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April 22, 2006
Playing With Iran
As we engage more with Iran, over Iraq, terrorism and nuclear development, we should keep in mind that they are not playing the same game, or at least they are not playing by the same rules. If you read the TNR article linked in my post yesterday, you will know that the Iranian leadership has a very different perception of human life. They were, and still are, more than willing to send tens of thousands of young children to their death, clearing minefields and acting as a first attack wave against enemy combatants. We, on the other hand, go crazy when our death toll crosses 2000 soldiers. The major media reports every casualty on the nightly news.
Sit down at the table and play poker. How far are we willing to go? Iran is willing to suffer huge death tolls, we are not. How do you bluff? What do they want that we have? Why should they give up their nuclear program? Do you think they really care about our threats? Would an attack on their nuclear facilities really stop their program? We don't even seem to know where many of their labs and factories are, since many are underground or dispersed around the country. If we did attack they would probably respond with terrorist attacks against the U.S. Are we ready for malls, busses, trains, and packed stadiums to explode? I doubt it. In a game of chicken they seem to have a better hand.
Posted by Chip Spear at April 22, 2006 11:45 AM