Quote from Mercor:
Your ignorance on this subject keeps us from having intelligent discourse.
International protocols call for all countries to agree to certain principles. One is Nuclear proliferation. Treaties are in place to reward countries who decide not to escalate weapons development. These treaties provide for greater culture, trade, financial benefits in the world community for signers of these treaties.
Iran has signed the NPT. They have denied any bomb development. Why? Because they wish to get all the benefits of the treaties they have signed while secretly breaking them.
Any country has the right to make bombs. But the world has the right to stop all trade with that country. Iran should play fair and go public, withdraw from all the treaties and survive on their own.
When you start your post by stating I am ignorant, then its tough to have a meaningful argument
In sake of debate nevertheless, I understand you siding with abiding to international protocols. But is it not true that the U.S. violates treaties? For example, the Bush Administration tortured terrorist suspects (Abu Ghraib) and hence violated several UN Human Rights (Geneva) treaties. Furthermore, is it not true that our CIA overthrows governments to install puppets in power. How is that legitimate? Also, when has our government paid our UN dues... or does just Ted Turner take care of that?
While I am a realist and understand that the U.S. is the most powerful country in the world and therefore we write the rules in foreign affairs and diplomatic relations, I do not see us benefiting from our behavior in the long-term
Let's face it, history has proven that stronger countries cannot always defeat weaker ones... especially when man has to defend his homeland. The Soviet Union failed in Afghanistan and even we can't win the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan.... As drjekyllus would refer to poor countries living in the Stone Age. Even with the most sophisticated technology in the world, we cannot defeat these stone age cultures nor can we find the world's biggest fugitive who is likely hiding in a cave.
In terms of Iran, they are playing defense. It is the U.S. that is invading its neighbors. Historically, Iran has not been aggressive in foreign policy nor has it done any harm on American soil. A treaty alone is not sufficient to why they cannot have nuclear weapons (although they claim it is obviously just for energy purposes). If we can break treaties, why can't other countries do the same?
Also, what would be so bad if they actually did have nukes? What are we afraid of? Are we afraid that they will use them on us? No. The U.S. fears that if Iran has weapons then we won't be able to bully them.
We failed at preventing China from obtaining nuclear capabilities, largely from the Russians, and now we respect them.
America is the strongest country, economically and militarily in the world. Instead of imperalizing nations through the gun or through international law, why don't we just dominate on the market? Why do we have 50,000 troops in South Korea? Why do we give aid #1 aid to Israel and #2 aid to Egypt, countries with historical wars and tensions. Let's stop dividing and conquering the world and focus on our problems at home. We are rich enough to get what we want without using force.
