I'm glad this article speaks a truth that many people in the west refuse to believe. The main rationale for Iran's nuclear policy is two-fold; the ayatollahs and the IRGC want to preserve their power within the government, and Tehran desperately wants to increase its influence in the Persian Gulf and greater Middle East.

Anyone who knows anything about Iranian politics understands that these two goals (self-preservation and international power) are major factors in the equation. This is precisely why Tehran lends logistical and monetary support to terrorist groups and Islamic insurgent groups throughout the region, whether in Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, or the Palestinian Territories. This is why Iran is so hated by policymakers in the United States and Western Europe. In fact, this is why traditional Arab powerhouses like Saudi Arabia and Egypt are so worried about a growing Iranian force to the west. With the world's most destructive weapons under its belt, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (and his ilk in the IRGC) are assured that the interests of the "Iranian nation" are pursued.

My only fear is that Israel will still do whatever it takes to squelch this challenge before it surfaces. Let's hope this is not the case, because such a strike would be devastating for all of those involved in Middle Eastern affairs.

http://www.depetris.wordpress.com

Thank you sir.

May I suggest you send in an OpEd to the NYT along these lines? Also pls forward this post to AIPAC members and the AIPAC kow-towing congress. You are doing a great service to the nation.

Of course they won't use it when the regime/republic is not in danger of cracking up. But once it looks bad, that's when apocalyptic religious tendencies and/or megalomania can tempt leaders toward putting their country in a murder-suicide scenario. See Hitler for a good example, and Camus' discussion of fascism in The Rebel.

What Ms. Halpern doesn't examine is how the bomb could serve as an insurance policy. If she is arguing that Iranians know they will get destroyed for using it, so they'll never use it, what kind of "insurance" could it provide?

The only "insurance" a nuclear bomb is actually good for is an insurance against a nuclear first strike by Israel -- which of course won't likely happen if Iran or its proxies are only using regular rockets against Israel.

So Halpern's logic is incomplete, her analysis sadly lacking (she's not an expert in anything military, just an activist) and this line of her article is most unfortunate: "Iranian nukes would prevent Israel from acting as the neighborhood bully and Israel would have to think twice before it attacked its neighbors. "

Dylan might recommend his the song "Neighborhood Bully" to Ms. Halpern; she doesn't deserve "Blowing in the Wind."

Yeah Smithbrie, why should only one country have nukes in the middle east?

Anyway, why should we lookout for Israel? Why should AMericans die for Israel and why should Americans send billions of dollars to Israelis each year?

The 1% of US population that are right wing Likudniks have co-opted our FP.

Thank God the tipping point is approaching due to Bibi's own idiocy....and people like Smithbrie.

Go pay for your own cluster bombs to use on women and children, Israel!

Iran is posing a threat to the world, not just to israel, people who build stuff for the dissappearing Imam while their country is having some hard financial problems are not normal, people who belive in the end of days scenerio and think it will help the imam come faster are not normal, how many poeple died in the Iran Iraq war, you think that is not suicidal? How many iranians were sacrificed by the mullahs. Rafsangani said that if israel will be hit they will loose 3 million and that will be the end of israel, he said that iran will be hit and they will loose 20 million but it will be worth it. It might not be an immediate existencial threat but it sure is a possible one.
what wil happen in the gulf with a nuclear iran, do you remember the kidnapings in lebanon, even right now (the british sailors, american hikers)? the blackmail of all nations by the use of force, you think that europe will sustain the blackmail once iran is armed with nukes and misslies to deliver them ? which can reach Europe, What about our buddy hugo chaves? how happy would he be to have a little nuke in his arsenal? How about dirty little bombs at your home in the U.S.? How about a nuclear armed middle east, you think that the technology will never get to any rouge elements, Yes it will shift the balance of power in the middle east and Iran will become more aggressive than it already is, Israel is the neighboorhood bully? right it started all the wars in the middle east, 1948, 1967, 1973, gaza, lebanon, if israel was never attacked, none of these wars would have taken place.
How would you like to have Saddam around with nuclear weapons now,. the us and the world were all against it and we see where everyone stands now. Our Turkish friends are making a series that is a complete lie, what if the canadians made a T.V series about how the U.S kills babies in Iraq for fun?
How the heck do the settlements have to do with Iranian nuclear weapons, you complain when we hit civilians fighitng terrorists, and now you complain whenwe just hit the terror head clean, what should we do you tell me Orly. Instead of being critical why don't you give us a solution.

Iraq was never a threat to any U.S interests is that why the first gulf war happened, Iraq was a threat to the world with Saddam Hussein ruling it he was a madman and the U.S has liberated it. It might not have been the right decision for the U.S, Saddam invaded other countries and he was a terror supporter.
Iran is actively killing U.S soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, this is without a nuke, imagine how much braver they will be with one. Any time they won't be happy they will make gas prices hike up to more than 200$ and blackmail the world for more power.
You are forgetting the little sunna, shia problem we have going on in the world, Iran is the biggest destabilizing element in the middle east and they are meddling in everyone's business.
Why do you think the whole 5th fleet of the u.s navy is in the gulf, not because they are bored and the weather is nice. they are protecting oil, if you want to pay 10$ a gallon than lets do nothing if you want more wars in the middle east lets do nothing, you don't believe that Iran is suicidal, people didn't believe Hitler was crazy either