Nuclear Proliferation and the Middle East

[jamwadmag]

Nuclear Proliferation and the Middle East

Political scientist Kenneth Waltz

Perhaps the most controversial idea in nuclear strategy is that nuclear proliferation would be desirable. This view argues that, unlike conventional weapons, nuclear weapons successfully deter all-out war between states, as they did during the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

It has been claimed that the threat of potentially suicidal terrorists possessing nuclear weapons (a form of nuclear terrorism) complicates the decision process. Mutually assured destruction (MAD) may not be effective against an enemy who expects to die in a confrontation, as they may feel they will be rewarded in a religious afterlife as martyrs and would not therefore be deterred by a sense of self-preservation. Further, if the initial act is from rogue groups of individuals instead of a nation, there is no fixed nation or fixed military targets to retaliate against. It has been argued, especially after the September 11, 2001 attacks, that this complication is the sign of the next age of nuclear strategy, distinct from the relative stability of the Cold War.

[Herb Schaffler]

This ignores that there would not even be terrorist acts aimed at us if it weren't for our meddling foreign policy.

Also, terrorist groups have to get their nukes from some country. Nukes leave footprints. No country is going to hand off nukes to terrorists and then have those nukes traced to them and risk retaliation against.

[Herb Schaffler]

Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran an "[LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This No Hillary For President Forum Link. " to the Jewish state, a contention that amounts to little more than absolute nonsense. Their argument goes something like this: Iran is not a normal state, it is run by ideologues who are profoundly invested in apocalyptic religious visions that can only end in war. Deterrence means nothing to them. They want to be incinerated in a nuclear exchange involving Israel, themselves, and quite possibly the U.S., because it fulfills the ancient prophecies and means the return of the Mahdi, or something [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This No Hillary For President Forum Link. .

Justin Raimondo at antiwar.com

The above view of Israel about Iran sounds very similar to jam's lust for war to bring about the 2nd coming of Christ.

Justin went on to write:

This makes no more sense than the inverse version of the religion-determines-all theory, which would have the "born again" George W. Bush intent on provoking a nuclear war in the Middle East in order to bring about the Second Coming and the Kingdom of God on Earth – as the Christian dispensationalists who make up so much of the GOP's base fervently believe is entirely possible and certainly desirable.
These latter, of course, are the [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This No Hillary For President Forum Link. of the Israel Lobby in America, a group that GOP presidential candidate John McCain has [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This No Hillary For President Forum Link. in the person of the Rev. John Hagee. Rev. Hagee is a [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This No Hillary For President Forum Link. and [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This No Hillary For President Forum Link. who looks forward to a nuclear war in the Middle East as the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. Hagee has lately taken up with AIPAC, appearing at their last national confab in a [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This No Hillary For President Forum Link. .

[jamwadmag]

Originally Posted by Herb Schaffler

Also, terrorist groups have to get their nukes from some country. Nukes leave footprints. No country is going to hand off nukes to terrorists and then have those nukes traced to them and risk retaliation against.

Doesnt seem to bother N. Korea while supporting Iran & Syria!! Guess you dont believe in 'madmen.' except of course for Bush, Cheney, and other Neocons!

Also, the 12th Imam belief conincides with a Middle East war and destruction of their enemies. Tell me again, why Israel was such a 'natural' threat to Iran before Iran started threatening Israel's existance---the Farsi weasel-wording of 'we didnt mean it that way' is more BS!

I still believe, profoundly, that the whole issue is a 'spiritual one,' and that no words of peace, compromise of lands & borders, withdrawal of forces, etc. will bring peace to that region---it is a predestined powderkeg!!

[Herb Schaffler]

"Doesnt seem to bother N. Korea"

Has North Korea handed off nukes to terrorists?

"Tell me again, why Israel was such a 'natural' threat to Iran before Iran started threatening Israel's existance"

Israel wants to be the supreme power in the Middle East. They don't want any powerful country in the area which will interfere with their program of ethnic cleansing. Iran in 2003 reached out to the US with a proposal to not build nukes and to accept Israel's right to exist, but the US and Israel aren't interested. They will accept nothing short of regime change, which means a disastrous costly war in terms of both blood and treasure.

"Also, the 12th Imam belief conincides with a Middle East war and destruction of their enemies."

So does your concept of a world conflagration to bring about the 2nd coming of Christ. I see no difference. They are both dangerous points of view and I hope that cooler, smarter heads prevail in both the US and Iran.

[jamwadmag]

Originally Posted by Herb Schaffler

"Doesnt seem to bother N. Korea"

Has North Korea handed off nukes to terrorists?

"Tell me again, why Israel was such a 'natural' threat to Iran before Iran started threatening Israel's existance"

Israel wants to be the supreme power in the Middle East. They don't want any powerful country in the area which will interfere with their program of ethnic cleansing. Iran in 2003 reached out to the US with a proposal to not build nukes and to accept Israel's right to exist, but the US and Israel aren't interested. They will accept nothing short of regime change, which means a disastrous costly war in terms of both blood and treasure.

That's probably the biggest 'hogwash' that I have ever heard about Israel!!!

"Also, the 12th Imam belief conincides with a Middle East war and destruction of their enemies."

So does your concept of a world conflagration to bring about the 2nd coming of Christ. I see no difference. They are both dangerous points of view and I hope that cooler, smarter heads prevail in both the US and Iran.

Your problem is that your are thinking in 'the natural,' and that both beliefs are true, but who is the 12th Imam and what country does He really support?! Most religions have 'some truth' in them....

I FIRMLY believe that it is a 'spiritual battle,' and that as the N.T. scripture says, "The natural man does not understand the things of the Spirit, for they are spiritually appraised." Goes back to my 'men operating in the futility of their own minds! Men cannot change the prophetic 'recorded' future, just walk it out....Sorry!