Gates hopes sanctions will avoid military action

U.S. Defense Secretary "Robert Gates says he hopes strong international sanctions on Iran will forestall the need for a military strike"

I think Gates is secretly aching for a military strike. Obviously he has learned nothing from the Yankees' debacle in Vietnam and now Afghanistan.

U.S. Defense Secretary "Robert Gates says he hopes strong international sanctions on Iran will forestall the need for a military strike"

-- Why? So we can make sure Caribou Barbie doesn't run for President in 2012? How will going to war with Iran help? If we just lob missiles at suspected nuclear sites it only entrenches the mullahs and effectively kills the Green Revolution opposition. If we enter the country, we don't have enough recruits at home to successfully fight a war.

Gates says Iran has not responded constructively to President Barack Obama's unprecedented and long effort to start a dialogue on its nuclear program
B92

The only contribution from the West in its relations with Iran are those of threats either of military or economic nature.

No one has so far come up with a sensible reason as to why Iran as a sovereign nation should not have nuclear weapons ( not that iam in favour of them) like all the other countries in possession of them.After all,modern Iran hasn't got a history either of attacking or invading other countries.

West's old nemesis, Russia, has "changed deeply" in the past 20 years, and it is time to nurture a new relationship with it.
--
Looks like new relationships are being nurtured naturally. The Ukraine has just re-entered Russia's sphere of influence. Who next? Georgia, Serbia, Montenegro, BiH, FYROM and then Romania?

Russia certainly has come a long way in the past 20 years. Time to take advantage of this new reality.

Hitler was defeated in 4 years. US has already warred for 9 years in Afghanistan and no victory is in sight. Quote from the Art of War: "When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped."

In the case of Afghanistan there is not even a clear definition of the goals. It is eternal war for the sake of warring.

To start a third war in parallell to Iraq and Afghanistan/Pakistan/Yemen is outright stupid. That will make Obama look bad in the history books, even worse than Bush.

Placing Sanctions on a country is the same as an act of war.
Cutting off vital supplies to the ppl and thinking this will help because the people will over throw the government... completely wrong, the ppl would run to the leaders and would want to retaliate

I live in America where I can tell you we are in 2 highly unpopular wars. A revolution is building to move away from the social democracy towards more of a free market society. As clearly shown, social democracy which is a version of socialism clearly does not work. The world economies is based of John Maynard Keynes which centralizes a government by creation of a central bank that plans an economy. In america there are end the fed rallies every week. What these social democratic policies also need is constant warfare which the American public is growing very tired of. The only way a country can go to war is either through taxing or a central bank monetizing government debt. This is not a free market phenomena considering in a free market there is no tax because a government is an oxy moron to freedom. Iran could be the last straw to the American government. Sanctions only make things worse and have never worked. I'll tell you what, the only people for attacking Iran in america are Jews and neo-conservatives. Democracy is asking two wolves and a sheep what they want for dinner. I suggest reading Hans hermann hoppes book democracy the god that failed.

"Some wars are however necessary against evil regimes treatening some other countries."
(Joe, 9 February 2010 20:14)

Then you should bomb yourself first.

Milan,

It is hard to understand your message. I have the impression you are against wars. You should know that NOBODY likes wars. Some wars are however necessary against evil regimes treatening some other countries.

No one has so far come up with a sensible reason as to why Iran as a sovereign nation should not have nuclear weapons ( not that iam in favour of them) like all the other countries in possession of them.After all,modern Iran hasn't got a history either of attacking or invading other countries.
(Leonidas, 9 February 2010 12:11)
Perhaps, you don't get out much, but Iran has stated many times that Israel should be destroyed.
don't really know your nationality but suppose you are Serbian, would you feel that Albania or Croatia also have that right?

On 9 February 2010 12:11, Leonidas wrote: "No one has so far come up with a sensible reason as to why Iran as a sovereign nation should not have nuclear weapons (...)"

Leonidas, could you please explain to me who Iran is? Is it the current theocratic government? Are they the true representatives of Iran? Of its people?
--

Milan

What you need is to change the current “democratic system” where for the last 200+ years you only had Republicans or Democrats in power, or as Gore Vidal said “one conservative party with two branches”. Secondly, you have to change the US economy from being on a war footing (since 1945) to civil production – this is where the big money is made. Unfortunately these are near impossible tasks with the media tightly controlled by the greatest beneficiaries of the current system and their henchmen and women are in power.

