What to do about Iran

For the Christian, these are very exciting times, indeed! For the non-Christian, the world seems a very scary place right now.

The very obvious:
Today, President Ahmadinijab of Iran announced that Iran's scientific authority has successfully enriched Uranium. He announced that Iran was entering into a new age of scientific enlightenment and entering the "nuclear age". Almost immediately, the U.S. government issued a statement denouncing this latest advance in technology for Iran and restating President Bush's assertion that Iran is a terrorist state and foments Islamic terrorism.

To parallel or not to parallel:

Iran has of late been compared to many things, mostly pre-war Germany, (for most people who know no history, before 1938 Germany was making overtures and a young Austrian corporal named Adolph was making very nationalistic statements about Germany and threatening statements about the rest of Europe) and of course Iran's president is often compared to Hitler, mostly for the statements he has made regarding Israel (he wants them to be "wiped off" of the earth).

Some have made the argument that Iran is more akin to the Soviet Union than pre-war Germany; a strategic enemy, but one which doesn't pose an immediate, tactical threat. While both of these comparisons have some merit, the Soviet comparison fails on several fronts, mainly:

1.The soviets never possessed a viable economic engine. Iran has vast oil reserves and sits very close to all of the rest of the world's major oil reserves.
2. The Soviets did not have immediate access to the major financial markets of the world. Iran, should it attack the oil fields in the Middle East would send the world markets into a tailspin.
3. For 1/2 the year, the Soviets were frozen. Iran doesn't freeze. This sounds odd, but strategic and even tactical exercises in the Baltic and North Sea are very difficult in mid-winter, let alone operating in the White sea or at the fleet yards in places like Novosibirsk. Iran has access to all warm water ports.
4. While the Soviets hated the Jews, there were tens of millions of them in their country. Iran hates the Jews and there aren't any living in their country.
5. only in Kruschev's bizarre boast did the Soviets threaten the west. Iran's President is making a habit of it.
6. The Soviets never held Americans as hostages. Iran held our men and women for 6 months during the Carter fiasco.

So, what do we do?

Neville Chamberlain has been given the moniker of "coward" by history for his coddling of Hitler, but I'm not sure he deserves such a harsh condemnation. He strove for "peace in our time" and I don't know if England was strategically ready to do anything about Hitler before he had gained power. Churchill thought so, but hindsight is always 20/20. Bush has been anything but a "peaceful" president. I voted twice for Mr. Bush, in part because of his determination to protect our nation. This determination has, however, squarely placed us in the center of hatred for much of the world.

Can the world sit idly by while Iran makes nuclear weapons? (I am assuming no one reading this is foolish enough to believe that they want nuclear power only for electricity) Pakistan and india have them. Diplomacy with Pakistan has been achieved. Also with India. But neither Paksitan nor India have the ability to fire their weapons at either U.S. interests or strategic world economic interests. Pakistan and India have also never declared their intention to destroy another nation (one another excluded). Iran's new long-range missiles could hit shipping targets in the Persian Gulf.

To my mind, the question one must ask is, "will Iran make good on its threats?" Today, prior to the development of a strategic bomb, this question is moot, because Iran cannot make good on its threats. But if they have the ability to detonate a nuclear weapon, the argument shifts from "can", back to "will". it is very difficult to predict what someone "will" do. Could anyone have known that Tim McVeigh would blow up a federal building, or Sirhan, Sirhan kill President Kennedy? Of course not, the human mind and heart are "deceitfully wicked" regardless of where a person is born. So, if Iran "can" attempt to destroy Israel and the U.S. , "will" they?

I do not think so. Here's my reasoning:

1. A pre-emptive nuclear strike on the U.S. means instant annhialation. I once worked with nuclear weapons and we can and have used them. Were Iran to sink a tanker of ours in the gulf, they would quickly find themselves searching through the rubble of their former cities. They know this.
2. Islamic terror is carried out by children, not leaders. The President of Iran isn't going to strap himself to a nuke and fire it at Tel-Aviv or Baghdad. Firing nuclear weapons is a strategic option reserved for leadership. They will continue to send terrorists into Iraq and around the world, but their leadership (just like the Baathist's in Iraq) doesn't want to die any more than Arafat did.
3.The people of Iran are ready for a change. If the Iranian people thought the U.S wouldn't hang them out to dry (which we would) they would overthrow the government tomorrow. No one in their right mind actually wants a Sharia-Islamic government, these governments are imposed on people - not chosen. I suspect the leaders in Iran know this also, and will walk a very tight line between threat and action.


How I could be wronger than Oprah on marriage:

Israel.

If Israel pre-emptively strikes Iran - all bets are off. The Israeli's are in a very tough spot. If, for example, Canada had invaded the U.S. 30 years ago and swore to do so again, and we found out they were building a nuclear bomb - we would strike them. This is the position Israel is in. Iran pays for Hezbollah and now Hamas who kill Israeli children in suicide bombing episodes. Iran supported Egypt, Syria, and the others who invaded Israel in the Yom Kippur and days wars. Iran has recently reiterated its desire to see Israel destroyed as a nation. Will Israel allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon?

No. Israel cannot gamble the lives of 5 million people on the POSSIBILITY that Iran would not threaten them. So I believe they will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear bomb.

Russia won't sit idly by:
Russia has been punked twice in the last 20 years by the U.S. First, they lost all of their new hardware in the first Gulf war and then they recently lost the rest of their new hardware in the second gulf war. Saddam had not paid for what Russia gave him. Russia is supplying the technology and materials to Iran (along with the stupid French) for their nuclear programme. Russia won't sit by as Israel destroys the multi-billion dollar system Russia is building in Iran. What will they do?

The Russian options:
Option 1: attack Israel. if this happens, I'll be standing on my front lawn looking straight up, because the end of the world is near and Jesus will be coming back for me, by His Grace. Russian may send its air forces and fleets to bomb Israel.

Option II: Russia may encourage the remainder of the middle east (Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon) to attack Israel with the promise of weaponry. All of these countries combined could not destroy Israel, (in fact, God won't allow anyone to completely destroy Israel) and Russia knows this so I think the only reason they would choose this is to avoid open war with the U.S.

Solution:

I wish the leaders of Israel, Iran and the U.S. could meet in Idaho and have lunch and agree to support one another. This isn't going to happen. So, you and I, if we are thinking adults, for any eventuality. The only way to do this is to be prepared for death, because this is the last eventuality. The only way to be prepared for death is to know what will happen to you when it comes. We must KNOW, not GUESS or WONDER. i encourage you to try the Christian scriptures. Read them, investigate them and see if they are not true. Ask Jesus to make Himself known to you - and do it sincerely. You'll be amazed if you do and I will be happy to see you when the world finally destroys itself and we meet in a wonderful place called heaven. But heaven is an exclusive club, the reservations for which must be made here on earth and the only ticket which will admit you or I is our faith in Jesus Christ.