It took him nearly five full years in office, but President Obama has finally come out mostly opposed to the idea of attacking Iran, saying he believes that the attack would be “messy” and would have costs associated with it.
In particular, Obama echoed warnings from Pentagon officials in years past that a military strike on Iran would, instead of scaring the nation into abandoning its civilian nuclear program, actually convince them that they need nuclear weapons to defend against future attacks.
Iran has repeatedly ruled out seeking nuclear weapons, insisting they are unnecessary and unwanted, and its religious leaders have argued their indiscriminate nature violates religious tenets.
That calculation could change if Iran starts getting attacked, especially by Israel, a nation with its own nuclear arsenal. Even if Iran would prefer not to waste money on nuclear weapons, there is no denying that such an arsenal would be of some deterrent value if the nation comes under direct attack, and the strikes might make them desperate enough to make a run for any solution.
Obama have to choose his language very careful here, the word "Oppose" doesn't carry any weight when you are dealing with the likes of McCain and his buddies AIPAC.
:…attack would be “messy” and would have costs associated with it…"
It's taken him 5 years in office to figure that out? On the other hand, Dubya never got anywhere close to that level of enlightenment. Now if Obama could just end the wars he's allowing to continue. Or maybe his statement was just throw-away rhetoric…
After five years of demonstrated timidity, it's clear his ONLY "strength" is throw-away rhetoric.
“strikes might make them desperate
enough to make a run for any solution.”
NOT SO
(1) Since 1979 when the US backed Shah was overthrown, the Western powers have done everything possible to sanction Iran into bankruptcy, by such an act of war has reduced Iran’s by 50%, yet not one act of violent aggression has Iran committed against the Western power combine that rules the Middle-East.
(2) For over 400 years Iran has never committed an act of aggression against any nation.
(3) During the 8 year war with Iraq, with over 100,000 Iran troops wasted by chemical weapons, not once did Iran even think about buying the chemicals needed to make such deadly weapons.
Possibly not into being the enforcement goon for ahab pennisular & neo zio semi-conned fidential bi pre-arraingments, strange somehow that they/them have so much illegitimacy in common
Usual errors on all sides.
First, Iran has no use case for nukes and never will have, whether they are attacked by Israel or the US or anyone else. So Iran will never pursue nukes except in the one case they did: Saddam Hussein, i.e., a regional dictator obsessed with destroying their country.
Second, Obama's "warning" is just another attempt to make his Nobel Peace Prize look good. People keep forgetting who financed his entire political career: Israel-Firsters like the Pritzker family with deep ties to the military-industrial complex. People really believe Obama is going to turn on those people and reconcile with Iran? Seriously? You obviously don't know how this country works.
S
So Obama now realizes that risking a nuclear war with China and Russia over an Iranian nuclear weapons program that – according to Israeli and US intelligence assessments – doesn't exist might be messy and have unintended consequences. With leadership of this caliber we can soon look forward to a White House announcement that the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus may not actually be real.
So Obama now realizes that risking a nuclear war with China and Russia over an Iranian nuclear weapons program that – according to Israeli and US intelligence assessments – doesn't exist might be messy and have unintended consequences. With leadership of this caliber we can soon look forward to a White House announcement that the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus may not actually be real.
So Obama now realizes that risking a nuclear war with China and Russia over an Iranian nuclear weapons program that – according to Israeli and US intelligence assessments – doesn't exist might be messy and have unintended consequences. With leadership of this caliber we can soon look forward to a White House announcement that the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus may not actually be real.
No one should praise Obama for this.
"saying he believes that the attack would be “messy” and would have costs associated with it."
We are supposed to thank a war criminal, liar, and murderer, for saying he's against not totally in favor of his thirteenth war of aggression because it might be too costly for the empire?
Obama should be treated the same way people at Nuremberg who committed aggression were treated. He is not to be revered.
Newscasters, etc., should treat him the same as if they were interviewing someone they have been indoctrinated to hate, like Khomenei. Except Obama should be respected much less, because he and the US, including people he personally shields from prosecution, have killed more Iranians and others than the Iranians could if they tried.
Iran is accused, by the US, of being complicit in the deaths of approx. 250 US citizens.
The US is complicit in the deaths of approx. 1,040,300 Iranians.
This is a ratio of 4,161 to 1.