One-Way Ticket To Midnight

Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani warned Wednesday that Iran might launch a preemptive strike against US forces in the region to prevent an attack on its nuclear facilities.

"We will not sit [with arms folded] to wait for what others will do to us. Some military commanders in Iran are convinced that preventive operations which the Americans talk about are not their monopoly," Shamkhani told Al-Jazeera TV when asked if Iran would respond to an American attack on its nuclear facilities.

...

"If Israel fires one missile at Bushehr atomic power plant, it should permanently forget about Dimona nuclear center, where it produces and keeps its nuclear weapons, and Israel would be responsible for the terrifying consequence of this move," General Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr warned.

Feeling like the Bush Doctrine has made you safer yet?

No reaction yet from John "Armageddon it" Bolton, but here's Scottie:

Well, I think the Iranians say a lot of things. But what the Iranian government needs to do is end its pursuit of nuclear weapons. That's what our priority is when it comes to Iran. We've made that very clear. Germany, France and the British are making it very clear to the Iranians, as well. They need to fully comply with their international obligations and abide by what they said they would do. That's where our focus is, when it comes to Iran.

He didn't mention when the United States, Russia, Israel, France, India, Pakistan, et al., are going to give up their pursuit of nuclear weapons. But, setting aside that hypocrisy, if he's willing to brush it off as so much hot air, then why does it matter whether or not the Iranians are pursuing nuclear weapons?

And maybe it is a bluff. But what would be the American response to such an act of "preemption"? Or what would be the Israeli response to an Iranian attack upon its nuclear facilities?

It's easy enough to declare axes of "evil". Not so easy to live with the potential consequences of making war on the world.

Posted by Eddie Tews at August 19, 2004 05:04 PM