CDZ Should we impose a no-missile-fly zone over NK and Iran?

[jwoodie]

These countries continue to flout UN resolutions and endanger their neighbors with impunity. Why shouldn't we shoot down their missiles as soon as they are launched? Wouldn't this be good target practice?

 

[Fishlore]

We don't have the necessary "right of launch" capability to do that. It would be an act of war in any case. Both nations have their protectors, China and Russia Neither one wants US forces in a neighboring state. The immediate complications could be most unpleasant. It is hard for most folks to grasp that such twentieth-century approaches to conflict with other nations just won't work in today's world. Iran is a natural US ally. We ought to rebuild our friendship, not poke the hornets' nest. North Korea is a Chinese client -- you know, like North Vietnam was. Military action north of the 38th parallel bodes no good for Uncle Sam.

 

[Picaro]

These countries continue to flout UN resolutions and endanger their neighbors with impunity. Why shouldn't we shoot down their missiles as soon as they are launched? Wouldn't this be good target practice?

Of course we should. Their word and agreements mean nothing, so no compelling reason not to. The military may, however, not be willing to do so casually because it might give away more info on our capabilities than we want others to know about yet. That would be the only real reason not to shut down these vermin's tests. They are using them for extortion rackets and shakedowns at the moment.

 

[Picaro]

We don't have the necessary "right of launch" capability to do that. It would be an act of war in any case. Both nations have their protectors, China and Russia Neither one wants US forces in a neighboring state. The immediate complications could be most unpleasant. It is hard for most folks to grasp that such twentieth-century approaches to conflict with other nations just won't work in today's world. Iran is a natural US ally. We ought to rebuild our friendship, not poke the hornets' nest. North Korea is a Chinese client -- you know, like North Vietnam was. Military action north of the 38th parallel bodes no good for Uncle Sam.

lol ... no Iran is not even remotely a 'natural U.S ally', you're confusing Obama's Shia beliefs with U.S. interests, when they aren't the same. Vietnam was a Soviet client, not a Chinese one. It is not a Chinese client now, either, it's a Russian trade partner.

 

[Toronado3800]

Ideally yes we would.

Practically for the reasons listed above by Fishlore I don't know if we should.

Can we? Maybe in the short term we can. It will get expensive and like stated above show off our abilities and limitations.

There is a danger in imposing our will too strongly on another country, other countries may wish to impose their will on us with an equal zest. After all, we dropped the bomb and don't exactly run about saying it was immoral.

 

[Fishlore]

We don't have the necessary "right of launch" capability to do that. It would be an act of war in any case. Both nations have their protectors, China and Russia Neither one wants US forces in a neighboring state. The immediate complications could be most unpleasant. It is hard for most folks to grasp that such twentieth-century approaches to conflict with other nations just won't work in today's world. Iran is a natural US ally. We ought to rebuild our friendship, not poke the hornets' nest. North Korea is a Chinese client -- you know, like North Vietnam was. Military action north of the 38th parallel bodes no good for Uncle Sam.

lol ... no Iran is not even remotely a 'natural U.S ally', you're confusing Obama's Shia beliefs with U.S. interests, when they aren't the same. Vietnam was a Soviet client, not a Chinese one. It is not a Chinese client now, either, it's a Russian trade partner.

You can lol all you want, but you clearly don't know the history of Iran. President Nixon famously called Iran "our policeman on the Gulf." Going back to the coup which installed the Pahlavi family on the Peacock Throne (the last Shah's Daddy), Iran was the #1 US ally in the Middle East. This alliance didn't end until the Islamic Revolution.

Prior to that time, when Winston Churchill set up the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, Iran was a British partner, a deal which helped protect Persia (now Iran) from its big fear, Russia.

Your ignorance of history gives you false confidence. Lol indeed

 

[jwoodie]

You can lol all you want, but you clearly don't know the history of Iran. President Nixon famously called Iran "our policeman on the Gulf." Going back to the coup which installed the Pahlavi family on the Peacock Throne (the last Shah's Daddy), Iran was the #1 US ally in the Middle East. This alliance didn't end until the Islamic Revolution.

You can go back to WW1 if you want, but Iran is the chief proponent of Jihad in the world today. Do you seriously believe that cooperating with their nuclear weapons ambitions will cause them to become our friends? How has that worked with NK?

Might I recommend a vacation away from the ivory tower?

 

[Toronado3800]

You can lol all you want, but you clearly don't know the history of Iran. President Nixon famously called Iran "our policeman on the Gulf." Going back to the coup which installed the Pahlavi family on the Peacock Throne (the last Shah's Daddy), Iran was the #1 US ally in the Middle East. This alliance didn't end until the Islamic Revolution.

You can go back to WW1 if you want, but Iran is the chief proponent of Jihad in the world today. Do you seriously believe that cooperating with their nuclear weapons ambitions will cause them to become our friends? How has that worked with NK?

Might I recommend a vacation away from the ivory tower?

We could debate if the defacto Marshall Plan we have in place with China is making them more agreeable on the international level.

On one hand Iran is smaller, on the other I worry about their culture being "different" than the Chinese.

The swings in Iranian politics are an interesting study in how quickly things can change.

 

[Picaro]

You can lol all you want, but you clearly don't know the history of Iran.

I was going to with or without your permission, and I clearly know the history a lot better than you.

President Nixon famously called Iran "our policeman on the Gulf." Going back to the coup which installed the Pahlavi family on the Peacock Throne (the last Shah's Daddy), Iran was the #1 US ally in the Middle East. This alliance didn't end until the Islamic Revolution.

Prior to that time, when Winston Churchill set up the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, Iran was a British partner, a deal which helped protect Persia (now Iran) from its big fear, Russia.

throwing out strawmen, because you know I'm right and you think you can confuse the issues by this babbling? Iran is a terrorist state and a threat to peace in every country around it and beyond, and no amount of weird segues into pre-revolutionary Iran is going to help you peddle nonsense to the contrary.

Your ignorance of history gives you false confidence. Lol indeed

And this is hilariously ironic ...