Mario Loyola over at NRO's The Corner neatly captures it:
Iran's barring access to weapons inspectors is the same as expelling them for all practical purposes unless the inspectors are allowed to continue inspecting immediately. This is the warning flag. If this story is true, we should bomb the facilities right now. Article 51 of the U.N. Charter preserves the right of self-defense in cases of armed aggression. For Iran to hide a batch of LEU is not only a violation of the nonproliferation treaty, but also, strategically speaking, an act of armed aggression, because it is the last moment at which the scope of Iran's enrichment activities can be known with any certainty. Assuming the story is true, if we don't attack now, the optimal window for self-defense will close and any future military operation may have to be much more expansive in scope and would have a greatly diminished probability of success. At least now we know where this batch of LEU is. Within days the batch could be at another — totally clandestine — facility. And we will then find ourselves in a brave new world.
Those who read this blog regularly know that I, too, am in favor of an attack on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, and that part of Iran's regular defense system necessary to protect the infrastructure. President Bush has said he will not permit Iran under its current regime to have nuclear weapons - he is 100% right about it, and I hope that soon we'll see the necessary action.
War with Iran carries many risks - in some ways, even more risks than liberating Iraq; but it is something which must be done. The cost of action pales in comparison to the ultimate cost of inaction - an Iran supreme in the middle east, safe behind its nuclear umbrella, and exporting terrorism around the world at will.
We have to end this - and now is the right time.
Posted by Mark Noonan at August 23, 2006 09:17 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.blogsforbush.com/mt/crawford.cgi/7742
Comments
Posted by: Mark Noonan at August 23, 2006 12:02 PM
There is an internal-contradiction in all democracies: its strengths are also its weaknesses. People essentially have the ability to undo democracy, because of democracy (see Plato's and Aristotle's criticisms of democracy). Our best-example for the fall of a democracy is the one we know best: Athenian democracy. It was because of the First Peloponessian war and the formation of the Delian League, that democracy crumbled in Athens. Once a legitimate-force in fighting the Persians (sound familiar?), it was misused by the oligarchs for imperialism. There was a misguided Sicilian-campaign, and others, until eventually the treasury was drained. Nuff-said. Reason had been abandoned, as it has now.
Posted by:
Matthew Janovic at August 23, 2006 12:41 PM
Your assessment is correct in my opinion. However, not all invasions are conducted for imperialistic reasons; the US military been not used for this purpose. Lands invaded and conquered were returned to the legitimate governments when stability was regained and the foe vanquished. Germany did not become the 48th state, Japan the 50th, Afghanistan nor is Iraq the 51st.
Eastern Europe was the subject of imperialistic Russia, hardly a democracy, freedom granted by the sacrifice of the Eastern Europeans and the resolve of the Americans and British while France and Germany watched and carped.
Don’t worry; Americans will keep democracy safe for effete European intellectuals.
Posted by: Bane of Liberals' Existence at August 23, 2006 01:19 PM
Amen brother- we need to hit not only their WMD, but to weaken the regime we need to smash the IRGC, the Al-Quds Force, the Majlis, and the leadership. We need to hit their domestic military production facilities, SAM sites, Air Force, Navy, and armored corps. If we were to do this, it would seriously degrade their ability to wage war against us and our allies.
Posted by:
Lt. Fishman, USAFR at August 23, 2006 02:40 PM
Posted by: Lt. Fishman, USAFR at August 23, 2006 02:40 PM
Agreed. Let's do it now. Right now.
Posted by: Freedom1 at August 23, 2006 04:38 PM
Lobbing bombs on Iran will actually do very little in terms of having any lasting effects. If we need to deseat Pres. Nutjob, then we have to invade. We lack the sufficient force to invade... you do the math.
Posted by: Georgia Frawg at August 23, 2006 05:01 PM
Georgia, President Nutjob isn't the main target. If we kill him, the mullahs will just install another nutjob to replace him. The main targets are Iran's nuclear facilities. We must-and can-wipe them out with a combination of airpower and special forces detachments.
Posted by: Freedom1 at August 23, 2006 05:13 PM
And if we don't do it with conventional weapons, and the nutjobs get to close, or are to provacative, Isreal will do it with whatever they think it will take. We should not wait for "sanctions" to fail, that just gives Iran more time to reach their nuclear goal.
