Iran is not a threat.

[Friendlychap]

Here is one example of why.

Most of the home-grown/suicide bombers come from the poor regions in Pakistan. Bin-laden was living inside of Pakistan for who knows how long, not to mention he lived next to a Pakistani military base in a big house. The worlds "most wanted" "most dangerous" terrorist living in a country that has plenty of nukes, most likely supported by military figures whether that be officially or unofficially. Pakistan has nuclear weapons, Pakistan is where the majority of home-grown terrorism actually come from. Who do you think is funding & weaponizing the groups loyal to the Taliban within Afghanistan right now? It's their connections from Pakistan....oh and we're sort of doing that as well...by leaving munitions at abandon coalition bases deep in Taliban territory.

What I am basically trying to say is...yes...there are some crazy people out there. But not as crazy as you might like to imagine. Iran has an extremely long history of self preservation. Are there people who'd like to see Israel and the US disappear from the earth? Of course there is...just like there is people from the US and Israel that would like to see Iran disappear from the earth.

Think of Iran as the cocky, smart-arse troll. Deep down as much as they'd like to see a nuclear attacks wipe Israel or the US from the face of the earth these guys know deep down that is simply not a viable course of action. Why? The US (mainly the US) and Israel have nuclear weapons, but they don't just also have them, they have more of them...bigger ones and they have a much greater ability when it comes to actually using them.

Look at the US reaction to September 11th. Around 3,000 civilians murdered. 2 wars, trillions of dollars.

Now think of the US reaction if a US city or US ally gets hit with a nuclear weapon? Iran knows it's going to get obliterated from the face of the earth, regardless of if they're completely innocent or not. The US government wont take it's chances, and with all the media hype up around Iran...of course all of the public is going to support nuking Iran ASAP regardless of the evidence.

If anything, Iran is the last person that would want anything to happen, they know they're first in the firing line if anything happens.

[Deleted]

I agree that Iran is not a threat, but we have to remember than a Nuke is very very strong tactical tool. Iran has an incentive (like many other countries) to get a nuke for protective reasons, not for attack. The issue is not Iran getting a nuke, but the possible arms race which might happen in the region if it gets one. The USSR and USA were smart enough to not blow up the planet. Who knows if Iran, Pakistan, India, Israel and Saudi Arabia(which will probably want a nuke if Iran gets one) together with stupid radicals running around the region are smart enough to solve the same issues without blowing each other up.

Rather than an attack plan, the US should get a "lets get the hell out of here" plan and focus on its space program, just in case those bunch of tards start playing with nukes.

[obdigore]

Rather than an attack plan, the US should get a "lets get the hell out of here" plan and focus on its space program, just in case those bunch of tards start playing with nukes.

I agree, but it is easier to stir up an uninformed and ignorant population and get them 'behind you' by giving them someone to hate as opposed to a goal like 'lets be the best at everything'. It has been shown through history and continues to be this way today.

[Deleted]

Iran has an incentive (like many other countries) to get a nuke for protective reasons, not for attack.

Exactly, and the incentive is to protect against US attack.

The main motivation for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon is because the US has a trackrecord of violently overthrowing governments it doesn't like, when the opportunity arises.

The main motivation for Iran against developing a nuclear weapon is to avoid a nuclear arms race with Saoudi Arabia. Since Iran is much stronger conventionally, it doesn't want a nuclear equalizer.

It's simple action-reaction: If you threaten someone, he will prepare to defend himself. If he can't match your strength, he needs an equalizer. Nuclear weapons are great equalizers against superior economic and military power.

[Orodoth]

I've always liked to think of Iran's little power displays as that of a dog who will rush at you barking his head off, but then stop 10 feet short of you to stay out of immediate harm.

Quite frankly, they have rushed and barked for far too long for the majority of us to even flinch anymore. We hear on the news "Today Iran said if blah blah blah, they will blah blah in response". I think the general public view upon hearing this is "Ok guys, seriously. Give it a rest...We get, you wanna be taken seriously and hang with the big boys"...

just my 2 cents though, and humble opinion.

[Clevername]

OP, need to refine that title. Do you think Iran is not a threat to Israel as well or are you just speaking in terms of the US?

[Deleted]

The root cause of this problem is American exceptionalism:

Many Americans feel their country has a right to violently overthrow "evil" foreign governments.

Fine. I won't argue for or against that right.

What matters is those "evil" foreign governments disagree, and they will take steps to protect themselves. Which includes developing nuclear weapons.

---------- Post added 2012-05-01 at 10:50 AM ----------

OP, need to refine that title. Do you think Iran is not a threat to Israel as well or are you just speaking in terms of the US?

Iran probably has chemical weapons, and the missiles to deliver them. They also have plenty of opportunity to acquire many more of both.

