Remember the Obama campaign? Specifically for this discussion, recall that then-candidate Obama stated that he would engage in direct negotiations with Iran. Specifically, his website read as follows:
Obama supports tough, direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions.Now is the time to pressure Iran directly to change their troubling behavior. Obama and Biden would offer the Iranian regime a choice. If Iran abandons its nuclear program and support for terrorism, we will offer incentives like membership in the World Trade Organization, economic investments, and a move toward normal diplomatic relations. If Iran continues its troubling behavior, we will step up our economic pressure and political isolation. Seeking this kind of comprehensive settlement with Iran is our best way to make progress.
Have we seen any of this stepping up of “economic pressure and political isolation”? Iran has continued to pursue its “troubling behavior”, maybe while the president is pushing for the disastrous health care effort against public sentiment, I’ll take a minute to pass along some research that should be considered.
First, is a diplomatic solution – notionally one backed by economic sanctions – even possible? Iran imports about a third of its oil but what major country would join with the U.S. in such an action? China – doubtful as it gets 11 percent of its desperately needed oil from Iran. Russia – again, doubtful as they are enjoying the turnabout in roles as the U.S. is now embroiled in that region years after Russia was. The remainder of the able countries are unlikely to be able to enforce harsh enough sanctions to impact Iran’s decisions.
Second, Iran represents the most powerful military force in the region unless you expand the geographic scope to include Turkey. However, Turkey is busy with other issues (including the U.S. ticking them off). Without a balancing force in the area, Iran would exert itself directly or indirectly over Iraq and into other regional countries. There was a chance at that with the new Iraqi government, but the U.S. mistakenly ignored the fact that the government would include a large contingent of Shiites who are largely amiable towards Iran.
Third, at what point are stronger efforts required? Military options against Iran would be difficult both politically and tactically. If Iran secured a viable nuclear weapon and paired it with a capable delivery system would that be provocation enough for the U.S. to attempt any military action? This is doubtful on two fronts: one, the democrat base has fought long and hard against the action the U.S. took in Iraq and therefore would likely not support such action in Iraq. Two, executing such action would be more difficult than the actions taken against Iraq for a variety of reasons (staging, assessments, repercussions via Hezbollah, etc.).
So where does the U.S. do with a problem like Iran? Unfortunately, Rolf (or ‘Puter) won’t be able to just raise his hand and say, “They’re gone”.
GorT is an eight-foot-tall robot from the 51ˢᵗ Century who routinely time-travels to steal expensive technology from the future and return it to the past for retroinvention. The profits from this pay all the Gormogons’ bills, including subsidizing this website. Some of the products he has introduced from the future include oven mitts, the Guinness widget, Oxy-Clean, and Dr. Pepper. Due to his immense cybernetic brain, GorT is able to produce a post in 0.023 seconds and research it in even less time. Only ’Puter spends less time on research. GorT speaks entirely in zeros and ones, but occasionally throws in a ڭ to annoy the Volgi. He is a massive proponent of science, technology, and energy development, and enjoys nothing more than taking the Czar’s more interesting scientific theories, going into the past, publishing them as his own, and then returning to take credit for them. He is the only Gormogon who is capable of doing math. Possessed of incredible strength, he understands the awesome responsibility that follows and only uses it to hurt people.