Posted by: kjstrouble at August 23, 2006 07:13 PM
Mark,
I agree with you 100 percent. I hope that President Bush can find his General Grant, General Patton, General McCarther. Although I think we are doing a great job over in Iraq and Afghanistan, we need someone who is gonna take it up a notch.
Posted by: james allegro at August 23, 2006 08:22 PM
Wait a minute; just how many U.N. resolutions have we exhausted in Iran? What was the count in Iraq, 17? We've got a ways to go yet in Iraq, and much diplomacy to practice.
//sarcasm off//
War...now. There're Iranians sneaking into this country now, through our southern border. Border agents have found Iranian currency, military uniforms, and military manuals.
BTW, the reason Bush hasn't raised a stink about the WMDs which have been found in IRAQ is that the shells can be traced, and he doesn't want to embarrass...our "allies!!!"
Posted by: keefer at August 23, 2006 09:21 PM
Please report any inappropriate comments to abuse (at) blogsforbush (dot) com. Be sure to include the title of the blog entry, the name of the commenter, and the text of the offending comment.
Post a comment
Comments are fixed
There is an internal-contradiction in all democracies: its strengths are also its weaknesses. People essentially have the ability to undo democracy, because of democracy (see Plato's and Aristotle's criticisms of democracy). Our best-example for the fall of a democracy is the one we know best: Athenian democracy. It was because of the First Peloponessian war and the formation of the Delian League, that democracy crumbled in Athens. Once a legitimate-force in fighting the Persians (sound familiar?), it was misused by the oligarchs for imperialism. There was a misguided Sicilian-campaign, and others, until eventually the treasury was drained. Nuff-said. Reason had been abandoned, as it has now.
Your assessment is correct in my opinion. However, not all invasions are conducted for imperialistic reasons; the US military been not used for this purpose. Lands invaded and conquered were returned to the legitimate governments when stability was regained and the foe vanquished. Germany did not become the 48th state, Japan the 50th, Afghanistan nor is Iraq the 51st.
Eastern Europe was the subject of imperialistic Russia, hardly a democracy, freedom granted by the sacrifice of the Eastern Europeans and the resolve of the Americans and British while France and Germany watched and carped.
Don’t worry; Americans will keep democracy safe for effete European intellectuals.
Amen brother- we need to hit not only their WMD, but to weaken the regime we need to smash the IRGC, the Al-Quds Force, the Majlis, and the leadership. We need to hit their domestic military production facilities, SAM sites, Air Force, Navy, and armored corps. If we were to do this, it would seriously degrade their ability to wage war against us and our allies.
Posted by: Lt. Fishman, USAFR at August 23, 2006 02:40 PM
Agreed. Let's do it now. Right now.
Lobbing bombs on Iran will actually do very little in terms of having any lasting effects. If we need to deseat Pres. Nutjob, then we have to invade. We lack the sufficient force to invade... you do the math.
Georgia, President Nutjob isn't the main target. If we kill him, the mullahs will just install another nutjob to replace him. The main targets are Iran's nuclear facilities. We must-and can-wipe them out with a combination of airpower and special forces detachments.
And if we don't do it with conventional weapons, and the nutjobs get to close, or are to provacative, Isreal will do it with whatever they think it will take. We should not wait for "sanctions" to fail, that just gives Iran more time to reach their nuclear goal.
Mark,
I agree with you 100 percent. I hope that President Bush can find his General Grant, General Patton, General McCarther. Although I think we are doing a great job over in Iraq and Afghanistan, we need someone who is gonna take it up a notch.
Wait a minute; just how many U.N. resolutions have we exhausted in Iran? What was the count in Iraq, 17? We've got a ways to go yet in Iraq, and much diplomacy to practice.
//sarcasm off//
War...now. There're Iranians sneaking into this country now, through our southern border. Border agents have found Iranian currency, military uniforms, and military manuals.
BTW, the reason Bush hasn't raised a stink about the WMDs which have been found in IRAQ is that the shells can be traced, and he doesn't want to embarrass...our "allies!!!"