If Iran feels they need nukes, who could blame them?

[neophyte]

I've posed this question to myself in simplistic terms in order to better understand it. One must temporarily set aside all the Christian/Islamic/Judiasm emnity for a moment in order to do so. Being an atheist, I am equally dismissive of all forms of theism, so this is effortless for me.

Let's say I live in a tough neighborhood, full of fanatics and zealots of all kinds. The guys in the three houses on the right all have shotguns, as does the one on the left, two houses over. That guy on the left moved in recently under questionable circumstances, and his best friend is the biggest bully ever. This friend provided him with his shotguns, and now he feels like he can push everybody in the neighborhood around, and out of their homes at will. This bully friend also keeps lots of really big boats in the lake that surrounds all the houses, and they are bristling with shotguns, and people well trained to use them. This is the same bunch of assholes who, along with their other friends, forced themselves into my house and occupied it for decades, but I finally managed to throw them out a few decades ago. Somehow, they think they can still impose their will on me and mine. Only now are they acting like they will leave the house right next door on my left after kicking in the door and illegally occupying their house and shooting it up for a decade or so. That was the second time in the past couple decades they pulled that shit on them, and they aren't even from around here. WTF

The people in the first two houses on the right also have shotguns, and aren't close to stable. One has groups of armed strangers coming and going at will, and they only visit to start some shit, then leave. They themselves aren't aggressive, but their visitors are bloodthirsty maniacs that try to get them to live and think like they do, don't ask me why. The other one has armed visitors of many ilks. As long as they have money and influence, they seem welcome to come squat with their shotguns, as long as they leave some there for the occupants to brandish.

Everybody in the neighborhood is fucking crazy, and seems to be spoiling for a fight. Everybody is trying to prevent me from getting a shotgun of my own. What's up with that? I'm thinking that the neighborhood ain't going to suddenly change for the better. I'm defenseless and surrounded by heavily armed and unstable nut jobs. It seems that everybody that has shotguns can tell everybody else to kiss their ass, and nobody messes with them.

I'm thinking I'd best get a shotgun of my own. Wouldn't you?

[finnbow]

I don't blame them. Beyond the defense issues noted in your post, it makes them more relevant on the world stage. I don't buy into the whole "Iran is irrational and suicidal" argument, (other than the irrationality of fundamentalist religion of any stripe). The Iranians are a very intelligent people with a keen sense of Western adventurism/colonialism in their corner of the world and I think they feel that having a nuke lessens the likelihood of further adventurism and heightens their stature among the nations of the world.

This is not to say that I'm sympathetic with them or any other Middle Eastern nation, including Israel (another holder of "illegal" nukes, BTW). It's just that looking at the world from their POV, it makes more sense for them to have nukes than it does if you look at it from our POV.

[neophyte]

Originally Posted by finnbow

I don't blame them. Beyond the defense issues noted in your post, it makes them more relevant on the world stage. I don't buy into the whole "Iran is irrational and suicidal" argument, (other than the irrationality of fundamentalist religion of any stripe). The Iranians are a very intelligent people with a keen sense of Western adventurism/colonialism in their corner of the world and I think they feel that having a nuke lessens the likelihood of further adventurism and heightens their stature among the nations of the world.

This is not to say that I'm sympathetic with them or any other Middle Eastern nation, including Israel (another holder of "illegal" nukes, BTW). It's just that looking at the world from their POV, it makes more sense for them to have nukes than it does if you look at it from our POV.

Iran (read Persia) has been on the intellectual cutting edge for thousands of years. No amount of christian paranoia and western revisionist history can change this fact.

I mean, c'mon. They invented backgammon five thousand years ago, they can't be all bad, right?

[piece-itpete]

Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism. Just one thing to add to the mix.

Pete

[neophyte]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism. Just one thing to add to the mix.

Pete

billions would argue that the USA is as well, but, on a much grander scale.

[piece-itpete]

That's fine. Though I've never heard of a country that drops food on active military actions.

Pete

[merrylander]

So you are worried about your neighbors and for self protection you plan on installing a 1000 tons of TNT about your house. Just pray you don't accidentally set it off cause you are going up with all the neighborhood.

Using an A or H bomb in that area means that there will be so much radioactive fallout downwind that y'all will be able to use the average citizen as a nightlight.

[BlueStreak]

I thought my neighborhood is rough. If I were you, I'd move.

Dave

[piece-itpete]

LMAO!

That's a good analogy Rob.

Pete

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism. Just one thing to add to the mix.

Pete

Yep. But one man's terrorist is another freedom fighter. BTW, the State Department includes Cuba on the same list. The whole "state sponsor of terrorism" is a crock of sh!t IMHO. Beyond its paternalistic, judgmental nature, we leave off nations like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for political reasons even if they've had more to do with terrorism than anyone else in recent times.