapons?
What Holocaust??
Exactly WL! The Nuclear Holocaust that will reign down on the "infidels" (read: Israelis and Americans) if Iran is left unchecked.
No answer to my question?
Its been said that there are no stupid questions, well you my friend have just busted that myth.
Listen to what IRAN is saying themselves. Not only that they have a right to develop nuke tech for energy purposes (huh? oil rich country, what?) but that for military purposes as well.
Or just open up your favorite French daily, even they are in agreement on this one.
I asked for EVIDENCE.
If someone tells you that they are going to go workout and then afterwards they are going to punch you in the face...would you need to see the gym membership before you defended yourself?
usually they are bluffing!!
Iran says it is interested in peaceful nuclear energy. I know they have oil but they would rather sell it than use it up themselves. Maybe they are developing nuclear weapons as well, but it would be good to have some evidence for that.
Gary your anger (against Bush and America) betrays you. What exactly is Iran doing or saying that "peaceful" jumps out at you. This is where you and I differ. I will give my country the benefit of doubt before that of a sworn enemy.
Ok, so there is no evidence that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons. But they might be--so we should bomb them and damn the consequences.
Gary, i don't think sowell was saying we should bomb them, i'm sure he was saying that we're getting to the point of no return.
Once they get a bomb, we're all in trouble.
Personally i don't think Israel can afford to let them get the technology and i think they'll take care of it with or without our help, which of course will start WW3 and then we'll be in it anyway. Get ready boys, it won't be long now.
Huh? Where did I say we should bomb them? In your infinite wisdom just because we shouldnt bomb them we should do nothing?
but to take on the argument..
How would you propose we deal with this rogue state's "peaceful" words, threats, and actions? Let me guess it rhymes with Ma Knees Dent?
I think we should negotiate with them directly. Get them to either suspend uranium enrichment or do it under careful supervision. What course would you suggest?
Just ask them to suspend their activity? maybe ask nicely? with sugar on top?
Isnt that what we (as well as your beloved UN)have been doing albeit through indirect channels for some time.
Outstanding plan Gary.
As far as "careful supervsion" didnt Clinton try that approach with N Korea by sending Carter to babysit? Well that sure worked out well.
Well, Donkey, what's your plan? Of course, in my plan the Iranians realize that they face the prospect of sanctions or military force. If you have a better plan I'd like to hear it.
I say we drop Walmarts on Iran. One in every city. Walmarts are de devil! Ask any leftist. Walmarts make leftists cry, real tears, boo hoo. They would make Iranians sad too. Those Persians would be sorry for even suggesting nuclear stuff to us. Teach them a right old lesson. We could get rid of all our Walmarts and show old Amadinajad a thing or two, oh yeah.
Just like 9/11, we will olny have balls after the big one hits.
Gary, i think we've learned that sanctions don't work. All that would do is buy them more time, and the threat of force is fine if they believe the threat, but then we have to back it up if they don't comply. wouldn't you agree with that?
So gary if they don't comply are you advocating force?
Sacramento, i fear you are correct. However i think the first target will be Israel, and they know it and that's why i don't think they'll wait for the U.S. to do something.
Seems the only time liberals approve of the use of the military is when theyre fishing dead Kennedy's off the coast of Nantucket
Should we use force if they don't comply? Force might be justified to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons but first there would have to be some good evidence that they are actually doing so. Iran actually has the right to enrich low-yield uranium for a nuclear power plant.
gary, who gives countries the "right" to do something?
if you ask me, i think they have the "right" to make nuclear weapons, but that doesn't mean i think we should let them do it.
these people are crazy, and they don't care about what we think, or what the french think or whatever. that's the point. i think we need to make sure that they don't get nukes. if that means force, then that's what we need to do. i don't think we should let them enrich ANYTHING, because that's just the first step.
Iran signed the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty and so they do not have the right to make nuclear weapons. But why are we debating this? War with Iran is not about nuclear weapons any more than Iraq was about WMDs. Iran is next on the neocon hit list and their supposed nuclear weapon program (for which there is NO evidence) is the pretext.
gary there's obviously evidence of iran doing something they're not supposed to be doing, or else we wouldn't be having this conversation.
also, if war with iran is a neocon production, then why is the rest of the world on board with them? even the useless U.N. is on board, even the french are on board!
i don't think this administration will do anything to iran, but i think Israel is going to put the smack down on them pretty soon.
If there is obviously evidence then where is it? I keep an eye on the news and some of the wingnut sites and I can't find it. I almost fell for the WMD crap in Iraq and as Bush said "fool me once, can't be fooled again."
well riddle me this gary.
why is this a headline? why is it on the front pages every day? why is the U.N. considering sanctions? what has everyone so upset?
I don't know if they're building weapons, or if the non proliferation includes ANY nuclear reactors or whatever, but they're doing SOMETHING that they shouldn't be doing wouldn't you agree?
Now i know you're saying that you monitor the news and whatever, but i watch cnbc all day, and i continue to see footage of the iranians working in their uranium enriching factories or whatever.
in fact, those videos were put out by the iranian govt.
Also, i know you're keeping an eye on everything, but i do believe the iranians have admitted that they're enriching uranium, and they also said that they won't stop.
maybe you should get some glasses on those crazy eyes of yours, because this is about as out in the open as you can get.
again, i'm not saying that they're making weapons yet, but once they start enriching uranium how hard can the rest of it be? remember the n.koreans were just making a power plant too... we know how that turned out right?
In fairness of full disclosure what Rhino means is that he watches the WE network all day but switches to CNBC when clients walk by.
The United States should do whatever it can to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. They may or may not be attempting to do so and they may be keeping their options open.
There are powerful people in this country that want war with Iran and with the entire Islamic world for that matter. There is a great deal of propaganda in play.
If we do attack Iran I predict it will make Iraq look like a success by comparison.
By the way, wouldn't attacking a sovereign nation because we think that they might possibly at some point(perhaps years away) develop nuclear weapons be an act of aggression and be seen as such throughout the Islamic world?
Word on the street is that Iran will announce themselves to be a Nuclear Power within the day.
i didn't hear that anywher, but more to the point, they're not denying that they plan to make weapons. this is not a secret.
Actually Iran has denied it is planning to make nuclear weapons.
liars.
You just said they admitted they were developing nuclear weapons. Which is it?
Propaganda--when US has it in for you they continuously show you in a negative light. The CNNs, the CNBCs just keep pumping the same images over and over again until you are brainwashed into believing it. You even have people debating the issue and quoting directly from the news without even realizing it.
This country will not continue to be the dominant World Power. America has forgotten the people. Great Britain did the same thing and the sun no longer continuously shines on the British empire. We need to concentrate on domestic issues other than being the world police. If we kept our noses out-there probably wouldnt be this worldwide hatred of USA.
WL, are you blaming the man again?
F the man. But Donk, this movie has been played before. Do you really think we can subdue the whole world. War and tyranny are inherent in man. It is natural. I just think that we should shore ourselves up first-instead of going around promoting democracy and freedom. We don't even have that here.
I agree on that point. We need to close the borders and close the trade gap. Then and only then can we go out and play. F NAFTA F CAFTA F THE WTO.
F em all!!
F tha police
Comin straight
from the underground
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