None of them has ever hit Israel. Why do you think that is?

Same reasons why an Iranian nuke won't hit Israel either.

[Deleted]

OP, need to refine that title. Do you think Iran is not a threat to Israel as well or are you just speaking in terms of the US?

Israel is the biggest threat to that region. Iran and Israel have pretty shitty human rights track records as well.

[Elite Peon]

OP are you Iranian ? .The true fact is that IRAN is an run by an extremist Islamic regime who believes there messiah will return when they wipe Israel off the face of the earth . They do not fear annihilation nor do they use common sense ( the US has 100x more weapons then them ) They believe they are pre ordained by Allah to bring an end to anything that is not Islam . I am not being racist ... so please mods do not take it that way that is just the facts . The US is founded by Christians whom believe that Israel is the promise land to all of Christianity so of course the US will protect it . Sadly a very major confrontation is inevitable .

[Clevername]

Israel is the biggest threat to that region. Iran and Israel have pretty shitty human rights track records as well.

I'm not defending Israel I'm simply asking is the statement 'Iran is not a threat' meant to be purely from a US standpoint because if I were Israeli I might be inclined to disagree.

---------- Post added 2012-05-01 at 09:32 AM ----------

Iran probably has chemical weapons, and the missiles to deliver them. They also have plenty of opportunity to acquire many more of both.

None of them has ever hit Israel. Why do you think that is?

Same reasons why an Iranian nuke won't hit Israel either.

I'm not worried about an overt attack on Israel, I'd be much more concerned with the 'oops' we lost a warhead and it end up in Hezbollah hands days later.

[Deleted]

I'm not defending Israel I'm simply asking is the statement 'Iran is not a threat' meant to be purely from a US standpoint because if I were Israeli I might be inclined to disagree.

The problem is that Israel is like the U.S.'s Middle Eastern base of operations and any threat made to Israel is taken as a threat to the U.S. .

The U.S. has invested tens of billions into Israel, not likely to let it go up in flames anytime soon.

[Clevername]

The problem is that Israel is like the U.S.'s Middle Eastern base of operations and any threat made to Israel is taken as a threat to the U.S. .

The U.S. has invested tens of billions into Israel, not likely to let it go up in flames anytime soon.

Of course we wouldn't I'm well aware of that but that still is not addressing the question of is a nuclear armed Iran a threat to Israel?

[titan972]

"Iran is not a threat."

Yes it is. What else ya got?

[Deleted]

OP are you Iranian ? .The true fact is that IRAN is an run by an extremist Islamic regime who believes there messiah will return when they wipe Israel off the face of the earth . They do not fear annihilation nor do they use common sense ( the US has 100x more weapons then them ) They believe they are pre ordained by Allah to bring an end to anything that is not Islam . I am not being racist ... so please mods do not take it that way that is just the facts . The US is founded by Christians whom believe that Israel is the promise land to all of Christianity so of course the US will protect it . Sadly a very major confrontation is inevitable .

Christians think no such thing, that's a Jewish belief. Christians don't have a promised land, Israel is just the site of major Christian "events". The U.S. was founded on secular values, not Christian values. The whole one nation under God shit didn't start until the Red Scare.

[lanceb]

"Iran is not a threat."

Yes it is. What else ya got?

i second that, they are a big threat, same with israel

[Deleted]

Israël is a threat since 1900.

You mean before it even existed....

[Merkava]

Israel is the biggest threat to that region.

The biggest threat to that region is the nuclear proliferation that would escalate if Iran was allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. Arab states in the region are more afraid of Iran than they are of Israel.

[JimPaladin]

Another thread on MMOChampion filled with informed and intelligent people!


Warning: If you have nothing constructive to post, please refrain from doing so.

[Dryade]

Exactly, and the incentive is to protect against US attack.

How exactly? Just because they have a nuke, doesn't mean they can hit us with it. They don't have a delivery system capable of reaching us, and probably won't for 5 - 10 years, if not more.

Oh and yes, Iran is a threat. They may not invade another country, but they absolutely fund fanatical terrorist organizations.

[Deleted]

The biggest threat to that region is the nuclear proliferation that would escalate if Iran was allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. Arab states in the region are more afraid of Iran than they are of Israel.

No they're not. Israel has started wars with pretty much all of their neighbors, why would they be more fearful of Iran?

---------- Post added 2012-05-01 at 10:47 AM ----------

How exactly? Just because they have a nuke, doesn't mean they can hit us with it. They don't have a delivery system capable of reaching us, and probably won't for 5 - 10 years, if not more.

Oh and yes, Iran is a threat. They may not invade another country, but they absolutely fund fanatical terrorist organizations.

You mean like how the U.S. funds operatives to bomb nuclear scientists. Ops! Are we not meant to mention that?