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Obama Derangement Syndrome: Iranian Episode

If you haven’t noticed, our country has split up into two separate tribes – Idiots and Morons. Each tribe has approximately 30-40% of the population. (There’s a separate group that doesn’t belong either tribe that seems to always keep its head stuck firmly in the sand. I really won’t cover or discuss the Independents.) The great thing about this tribal system is that you can take any subject, any subject, and within a few seconds you know where another American stands on every issue because we all root for our tribe. If an American is against abortion, that must mean they don’t believe in climate change… Because that’s the way our tribes work. This tribalism is so sad and so stupid. This brings us to Iran.

One of the stupidest and craziest things about our tribalism is that we are against things without even thinking about it. The best example is an Iranian nuclear deal. Let’s review – during the Bush Administration, for multiple different reasons, we decided that we were not going to directly negotiate with Iran. During the Bush Administration, Iran had somewhere around 200-300 centrifuges. During nuclear negotiations in which we never specifically took part, because at the time we didn’t talk to our enemies, we took the stance that Iran could not have one centrifuge. To us, at the time, this was a nonnegotiable position. So, Iran took the position that we were being unreasonable and continued to acquire centrifuges and nuclear materia. Now, it is widely believed that Iran has over 18,000 centrifuges. (Read more about uranium enrichment.) So, what to do?

Really, and practically, there are three options. First, we can continue on the path set out by George W. Bush. We can continue to try not to negotiate with Iran. We could let the other members of the UN Security Council try to hammer out a deal that we are not part of. (Read the Iranian nuclear timeline.)

The other thing we can do is to take the posture that this is a national security issue. Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon is a direct national threat to the United States and our allies under the Bush doctrine. We could and should launch a preemptive military strike to degrade or destroy Iran’s capabilities to develop a nuclear weapon.

The final option is to try to figure out a way to negotiate a settlement in which Iran gives up the ability to make a nuclear weapon in some verifiable manner. On one hand, we get unfettered access to inspect Iran to make sure that it is meeting whatever criteria we agree upon. On the other hand, if Iran complies with these inspections, we began to ease sanctions and we began to invite Iran back into the international community.

If you’re not from one of the tribes, when you sit back and look at your three options, you really only have one option. The first option has been tried and has failed. So I think we can all agree that doing nothing and not negotiating with our “enemies” is clearly the wrong way to go about things. In my opinion, the second option needs to stay on the table, but is not something I think we need to implement now. Instead, we should wait. We should wait until the third option doesn’t work. To me this is the only course of action to make sense. Also, I might add that inspections worked in Iraq. We have irrefutable evidence that inspections did work.

What are your thoughts?

By ecthompsonmd|2015-03-30T22:28:32-04:00March 30th, 2015|Bush Administration, Iran, Obama administration|Comments Off

Iran and nuclear weapons

First, I applaud NBC Nightly News for trying to place the newest National Intelligence Estimate into context. I have spliced yesterday’s Nightly News together with tonight’s. I think that the picture of what’s going begins to come into focus.

Secondly, so, what happened? How did this happen? Didn’t we hear World War III rhetoric just recently? I find it very interesting that the intelligence community put this report out. You know that the Bush administration had to have fought to keep it under wraps.

I would like to add since Hillary Clinton was getting beaten up in an NPR debate that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is a terrorist organization. We have known this for more than 10 years (Read Richard Clarke’s book Against All Enemies.) So, that isn’t the question. The question is why do we label this organization now. It is fact that the IRG has supported several terrorist groups in the region. Why does the Senate in concert with the White House vote on this now? If it isn’t to support Bush’s case for “strong, aggressive” action then what was the purpose?

Finally, it is time to pull in the reigns on the Bush administration. Yes, there are problems in Iran. Yes, they have a leader who is crazy and playing to his base (the Iranian leader…who did you think that I was talking about). We, the American people, has an opportunity to get our foreign policy right. I think that the Intelligence Community has no desire to be the scapegoat again. This is why they forced the issue and wouldn’t cave under pressure.

Update: There are those on the other side of the political spectrum who claim that Progressives are dancing in the streets. Stating that Progressives believe that Iran poses no threat to the region or to anyone. Wrong. There are those that hear whatever they want to hear. The key is we need diplomacy. Real diplomacy to get Iran to open its borders so that we can see what’s inside. With the crazy man at the helm we have to assume that he means some of what he is saying. Hopefully, through engagement we can convince Iran that being a rouge nation is only fun on TV.

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From WaPo:

President Bush asserted today that Iran’s nuclear program remains a danger to international security despite an assessment in a new U.S. intelligence report that the Tehran government stopped work four years ago on a suspected effort to build nuclear weapons.

In a White House news conference, Bush argued that Iran continues to develop the capability to enrich uranium and that this know-how ultimately could be transferred to a new clandestine weapons program.

“Look, Iran was dangerous,” Bush said. “Iran is dangerous. And Iran will be dangerous if they have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.” (more…)

By ecthompsonmd|2007-12-05T00:01:02-04:00December 5th, 2007|Bush Administration, National Intelligence, National Intelligence Estimate|Comments Off

GAO reports nuclear stuff easy to get hands on

I almost laugh when I hear Bush or Cheney saying that they are doing all that they can. Really? How are our oil refineries being protected? Nuclear waste how is that being transported across America? Do those trucks and trains have a military escort? We are even worse at helping other countries to secure their nuclear material.
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From MSNBC.com:

International inspectors working in the former Soviet republic of Georgia last summer tracked down dangerous radiological materials in an abandoned military complex.

It was an important mission. But a new report by U.S. government watchdogs says a parallel effort overseas by the U.S. Department of Energy has made only “limited progress securing many of the most dangerous sources” — waste disposal sites and abandoned generators across Russia, each with enough material for several devastating dirty bombs. (more…)

By ecthompsonmd|2007-03-12T23:18:12-04:00March 12th, 2007|WMD|Comments Off