I think that all of this is just posturing and sabre rattling. What neither side, Isreal and Iran, wants to admit, is that they need the other state as much as they come out and hate them. The nation of Iran has some big backers in its corner, namely China and Russia, as that is where they get their oil from, as well as several other countries. And neither China or Russia are going to sit idly by and let things go badly for Iran. Even countries like, Vensuala, are supporting Iran in defiance of the US. What I believe is going to happen is that Iran is going to do a good job of a shell game, move things around before the inspectors get there, let them in, the inspectors will report back and state that everything is AOK, that the program is under civillian control and not for military purposes. And stuff that is for military purposes, at that time frame will have been removed and shipped else where. Hence why stuff is being shipped to Russia, as Russia is an ally and is going to protect them. Now thing will heat up, if Iran gets it into its mind to directly attack Isreal, and then Isreal will retaliate. Good chance that they will go through a second or third party, more likely Syria, as they have the same beliefs and can easily get things in and out of the country. But I also believe that if anything is going to go down, it will be before the US is out of Iraq, as our forces are already comitted. I would look to see how relations between Iran is with other countries like Pakastan and some of the other muslim countries in the area to determine if they are going to pull anything. Pakastan is probably out of the picture due to internal turmoil, so I would look to more traffic between Iran and Syria.

I really can't see why Israel is getting away with this (well, we can all see that it's because people are taking their side, but the point remains 'WHY?')
What they're doing is deing stubborn little buggers when it comes to nuclear technology (as if they're hiding something, no?) and the UN is at their wit's end with them, and Iran was playing by the book and letting everyone know what they were doing.
In my view, Iran was being a nice bunch of chellovecks, in contrast to Israel, who have once again played their 'trump' card 'That's antisemetic!'
I really hate it when they do that when it is completely illogical to say that it is against their faith. Which it isn't. It's all because we don't want people popping off their nukes. Which would, of course, be a very bad thing.

Originally posted by chiron613
I think the OP is forgetting something important. Israel has never threatened to wipe out any country or group of people.

Yes they have. Since the Zionist immigrations at the beginning of the 20th century, Israelis have said that the Palestinians must go. They even admitted to stealing their land. Israel was founded on and by terrorism.

Originally posted by groingrinder

Originally posted by chiron613
I think the OP is forgetting something important. Israel has never threatened to wipe out any country or group of people.

Yes they have. Since the Zionist immigrations at the beginning of the 20th century, Israelis have said that the Palestinians must go. They even admitted to stealing their land. Israel was founded on and by terrorism.

I dont quiet agree Israel was founded on and by terrorism as there is no proof to such accusations. But I do believe they have stolen the land from Palestinians, the same land where earlier Arab and Jews lived peacefully before.

Originally posted by Modwolf
In my view, Iran was being a nice bunch of chellovecks, in contrast to Israel, who have once again played their 'trump' card 'That's antisemetic!'

It isn't a trump card , not anymore . It's lost it's value . Everyone gets called an anti semite these days at the slightest criticism of israel . It is more like a badge of honour , it denotes those that are not fooled by the lies anymore.

In addition , it is also the question of these eastern european types coming to class themselves as semites in the first place . They are in fact the actual anti semites with their hatred of the palestinian people. Not satisfied with taking their land , these false european jews want to steal their identity too.

[edit on 6-10-2009 by Drexl]

I am an Ivy League grad with degrees in physics and thermodynamics. I also served 6 years in the USAF as a B-52 pilot during the cold war, so I have more than a passing understanding of the science and practical aspects of nuclear weapons. Essentially any country that has a nuclear reactor and the ability to separate plutonium from spent fuel ( a very simple task), or any country that has some natural uranium and facilities to separate U-235 from U-238 (centrifuges), inherently also has tha ability to make a bomb. Building a nuclear bomb is not at all difficult, and does not take any "factory" per se, unless you are making hundreds I suppose. THe only difficult part of making a nuclear weapon is getting the fissile material. If Iran gets either a working reactor that generates plutonium, or the ability to separate uranium isotopes, then they are essentially also able to make a bomb.

I don't think there are many people out there who would argue with your contention that Israel probably has nuclear weapons, but no matter what side of the Arab Israeli confilct you are on there is one thing that is sure, Israel has not used it's nuclear weapons or treatened the destruction of it's neighbors since it has had nuclear weapons. One can certainly argue that the open secret that Israel has nuclear weapons is an implied threat against it's neighbors, but it would seem that the only issue that would prompt Israel to use those weapons is a treat to Israels survival. In the case of Iran you have a country who's leader has reapeated threatened Israel with total destruction, not to mention the somewhat less credible "death to America" chants at almost every political meeting in Iran.

Iran is, unfortunately for it's people (and I have many Iranian friends who are good honest people) reeping what it's leaders have sewn. Allowing some extremests to overrun the US embasy in violation of centuries of international laws, making constants treats against the very survival of Israel, supporting terrorist organizations all over the middle east and the entire world, and constantly chanting for the destruction of the most powerful country on earth, are actions that have repercussions. In this case the repercussions are that almost no country on earth is comfortable with Iran having the capability to develop neclear weapons, including virtually every country in the Middle east. China is being the whore here and essentially hopping that in exchange for cheap oil, Iran will never direct it's wrath at China, but even Russia (who would love to see Iran being a thorn in the side of the West) is worried about a nuclear Iran.

I believe that Israel has done things that would legitimately anger it's neighbors, but for the most part Israel has only taken land (at least since the 1940s) as a result of attacks by it's neighbors. Iran really is only guilty of supporting terrorists and of an inability to control it's rhetoric against Israel, but in politics words matter. If Iran wants nuclear weapons they are going to have to behave like a country that has the restraint to have nuclear weapons. Remember that no country (since the US in WW2, at a time when tens of millions had already died ) has ever actually used any of their nuclear weapons. The world wants to know that any country that is contemplating nuclear weapons is also going to show that sort of restraint.

I have zero problem with Iran receiving nukes.

I am confident that eventually, Iran will receive nukes.

But not exactly how they anticipate.

The words of their President reflects the feelings of their government.

To publicly state your desire to eradicate another nation is not a real confidence builder that they pursue this just for peaceful means.

So, yep. I'm all for Iran receiving lots and lots of nukes.

I do so want them to get exactly what they want.