Obama rattling the saber against Iran, [View all]

[MadHound]

While Obama's speech yesterday was filled with the usual platitudes and pontifications, one thing definitely stuck out, a not so veiled threat against Iran.
"Time and again, it has failed to take the opportunity to demonstrate that its nuclear program is peaceful and to meet its obligations to the United Nations.

So let me be clear: America wants to resolve this issue through diplomacy, and we believe that there is still time and space to do so. But that time is not unlimited.

We respect the right of nations to access peaceful nuclear power, but one of the purposes of the United Nations is to see that we harness that power for peace.

Make no mistake: A nuclear-armed Iran is not a challenge that can be contained. It would threaten the elimination of Israel, the security of Gulf nations, and the stability of the global economy. It risks triggering a nuclear arms race in the region, and the unraveling of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

That's why a coalition of countries is holding the Iranian government accountable. And that's why the United States will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/president-obamas-2012-address-to-un-general-assembly-full-text/2012/09/25/70bc1fce-071d-11e2-afff-d6c7f20a83bf_story_4.html

Did you get that last part? "The United States will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon." No qualifiers, no hesitation, Obama is ready to take this country into war over the issue of Iran getting a nuclear weapon.

First of all, Iran is nowhere close to getting a nuclear weapon. They've enriched uranium to twenty percent, that's it, and uranium that is twenty percent enriched simply isn't good enough for a weapon. At best what Iran has is fuel that is perfectly suitable for manufacture of radiopharmaceuticals, something they have stated they want to do.

Second of all, who are we to say which countries can have nukes and which can't. Given the fact that Iran is surrounded on all sides by US bases, considering the madman in charge of Israel, yeah, I think if I were Iran, I'd want to have a nuke in my arsenal, just to make belligerent countries think twice.

Third, going to war with Iran is utterly insane. It won't be walk-over like Iraq, Iran has a real army that will cause extensive damage to our forces. It will cost lots of lives and lots of money, money that we simply don't have. A large part of the reason that we're in the economic shape we're in is because we've squandered our wealth on imperial adventures abroad rather than caring for our own at home. Do we really need to go further down that path.

Fourth, and probably the most discouraging. In this an election year, we have two candidates for office rattling their sabers at Iran. That's one hell of a choice to make, don't you think?