What to do with Iran?

[steelmania75]

Well, since Iran is building another nuclear plant, tensions between the US and its allies and Iran have dramatically increased. My question to you is, what do we do? I say put more sanctions on them and hope for an uprising from the young people who live in Iran.

[Barack_America]

1. They are a sovereign nation. It's not up to us to decide what to "do" with them.

Where our interests differ, and here they decidedly do, we should consider what measures our allies and the global community wish to enact in the interests of global peace and security.

[tocqueville]

7. so were Germany and Japan 1939

some still regret we didn't "do" anything about them then...

[spanone]

9. what do you suggest we 'do'?

[Umbral]

10. "We" did do something about Japan and were eventually attacked because of it.

Maybe that was the Plan all along. We did something about Iran too, back in '53, that turned out well too, didn't it.

[madokie]

2. My advice is leave them the fuck alone

Who are we to be telling anyone what they can and do after our show of arogance and stupidity in Iraq

[bemildred]

3. Second that. nt

[BOG PERSON]

13. Agreed

To my knowledge, the Islamic Republic of Iran has yet to invade and occupy another sovereign nation. Can we say that?

"Hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

[conscious evolution]

4. forget iran

spend your time learning about propoganda campaigns and how they are used to fool people into supporting unneccessary wars.

[lunatica]

5. Time for diplomatic talks

It's idiotic not to have talks.

[HopeHoops]

6. We're in a tough position here.

The argument for sanctions is based on a UN Security Council resolution. There's a problem with that. The United States is not only the greatest violator of Security Council resolutions, but by a huge number. Israel comes in with a close second. Iran is near the bottom of the list. The argument sort of rings hollow.

While I would prefer that Iran not have nuclear weapons, it isn't like they can use them. They might get in one strike, but that would be the last. They aren't stupid. They know it would lead to the obliteration of the entire country. Then we have North Korea. They're crazy fuckers and I don't think they give a shit if they get blown all to hell. They've got nukes and know they can't use them without committing suicide. It is only a handful of morons who would deserve the punishment, but sadly it would result in the deaths of countless innocent citizens and contaminate the entire region. South Korea and Japan would suffer immensely.

I have no problem with any country using nuclear power for non-military purposes. If we are doing it, they should have the same right. As for military use, you really have to consider the risk. Iran loves to rattle sabers, but they are all made of rubber.

[HappyCynic]

11. Furthermore...

In addition to that, Iran is a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which allows them to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Israel is not.
The revelation of this Iranian nuclear facility is earlier than it needed to be under the terms of the NPT, which state that nuclear facilities must be revealed 6 months prior to becoming operational. Estimates (both by Iran and outside agencies) range from 1 year to 1.5 years before the facility is operational.
Iran has apparently agreed to inspectors:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4078445

Inspectors would make it impossible to use the site for weapons development (unless they blatantly kicked out the inspectors and converted the facility - the difference in requirements between weapons grade and power plant grade fissile material is astronomically high). Even if they still harboured a secret program, it would be severely hampered by inspectors. North Korea is a good case in point. Just before they kicked out the inspectors, the intelligence agencies predictions were that they were a decade or two away from a nuclear bomb. Then Bush labeled them part of the Axis of Evil, NK ratcheted up their rhetoric in response, and the situation escalated. Eventually, NK kicked out the inspectors, unsealed the nuclear material, and began actively working on a bomb. Within a few years, they had one. The lack of inspectors allowed the North Korean regime to greatly accelerate their nuclear weapons program. And keep in mind that there isn't any hard evidence publicly available that Iran has a nuclear weapons program (there's the usual accusations but there were similar accusations about Iraq's WMD programs and we all know how those turned out).

In short, with Iran a member of the NPT and seemingly willing to work through more diplomatic avenues, there are more and better options to handle the issue than just going with the knee-jerk "they're a threat and must be stopped at all costs" attitude.

[HopeHoops]

12. Well, to their credit, they did just offer to let inspectors into the second facility.

It was only an hour or so ago, but it is a start.

[laststeamtrain]

8. Stop giving any 'aid' to israel. Then we could apoligize for otherthrowing Mossadeq.

It'd be like step one in post imperial recovery.

The young people of Iran will continue to want to dress like truck stop whores or Britney Spears (no difference).

[lib2DaBone]

14. Get out of Dead End Wars..bring our kids home..Rebuild USA..DUH.?