Should America Attack Iran?

One of the gravest threats that the world faces, is the threat of an Iranian state armed with nuclear weapons. The United Nations has mandated economic sanctions against the current regime in Iran on various occasions, and recently, the Iranian envoy to the UN told the Security Council that whatever sanctions they imposed, those sanctions would be as futile as all previous sanctions in bringing their nuclear program to a halt.

What does this mean to us here in the US?

In the past, sitting Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has made many statements that can only be construed as threats. He has made statements advocating the destruction of both Israel and the United States; statements regarding his desire to usher in the return of the 12th Imam (the equivalent to the Christian Armageddon); and the mounting evidence of Iran's ongoing support of radical terror groups. Throw in nuclear weapons, and you have a significant threat to peace and stability in the region, and throughout the rest of the world.

Some sources say that Iran is only months away from having nuclear capability. Others state that it will be several more years. Yet other sources state it is at least a decade away.

Once again, we have a nation that advocates the destruction of a neighboring country that is also the only true ally that the United States has in that region. Mix that desire to cause the death of Israel with the race to obtain the current 'ultimate' weapon, and you can see the danger approaching. Then consider the religious zealotry involved, and the passion to bring in the return of the 12th Imam which, according to tradition, can ONLY happen when the Muslim religion is threatened with extinction, and you now have the motive to preemptively launch a nuclear war.

So what should we do about this?

Former Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate Joe Lieberman, US Senator from Connecticut has gone so far as to say that we should be preparing to take preemptive action to stop the Iranian nuclear program. Due to the measures taken by Iran to safeguard their nuclear program (hardened underground laboratories, diverse and widely spread-out locations, etc), a conventional strike such as Israel performed against Iraqi weapons facilities cannot possibly succeed.

Because of the military difficulties of a "quick strike" to terminate Iran's nuclear program, this leaves only the option of actually going into Iran in force as happened in Iraq, or a limited nuclear strike on nearly every hardened facility that Iran has. However, Iran has good business relations with both China and Russia. Because of this, we can assume that both of these countries would be adverse to the US taking any actions that might disrupt those relationships. Both of the attack option outlined would cause significant disruption, and likely, would quickly be escalated into a war between the US and either China or Russia (or both).

What is clear is that a war is brewing in Iran, and it must result in an Iran more peaceful than currently.

Those of you, who know me, are probably now thinking that I believe we should go ahead and make that preemptive strike. But in this case, a military course of action would be foolish.

Remember back at the beginning when I mentioned that the Iranian envoy to the UN had stated that any new sanctions would be as futile as the past sanctions the UN has levied against Iran?

Well, to the envoy, the sanctions were futile. They were not hurting Iran per se. However, the people of Iran are hurting, and they are well aware that this is caused by the world as a whole against their government. The price of gas is rising rapidly, as well as the price of food. Civil unrest has reached such a point that the people are starting to rise up in the streets DESPITE the danger that this opposition to their government puts them in.

The best thing that the US can do at this time is to work with the United Nations (ouch, that statement REALLY hurt) to enforce any and all sanctions against Iran. The US should also hold bilateral talks with Russia and China, and utilize our relations (however strained they are) as leverage to influence the Russians and the Chinese to also exert pressure on the Iranian government/people to cease and desist their nuclear program.

The solution to peace is strength. But the strength in this case cannot be the mighty army of the United States, but the gentle strength of the dollar, the ruble, and the Yuan.

There is a war brewing in Iran, let's help the Iranian people win their war against their own government.