[lit-ideas] Re: The Surgical Strike Option and the Missing Sponge
- From: "Lawrence Helm" <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2006 12:11:00 -0800
The Rand argument was written in August 2004. The essentiality of it was
updated and included in the Brookings argument posted by Eric a few days
ago. We considered it as I read through and posted notes on Ilan Berman's
Tehran Rising. The key to the surgical strike is contained in the second
paragraph of the Rand Argument and everyone else's subsequent: "Iran must
not be permitted to get nuclear weapons. Even if Tehran did not threaten to
use them against its neighbors or give aid to terrorists, Iran's becoming a
"nuclear power," however fledgling, would radically alter regional politics
and relationships in the Middle East and significantly complicate the
problems facing the U.S. and others."
Rand, Brookings and Berman all argued that we use diplomacy to get Iran to
give up their efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. The article yesterday
from Britain and the one today from Australia indicate that the White House
is still hoping that diplomacy will work, but if it doesn't, and at present
it doesn't appear that it will, "Iran must not be permitted to get nuclear
weapons."
Lawrence
_____
From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Andy Amago
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2006 11:54 AM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: The Surgical Strike Option and the Missing Sponge
I think you're right. Lawrence might get credibility if he were to refute
Rand and General William Odom *specifically*. Anyone who thinks Iraq is a
success isn't interested in reality. I was surprised that the Rand piece
said what I've been thinking, that Iran is scared. Scared people do strange
things. All we do is make them more scared.
----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Geary <mailto:atlas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: 2/12/2006 2:22:02 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: The Surgical Strike Option and the Missing Sponge
I've decided that Lawrence Helm just likes planning wars, like I like
writing my novel -- been doing it for 30 years, doesn't matter if it ever
gets finished -- it's something to do that he gets a kick out of.
And I've decided that it doesn't matter what we do about Iran -- we're going
to fuck it up. It's inevitable, because we (the Bush boys) are so stupid
about the whole rest of the world that we think they all think like we think
they think. Think again, America.
If so many people weren't killed and so much suffering involved, I'd be
laughing. Actually at this moment I am laughing. I'm thinking what a great
musical it would make. We could get JL to write the score, call it "Bush's
Faulty Intelligence".
Ah well.
Mike Geary
Memphis
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