who says force is never needed... this is not about that... only your comparison would perhaps make some sense if america's hands were clean enough in the middle east, and all the guys with long beards and wearing oversized white robes were bad guys by definition... but perhaps if u checked your history... anyway, i have nothing to sell...
Yes, when the guys with long beards and wearing white robes became the politicians that's bad by defintion.
So what do you suggest needs to be done now that Iran is about to get the nukes and promises to wipe Israel off the map. According to you America's hands are not clean enough in the middle east so we should not do anything, right? Or should we repent first and then bomb Iran? What do you suggest? Do you realize that when eventually Iran builds the nukes and attacks Israel (let alone having terrorists explode it in LA or Manhatten) it's going to be much much worse.
sadly enough you are v.probably right, there would be, because there is a lot of anger in the streets... now, whats fuelling all this anger do you think? now re. the risk of that happening, leaving aside the fact that detonating a nuke is no easy task... in state-to-state realpolitiks ask rumsfeld condi etc the threat is usually more powerful than the act itself... now of course every once in a while one has to 'prove', thats partly why the US HAD to do afghanistan, and perhaps iraq... but there is no benefit, and i dont believe the US has any intention, of alienating all of the arab / muslim world for decades to come...
What it all comes down to for some is that the reason arab countries are in such bad shape is because of israel and the US. They apparently believe that if there were no US or israel , arab countries would be peaceful and happy and prosperous. Most of us realize that their problems are of their own doing.
am a secular guy, therefore inclined to think like gkishot, however... . the US created this sorry state of affairs in iran by replacing an elected leader by the SHAH way back... you guys would want to be ruled by a SHAH, himself a puppet of a foreign power??? thats how years after this mascarade, a bearded guy in a white robe called khomeini came to power, just check a non-US history book for facts... now you guys think its wise to bomb iran? sure, go ahead, in the last 50 years the world has become so much safer thanks to all of your wise policy decisions... whats another war... . as for mullahs, well they are religious leaders, typically not men of war, unless their faith is directly threatened and a 'jihad' is warranted, which is not the case, i cant really see them projecting lethal force around like the US does... . now who says do nothing? no, of course there is loads to do, problem is, israel has to help too... and they are... but not enough... but thats a very complex issue... you know what? lets just bomb iran! happy easter break all
2cents says: "just check a non-US history book for facts..." Are these the same history books that show Israel does not and has not ever existed?
2cents, Your reasoning reminds me of Jimmy Carter's thought process 25+ years ago when he undermined the Shah and allowed Khomeini to take power.