I recall the massive rallies against the war in Iraq with up to 500,000 people in the streets, but very little was shown on TV apart from 2 second clips as part of reporting the news. Outside of the US there was very little reportage indeed.

If the US is bereft of all grey matter and does launch an attack on Iran then this action will go down in history as one of the greatest military blunders. Israel is keen to settle the Iran question as is the US otherwise if Iran does build nuclear weapons then there is no leverage over Iran. Things have to get much worse before you get your “revolution”.

Jan Andersen (DK), 9 February 2010 21:24)

Tell me which country on this planet is truly democratic or for that matter representative of its people? It’s not the US or Europeans. Officials get elected on the smallest number of votes then talk about representing the people – the US is the worst.

Anyway who or what died and made the west of the arbiter of democracy. Let people live the way they want to; the western system is completely contrary to some cultures so you leave people alone to find their own places in the world. The west does not have a God given right to impose its model on others.

(Joe, 9 February 2010 20:14)

Let’s see the necessary wars since 1945: Korean/Vietnam; one draw and one loss - were they justified to have several million people killed but no objective reached?

Afghanistan – well that was an excuse to control the country to bring oil pipelines from the Caspian to Pakistan and bypass Russian territory and not because of the Taliban. Your delightful George Bush entertained the Taliban leadership with lunch on his Texas ranch in 1989.

Iraq – in the early 1970s Saddam was installed to power with the help of the CIA.

Iran – although not openly a war, the CIA overthrew the Shah of Iran and installed Khomeni – this one really makes me laugh.

How many evildoers has the US removed again?

Iran is a sovereign nation and the last time i checked the current president was elected with 64% of the votes.

I don't know how representative of Iran the mullahs are.You don't know either.

My point is the West hasn't come with any reasonable explanation as to why Iran is danger to world peace.

I d not accept the usual neocon bs that Iran and N korea will attack europe.This is an excuse for the US to plan and attack other countries.

Leonidas wrote: "I don't know how representative of Iran the mullahs are.You don't know either."

Very few of the commenters here actually know anything. Luckily knowledge is not a requirement for posting. All that is required is having an opinion.

But you seem to even lack that. You really don't have any opinion on how representative the current parliament, president, and supreme leader of Iran is of the Iranian people?
--

No one has so far come up with a sensible reason as to why Iran as a sovereign nation should not have nuclear weapons ( not that iam in favour of them) like all the other countries in possession of them.After all,modern Iran hasn't got a history either of attacking or invading other countries.
(Leonidas, 9 February 2010 12:11)
Perhaps, you don't get out much, but Iran has stated many times that Israel should be destroyed.
don't really know your nationality but suppose you are Serbian, would you feel that Albania or Croatia also have that right?

Milan,

It is hard to understand your message. I have the impression you are against wars. You should know that NOBODY likes wars. Some wars are however necessary against evil regimes treatening some other countries.

On 9 February 2010 12:11, Leonidas wrote: "No one has so far come up with a sensible reason as to why Iran as a sovereign nation should not have nuclear weapons (...)"

Leonidas, could you please explain to me who Iran is? Is it the current theocratic government? Are they the true representatives of Iran? Of its people?
--

I live in America where I can tell you we are in 2 highly unpopular wars. A revolution is building to move away from the social democracy towards more of a free market society. As clearly shown, social democracy which is a version of socialism clearly does not work. The world economies is based of John Maynard Keynes which centralizes a government by creation of a central bank that plans an economy. In america there are end the fed rallies every week. What these social democratic policies also need is constant warfare which the American public is growing very tired of. The only way a country can go to war is either through taxing or a central bank monetizing government debt. This is not a free market phenomena considering in a free market there is no tax because a government is an oxy moron to freedom. Iran could be the last straw to the American government. Sanctions only make things worse and have never worked. I'll tell you what, the only people for attacking Iran in america are Jews and neo-conservatives. Democracy is asking two wolves and a sheep what they want for dinner. I suggest reading Hans hermann hoppes book democracy the god that failed.

U.S. Defense Secretary "Robert Gates says he hopes strong international sanctions on Iran will forestall the need for a military strike"

I think Gates is secretly aching for a military strike. Obviously he has learned nothing from the Yankees' debacle in Vietnam and now Afghanistan.

West's old nemesis, Russia, has "changed deeply" in the past 20 years, and it is time to nurture a new relationship with it.
--
Looks like new relationships are being nurtured naturally. The Ukraine has just re-entered Russia's sphere of influence. Who next? Georgia, Serbia, Montenegro, BiH, FYROM and then Romania?

