U.S. intelligence chief: Iran nuclear weapon could start regional war

[toomuchtime_]

U.S. National Intelligence Director Michael McConnell on Friday said that Iran is two to three years away from having a long-range missile that could reach Europe and is continuing to produce low-enriched uranium, the raw ingredient for the fissionable material needed for a warhead.

As he prepares to leave office, McConnell told reporters that U.S. intelligence agencies lack enough evidence to prove Iran has decided to build a nuclear warhead, but he shares the alarm of outgoing CIA Director Michael Hayden that the possibility may come soon.

"I'm very concerned Iran will continue down a path that will result in a nuclear weapon," he said.

He is especially worried about the effect it would have in the Middle East, either kicking off a regional arms race or a war.

U.S. intelligence chief: Iran nuclear weapon could start regional war - Haaretz - Israel News

 

[michiganFats]

I think that the fact that we have troops and materiel positioned on two sides of Iran says way more than any one political hack ever could.

 

[cunclusion]

I think that if Iran does not want to accept terms/oversight then we should switch to a policy of nuclear detterence/massive detterence in which any weapon exploded in the middle east or found will result in a massive retalitory strike against the country.

Any opinions on this?

In the end this just a thought.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

So despite a lack of evidence we should be prepared to attack on the basis that they might someday be able to create a nuclear weapon? Preemptive war is absurd.

 

[michiganFats]

Where there's smoke, there's fire, and if you don't place fire extinguishers near known fire hotspots, you're an idiot.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Where there's smoke, there's fire, and if you don't place fire extinguishers near known fire hotspots, you're an idiot.

I don't know that that analogy applies. It's more like the guy in the theater yelling fire and everybody panicking.

 

[Truthmatters]

OBLs work is still paying him off.

 

[michiganFats]

I think you're intellectually dishonest. You know damn well what that analogy means

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I think you're intellectually dishonest. You know damn well what that analogy means

I didn't say that I don't know what it means, I said I don't think it applies. I then gave an example of an analogy that does apply.

 

[michiganFats]

Kevin Kennedy, you're right, I apologize. I misread it.

 

[HelloDollyLlama]

So despite a lack of evidence we should be prepared to attack on the basis that they might someday be able to create a nuclear weapon? Preemptive war is absurd.

I have to go with the neocons on this one. Iran has been the seat and center of international terrorism for 30 years, and has flipped the bird at the international community as it builds its WMD's. If Iran's allies, like Russia and China, insist on gumming up the diplomatic process so that we can't resolve this peacefully, I think we should start pounding the crap out of Iranian military and economic targets, until they see the light.

That is the war on terror that we should have been fighting, before screwing around with Iraq.

 

[Sunni Man]

Actually, Israel is the seat of terrorism in the world

It defies the UN resolutions all of the time.

And also refuses to submit to any International agency to have it's nuclear weapons inspected.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I have to go with the neocons on this one. Iran has been the seat and center of international terrorism for 30 years, and has flipped the bird at the international community as it builds its WMD's. If Iran's allies, like Russia and China, insist on gumming up the diplomatic process so that we can't resolve this peacefully, I think we should start pounding the crap out of Iranian military and economic targets, until they see the light.

That is the war on terror that we should have been fighting, before screwing around with Iraq.

As it allegedly builds WMD's.

This article claims there is a lack of evidence, and the IAEA has reported that there is no evidence that Iran is breaking the Non-Proliferation Treaty. What happened the last time we as a nation believed the hype behind made up WMD's? We got dragged into a costly war, in both terms of lives (American and Iraqi) and money. Our military is stretched to thin for another preemptive war, and our economy can't handle the strain in it's fragile condition.

The "War on Terror" is a war that can't possibly be won. It's time we mind our own business.

 

[michiganFats]

I don't think it's an accident that we have a presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. Which country do both of them border? When someone says that pre-emptive war is bullcrap, I agree, but stationing your assets beforehand is not bullcrap. It's smart logistics. There are some people who wish we never had to fight, but they are naive, and I guess that shows why their political parties of choice have never gained any traction in this country. Iraq was never about WMD's, it was about having a presence in the Middle East, and we are there with the blessing of Arab governments all over the region. We are there to defend our security and do their dirty work.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I don't think it's an accident that we have a presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. Which country do both of them border? When someone says that pre-emptive war is bullcrap, I agree, but stationing your assets beforehand is not bullcrap. It's smart logistics. There are some people who wish we never had to fight, but they are naive, and I guess that shows why their political parties of choice have never gained any traction in this country. Iraq was never about WMD's, it was about having a presence in the Middle East, and we are there with the blessing of Arab governments all over the region. We are there to defend our security and do their dirty work.

Defend our security? I wasn't aware that Iraq posed a threat to our security in any way shape or form, until we sent our men into Iraq to be killed of course. Why should we be paying for somebody else's dirty work?

 

[cunclusion]

It is based on our stance with Russia during the cold war. They had nukes and they knew if they did something we would too. So you mean to tell me that using a policy like this would not work. Of course its not Mutual Assured Destruction but if another country is told that you will be basically destroyed if any of your nukes leave the land either on a missile or by hand in a box or package you will be held accountable.

 

[michiganFats]

Kevin, I never said that Iraq did pose a threat to us. Try again.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

It is based on our stance with Russia during the cold war. They had nukes and they knew if they did something we would too. So you mean to tell me that using a policy like this would not work. Of course its not Mutual Assured Destruction but if another country is told that you will be basically destroyed if any of your nukes leave the land either on a missile or by hand in a box or package you will be held accountable.

I'm not sure what you're referring to, but our current foreign policy does not resemble our policy from the Cold War.

 

[michiganFats]

The more I see from Libertarians, the happier I am that I didn't vote for Bob Barr:noted Libertarian.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Kevin, I never said that Iraq did pose a threat to us. Try again.

Iraq was never about WMD's, it was about having a presence in the Middle East, and we are there with the blessing of Arab governments all over the region. We are there to defend our security and do their dirty work.

Sounds like you're saying that we're there to defend our security. You can only defend your security if they're a threat to your security.