Monday, April 5, 2010

Has Obama Given Up Too?

The Wall Street Journal's editorial opines that Obama knows he can't stop the Iranian nuclear project, and has given up trying. Their line of argumentation is a bit different from Greg Sheridan in Australia, but the thesis is the same.

I continue not to have enough insider information to know. On the other hand, Jeffrey Goldberg, through whom I reached this item, claims that
On the other hand, no one, IMHO, has made a convincing argument that a military strike could, in fact, work.
Which puzzles me a bit, first, because I don't see why a military machine such as the US has couldn't put the Iranian program back many many years. It should be considerably easier than, say, subduing a civil war in Iraq: You need to destroy a limited number of hard targets, that's all. Second, because if it can't, why are American taxpayers spending so much money on it? Mostly, however, I'm puzzled because Goldberg seems to feel that such military capabilites should be posted on CNN or somewhere, for everyone to see them.

You usually do better than that, Jeffrey.

6 comments:

David Boxenhorn said...

I agree with you about the Goldberg comment. A Serbia-type action would seem like a fairly simple thing for the US.

Anonymous said...

if I remember correctly this article gives a very detailed description of the possibilities/feasibility open to military action on Iran especially on how to avoid blocking of the Persian Gulf and protecting the troops in Iraq. - I found it back then frightening and informative at the same time.
Silke
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/viewarticle.cfm/getting-serious-about-iran-a-military-option-10135

Anonymous said...

just remembered another piece that explained the feasibility - Silke

The Plane That Would Bomb Iran
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2007/09/the-plane-that-would-bomb-iran/6133/

Andrew said...

I believe Goldberg was referring to an Israeli strike on the Iranian nuclear facilities. There are symbolic and diplomatic obstacles to an American military attack in Iran.

Barry Meislin said...

I still fail to understand why England and France should attack Germany just to save the Jews....

Yaacov said...

To be precise, Andrew, Jeffrey didn't make the distinction you're making. As for the objections: I certainly hope so. There should always be objections to operations in which people will be killed. And they must be taken very seriously. After the deliberations, however, sometime the alternatives will be found to be worse,and then the objections must be overturned.

Anyway, I haven't advocated an attack on Iran, not here and not anywhere. That's a decision for the folks with the responsibility and the information.