Iraq II: Will we be THAT stupid again?

We don't, because we were raised in the era of MAD and the Soviets. (And just for the people who are concerned about the Islamonazifascists, I will never be as afraid of al Qaeda as I was during the 13 days of the Cuban Missile Crisis.) The further we get away from it, and the more subtle nuke technology becomes, the more likely it is to be used. And, really, what alternative do the big strong neocon he-men have?

 

I dunno. Prozac? A good night in bed with the wife? Somehow, the more sane among us Americans don't feel an overriding need or desire to nuke the crap out of anyone who looks at us cross-eyed. Ultra-violent and revenge seeking aren't traits I admire, so I guess that makes me a pansy terrorist-loving liberal, right?

 

Yep . . . you obviously don't believe in peace and freedom.

Pinko.

 

Yeah, I was trying to bring down the country while in the military. Anything to undermine America.

 

Still no answer from lyman.

If I don't know better, I might be inclined to think he's avoiding the question.

 

Methinks so as well. Been waiting with baited breath for a legit answer.

 

He'll answer at 3 a.m., long after most of you are asleep, so no one will be able to post a rebuttal.

 

Is the president of Iran really, as Michael Savage says, "The Hitler of Our Time"?

 

If we use nukes, then I'm going to be manny for Jay Farrar in his off hours from manny-ing Jones. Only Jones and Jay Farrar will have to move the southern hemisphere, because that's where I'm headed. Dudes, they have nude beaches in Brazil!

What good comes from nukes? In fact, let's say they work 100 percent the way we want them to. Iran climbs down, we destroy their nuclear capabilities, they acquiese to our whims, etc.

Wonderful, except for one very fucking important problem (well actually there's several problems, but we'll focus on this one problem for now) -- our successful use of nukes opens the eyes and loosens the reluctance of every other nation who possesses nukes. Their destructive power is de-mystified. The hesitation to use nukes evaporates in conflicts or potential conflicts like India-Pakistan, China-Russia, China-Japan.

Or, if you don't give a shit about those countries with those undesirably non-white, non-Christian folk how 'bout: China-U.S., Russia-U.S., and under the wrong circumstance, Pakistan-U.S., India-U.S.

We'd have set the nuclear standard, why would those nations not rise to it? One way or another, we'd be living in a fucked world -- if we'd be living at all.

Oh, but that's not important. It's all about a macho, dick-measuring, we're-more-powerful-than-you, flag-waving mission from from an evangelical God the majority of us don't even believe in... my bad, I'll go turn myself in to the House Committee on Un-American Activties ASAP.

Because Iran is like 30s Germany! We'll ignore the fact that they don't have anything like the military might, economic capability, geographical advantages, etc., that the Nazis had even in their early period of power. We'll ignore the fact that they couldn't take out the shitty Iraqi army in the 1980s. But dad gummit, they're evil, so lets drop some tactical nukes on 'em! Because nothing spreads good morals like a taste of nuclear fallout!

That plan could never fail! There's no way in HELL other nations wouldn't be 99 44/100 percent behind that plan. There would be absolutely ZERO blowback to our own nation as a result of that measured and well-thought out strategery.

Rejoice! The politics of fear reign! U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S ...

 

Bravo, Bubbler, bravo!

 

Question -- why exactly does the United States get to pretty much unilaterally decide which countries get to have nukes and which ones don't?

 

Because we've got more of them.

And as overbearing as it might seem, I've got no problem with that. Current president aside, I trust our judgment on this, and I can't imagine many sane countries have a serious problem with it. At the end of the day, we're looking for peace -- that's it. We keep the nukes out of the hands of the crazies. Most of the world can live with that.