It shows how unreasonable opposition to reviving the nuclear deal is and how pointless it was for Biden to try to placate Iran hawks like Menendez over the last year.
I must disagree with the notion that Iran doesn't want a nuclear weapon. I think Iran wants to be *capable of getting* a nuclear weapon on short notice, but at this point, does not want to cross the Rubicon on acquiring one. In other words, Iran wants to be "one turn of the screwdriver" away from getting a nuclear weapon.
And why wouldn't they? Iran borders two countries that America has regime-changed since the year 2000. Iran's leaders are well aware that Lukid has extensive lobbying power in the US and would like to use the Americans to take them out. They are also aware that figures like John Bolton and Rudy Guliani have even spoken in public at MEK events. Iranians aren't crazy for thinking that America and Israel have it out for them. So they want to be able to quickly acquire a nuclear deterrent, should they ever have the need for one.
In any event, there are some people like Menendez who want to sabotage America's chance of having better relations with Iran. And that's a shame. The United States backed a coup that deposed a democratically elected head of state and put a corrupt king back on the throne, then backed that king to the hilt for decades. The 1979 Islamic Revolution was led by a coalition of socialists/leftists, secular liberals, and conservative Shia Islamists who all agreed that the Shah had to go, and the United States couldn't save him.
I agree with this, especially the first point. I suspect Iran is confident at present that there is no stomach for regime change war among the American public so they are willing to talk.
But there’s a hedge. That “turn of the screw” breakout time should be roughly the time it would take between a Tom Cotton getting elected president to the point when his hand-picked CIA director presents his “slam-dunk” case for war, of about six months.
In Washington, those elected and those appointed (and increasingly in too many State capitals as well) are devoid of any vision for a more peaceable world and their role in fostering the "better angels of our nature." Instead they perpetuate evil upon evil for the benefit of the few against the common good of all.
Biden and Blinken have painted themselves into corner in which no diplomatic agreements are possible, only militarized threats and sanctions. With the rise of China and its growing alignment with Russia and Central Asia the US will find soon find itself in second class status. It looks likely that our ruling elite will put us all at risk as they remain in helpless denial of this reality.
I must disagree with the notion that Iran doesn't want a nuclear weapon. I think Iran wants to be *capable of getting* a nuclear weapon on short notice, but at this point, does not want to cross the Rubicon on acquiring one. In other words, Iran wants to be "one turn of the screwdriver" away from getting a nuclear weapon.
And why wouldn't they? Iran borders two countries that America has regime-changed since the year 2000. Iran's leaders are well aware that Lukid has extensive lobbying power in the US and would like to use the Americans to take them out. They are also aware that figures like John Bolton and Rudy Guliani have even spoken in public at MEK events. Iranians aren't crazy for thinking that America and Israel have it out for them. So they want to be able to quickly acquire a nuclear deterrent, should they ever have the need for one.
In any event, there are some people like Menendez who want to sabotage America's chance of having better relations with Iran. And that's a shame. The United States backed a coup that deposed a democratically elected head of state and put a corrupt king back on the throne, then backed that king to the hilt for decades. The 1979 Islamic Revolution was led by a coalition of socialists/leftists, secular liberals, and conservative Shia Islamists who all agreed that the Shah had to go, and the United States couldn't save him.
I agree with this, especially the first point. I suspect Iran is confident at present that there is no stomach for regime change war among the American public so they are willing to talk.
But there’s a hedge. That “turn of the screw” breakout time should be roughly the time it would take between a Tom Cotton getting elected president to the point when his hand-picked CIA director presents his “slam-dunk” case for war, of about six months.
In Washington, those elected and those appointed (and increasingly in too many State capitals as well) are devoid of any vision for a more peaceable world and their role in fostering the "better angels of our nature." Instead they perpetuate evil upon evil for the benefit of the few against the common good of all.
Biden and Blinken have painted themselves into corner in which no diplomatic agreements are possible, only militarized threats and sanctions. With the rise of China and its growing alignment with Russia and Central Asia the US will find soon find itself in second class status. It looks likely that our ruling elite will put us all at risk as they remain in helpless denial of this reality.