[extropy-chat] nuclear non-proliferation as energy strategy ?

[Samantha Atkins]

On Jan 17, 2006, at 4:41 PM, Brian Lee wrote:

> This is why Iran is a bigger problem than Pakistan or Israel: Iran  
> supports terrorism and makes threats about annihilating other  
> countries (specifically US and Israel).

Laughable threats against the US and rather unlikely ones against  
Israel for the next few years at least.  I am really shaking.

> Their president is a raving lunatic who denies the Holocaust and  
> calls for Israel to be wiped off the map.

That sort of rhetoric is not exactly unique.

> If we could go back in time, we should have stopped Pakistan and  
> Israel from developing nuclear weapons but we can't, so they have  
> nukes. Additionally, Pakistan "playing ball" with the US and  
> cooperating goes a long way toward them not being a threat.

Only a matter of internal regime change for Pakistan to be a very  
nasty threat in the region.  Of course they currently are sensible  
enough to realize that any real nastiness would mean their annihilation.

>
> The 911 hijackers being Saudi does not mean the Saudi government  
> supports terrorism. To suggest this link is misguided.
>

I don't think so.  The Saudi government gives strong support to very  
radical Islamic groups.  If there is no smoke here then why the  
deletions from the report?

A leader running off at the mouth doesn't mean Iran has or is about  
to have adequate means to be a real threat or that there is good  
reason to attack Iran or Iranian targets at this time.

- samantha