Get Ready for a Nuclear Iran

Wall Street Journal ^ | 5/02/2010 | John Bolton

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Negotiations grind on toward a fourth U.N. Security Council sanctions resolution against Iran's nuclear weapons program, even as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrives in New York to address the Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference. Sanctions advocates acknowledge that the Security Council's ultimate product will do no more than marginally impede Iran's progress.

In Congress, sanctions legislation also creaks along, but that too is simply going through the motions. Russia and China have already rejected key proposals to restrict Iran's access to international financial markets and choke off its importation of refined petroleum products, which domestically are in short supply. Any new U.S. legislation will be ignored and evaded, thus rendering it largely symbolic. Even so, President Obama has opposed the legislation, arguing that unilateral U.S. action could derail his Security Council efforts.

View Full Image Associated Press Mahmoud Ahmadinejad . The further pursuit of sanctions is tantamount to doing nothing. Advocating such policies only benefits Iran by providing it cover for continued progress toward its nuclear objective. It creates the comforting illusion of "doing something." Just as "diplomacy" previously afforded Iran the time and legitimacy it needed, sanctions talk now does the same.

Speculating about regime change stopping Iran's nuclear program in time is also a distraction. The Islamic Revolution's iron fist, and willingness to use it against dissenters (who are currently in disarray), means we cannot know whether or when the regime may fall. Long-term efforts at regime change, desirable as they are, will not soon enough prevent Iran from creating nuclear weapons with the ensuing risk of further regional proliferation.

We therefore face a stark, unattractive reality. There are only two options: Iran gets nuclear weapons, or someone uses pre-emptive military force to break Iran's nuclear fuel cycle and paralyze its program, at least temporarily

[se_ohio_young_conservative]

Dangerous times.

Why oh Why did we elect such an impotent President

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

I agree.

[Cindy]

A Look at Iran
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html

[tina07]

My sister-in-law said because we needed a change, I hope she’s happy with her choice. (She’s a political moron, uninformed on most issues)

John Bolton for President!!!!!

[Rummyfan]

I know Obama isn’t going to do a damn thing about it, but I cannot believe the Israelis will allow this to happen. Ahmedinejad has explicitly stated his plans for Israel, how can they stand by and let him acquire WMDs? It’ll be World War III, and make the previous ones look like picnics.

[GBA]

We therefore face a stark, unattractive reality. There are only two options: Iran gets nuclear weapons, or someone uses pre-emptive military force to break Iran's nuclear fuel cycle and paralyze its program, at least temporarily.

Nothing has changed other than how much time there is left for option two.

The list of countries willing to step up should be fairly long. Israel and the US might be Iran's first targets, but the fact is, everyone has a stake in the game as a nuclear Iran threatens everyone.