Russia certainly has come a long way in the past 20 years. Time to take advantage of this new reality.

Hitler was defeated in 4 years. US has already warred for 9 years in Afghanistan and no victory is in sight. Quote from the Art of War: "When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped."

In the case of Afghanistan there is not even a clear definition of the goals. It is eternal war for the sake of warring.

To start a third war in parallell to Iraq and Afghanistan/Pakistan/Yemen is outright stupid. That will make Obama look bad in the history books, even worse than Bush.

Gates says Iran has not responded constructively to President Barack Obama's unprecedented and long effort to start a dialogue on its nuclear program
B92

The only contribution from the West in its relations with Iran are those of threats either of military or economic nature.

No one has so far come up with a sensible reason as to why Iran as a sovereign nation should not have nuclear weapons ( not that iam in favour of them) like all the other countries in possession of them.After all,modern Iran hasn't got a history either of attacking or invading other countries.

Placing Sanctions on a country is the same as an act of war.
Cutting off vital supplies to the ppl and thinking this will help because the people will over throw the government... completely wrong, the ppl would run to the leaders and would want to retaliate

U.S. Defense Secretary "Robert Gates says he hopes strong international sanctions on Iran will forestall the need for a military strike"

-- Why? So we can make sure Caribou Barbie doesn't run for President in 2012? How will going to war with Iran help? If we just lob missiles at suspected nuclear sites it only entrenches the mullahs and effectively kills the Green Revolution opposition. If we enter the country, we don't have enough recruits at home to successfully fight a war.

Milan

What you need is to change the current “democratic system” where for the last 200+ years you only had Republicans or Democrats in power, or as Gore Vidal said “one conservative party with two branches”. Secondly, you have to change the US economy from being on a war footing (since 1945) to civil production – this is where the big money is made. Unfortunately these are near impossible tasks with the media tightly controlled by the greatest beneficiaries of the current system and their henchmen and women are in power.

I recall the massive rallies against the war in Iraq with up to 500,000 people in the streets, but very little was shown on TV apart from 2 second clips as part of reporting the news. Outside of the US there was very little reportage indeed.

If the US is bereft of all grey matter and does launch an attack on Iran then this action will go down in history as one of the greatest military blunders. Israel is keen to settle the Iran question as is the US otherwise if Iran does build nuclear weapons then there is no leverage over Iran. Things have to get much worse before you get your “revolution”.

Jan Andersen (DK), 9 February 2010 21:24)

Tell me which country on this planet is truly democratic or for that matter representative of its people? It’s not the US or Europeans. Officials get elected on the smallest number of votes then talk about representing the people – the US is the worst.

Anyway who or what died and made the west of the arbiter of democracy. Let people live the way they want to; the western system is completely contrary to some cultures so you leave people alone to find their own places in the world. The west does not have a God given right to impose its model on others.

(Joe, 9 February 2010 20:14)

Let’s see the necessary wars since 1945: Korean/Vietnam; one draw and one loss - were they justified to have several million people killed but no objective reached?

Afghanistan – well that was an excuse to control the country to bring oil pipelines from the Caspian to Pakistan and bypass Russian territory and not because of the Taliban. Your delightful George Bush entertained the Taliban leadership with lunch on his Texas ranch in 1989.

Iraq – in the early 1970s Saddam was installed to power with the help of the CIA.

Iran – although not openly a war, the CIA overthrew the Shah of Iran and installed Khomeni – this one really makes me laugh.

How many evildoers has the US removed again?

"Some wars are however necessary against evil regimes treatening some other countries."
(Joe, 9 February 2010 20:14)

Then you should bomb yourself first.

Iran is a sovereign nation and the last time i checked the current president was elected with 64% of the votes.

I don't know how representative of Iran the mullahs are.You don't know either.

My point is the West hasn't come with any reasonable explanation as to why Iran is danger to world peace.

I d not accept the usual neocon bs that Iran and N korea will attack europe.This is an excuse for the US to plan and attack other countries.

Leonidas wrote: "I don't know how representative of Iran the mullahs are.You don't know either."

Very few of the commenters here actually know anything. Luckily knowledge is not a requirement for posting. All that is required is having an opinion.

But you seem to even lack that. You really don't have any opinion on how representative the current parliament, president, and supreme leader of Iran is of the Iranian people?
--