Quote:Man, you still don't get it or your driving your American exceptionalism agenda is just too important to you.

 

America does not answer to any nation, except perhaps now Israel.  Thanks Boehner.  But we do work with other nations on an international scale to an end of nuclear non-proliferation, and should continue to do so.

 

We are far from the only military power in the world.  The EU, Russians, or Chinese could mount a successful invasion of Iran tomorrow if they chose, but they will choose not to do so, because they are sensible and pragmatic in their international diplomacy, not because they are afraid of Tehran.

 

In this issue, you seem to think there is no middle ground:  total capitulation of Iran, or, as you just stated, total capitulation of the US.  You call my "middle ground" failure.  Failure, to me, is another war we can't afford.  A nuclear Pakistan still hasn't attacked a nuclear India, nor has North Korea, which may not even have a bomb, been able to attack their hated, and far more successful, rival to the south.  Why?  Because use of that weapon will elicit an attack on that country by not just the US, but every other military power on the globe. 

 

The US will remain the only country that "got away" with using one (er, two).

 

I think under this framework, Iran may actually achieve a nuclear weapon in 10 - 15 years.  Without this framework, they will achieve it in about 5 years.  The choices are this deal, all out war, or remaining sanctions under which Iran still gets a weapon.  There is no fourth way, even if Ronald Reagan, John Wayne, and Charlton Heston magically reappear tomorrow and summon the Iranian foreign minister to Switzerland.

 

And one last thing that really hasn't been mentioned:  Yes, the angry mob in front of Iranian Parliament chants "Death to America".  Meanwhile, the internet beams in American ideas and culture into the living rooms of the young Iranian's living rooms, and they eat it up like Kardashian Kandy.  I have never been to Iran, but those that have visited do not bring back stories of men keeping harems living in caves and praying for America's death 24/7.  They bring back stories of a country of universities, empowered women, and a huge population under the age of 30 that want more information and experiences beyond just the one book (not a bad idea ANYWHERE, if you ask me).

 

And that 150 billion?  We aren't giving it to them, it was theirs all along.  The hostages?  They're not being held for ransom, they are prisoners.  They have been charged, arrested, being given due process, and are probably getting a fairer, faster trial than they would have in Mexico.

 

I still think Iran sucks, but I think it has potential.  So did Reagan, actually, but that's another story.

I agree with this completely. I would like to add that the time to "breakout" ought be used attempting to normalize relations. I think that is a good goal to have. You wont stop an enemy or a friend from getting weapons forever (aside from all out obliteration). What you can do is turn an enemy into either a friend at best or a neutral party at worst. I think we can do that and with the rise of the younger, more progressive generation, could lead to a much more stable arrangement then the current apocalyptic one we have now. 

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