Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Ratcheting Up the Rhetoric and Sanctions on Iran

The news is replete with stories about the ever growing danger of Iran to the region. They range from supplying shaped explosives to probing Iranian ships to greatly expanded nuclear enrichment capabilities.

As a key United Nations deadline approaches, leaders of both sides weighed in. Iran’s President said they would stop enriching if all western nations did likewise. White House spokesman Tony Snow suggested this request couldn’t be credible. Why does the U.S. need to stop?

Could it be our history of use of weapons of mass destruction? Does it have anything to do with war plans that provide for both pre-emptive war and strategic use of nuclear weapons on the battlefield, no longer the last resort?

Meanwhile Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert added his two sheckels worth. "Today is the last day that was designated by the international community and by the UN Security Council. Therefore the international community will have to think of additional measures."

What measures does the Israeli President have in mind? Recall Israel has nuclear weapons cababilities but never admitted such (until a recent slip up). It prefers to keep its enemies guessing. Would that be a transparent military strategy in the eyes of U.S. leaders? Also, note recent discussions in the Jewish state to employ the Sampson option. Rather than allow their country to be overrun, Israel would nuke itself.

So where are the rational people on the world’s stage today? Nowhere to be seen….

No comments: