How is Iran being 10 years away from building a nuclear bomb a threat to the United States in 2007?

Question

I'd like to think I'm an intelligent man, could someone make a cohesive intelligent logical arguement why the Iranians are a threat to the United States of America in 2007

Answer 1

Your facts are wrong.

Iran is in the market today to buy nuclear weapons technology and Uranium enrichment technology on the black market.

That technology is available for a price today. Mostly from unemployed Russian scientists who were part of the Soviet nuclear weapons program.

Iran is also in the market to buy complete nuclear weapons on the black market. There are a number of Russian nuclear weapons that are not accounted for, so it is entirely possible that some of those could be available on the black market as well.

It is true that if the Iranians were left to their own devices they do not have the capability to build a nuclear weapon on their own or enrich the nuclear fuel for such a weapon.

However the Iranians have money from their oil exports and there are a number of unemployed Russian nuclear scientists who are looking to make some money.

The Iranians can buy that technology although they do not have the ability to produce it themselves.

Iran could turn up with nuclear weapons tomorrow.

That is a very real threat.

Once Iran gets its hands on nuclear weapons, Iran can give those weapons to terrorist groups such as Al Qaida to smuggle into other countries using shipping containers.

If Iran really wanted to they could smuggle the nuclear weapons themselves.

However, based on the way that Iran has acted in the past Iran tends to support and supply terrorists such as Al Qaida and Hizballah rather than carry out the terrorist acts themselves.

Once Iran gets their hands on nuclear weapons you can expect that Iran will transfer those weapons to Al Qaida, Hizballah and a number of other terrorist groups that Iran funds and supports.

The terrorist groups give Iran deniability so that Iran can say that they were not the ones that placed the weapons.

But you and I both know that when Iran gets its hands on nuclear weapons the intent will be to get those weapons into the hands of terrorists who will smuggle those weapons into the United States, Britain and India.

Those terrorist groups will be the ones who smuggle the nuclear weapons into the United States, Britain and all of the other countries that they hate.

Then they will detonate those nuclear weapons when they are ready.

The terrorist groups will probably smuggle multiple nuclear weapons into the country, store them in warehouses in a number of different locations and detonate them all at the same time to create maximum chaos and overwhelm the emergency response system.

Beyond the actual damage this will create absolute terror among the surviving population because there will still be the possibility of more nuclear weapons stored in warehouses and we will not know where they are.

The cities will not be a safe place to be, because there could be more nuclear weapons stored in those cities.

That is why Iran is a very dangerous threat today, not ten years from now.

Answer 2

1: The estimate of 10 years may not be accurate.
2: How advanced does an enemies capability have to be before you act? When he's a day away from having the means to attack? A month? A year? 5 years?
3: Hypothetical: There is a poisonous snake who's eggs take a month to hatch. She has planted her eggs under your porch, from where the hatchlings will eventually be able to slither into your home and attack your children. Do you ignore the eggs for 29 days and then act? Do you negotiate with Mama snake? Or do you destroy the eggs, and the mama snake, and papa snake too as soon as possible.

Answer 3

When the missile carrying an Iranian nuke casts a shadow on you as it approaches the city you live in will you admit the threat is real? How do you know the 10 year estimate is any more accurate than the 6 month estimate the UN published last year? You don't, and you liberal apologists would rather die than allow yourselves to be defended.

Answer 4

intelligence gathering is not always reliable as we all have found out. we should gather all we can but should be on guard as this situation is a very serious threat to not just Americans but the whole globe.

they have by their own words, made us aware that they will not hesitate to facilitate the 'end of the world as we know it.'

"Iran has ignored a U.N. Security Council demand that it stop nuclear-enrichment activities or face possible sanctions.

Ahmadinejad has called for the destruction of Israel and raised questions about whether the Holocaust happened.

Iran's leaders have insisted that they are pursuing a nuclear program solely for peaceful purposes, a claim challenged by the United States and much of the international community.

Five key Senate Democrats asked President Bush on Friday to order a new national intelligence estimate on Iran to avoid repeating misjudgments with intelligence that were made in the months leading up to the war in Iraq."

do we take the chance and simple trust that they will be truthful with us infidels?

Answer 5

I think the "threat" is quite indirect. Once Iran gets nuclear weapons, it will no doubt start a regional nuclear arms race and thereby raise the tension level up yet another notch in the Middle East.

So as long as the US feels it must exert hegemony in the Middle East, such instability will threaten it.

I think Iran's neighbors have much more to fear than we do, since for Iran to attack America (somehow?) with a nuclear weapon would mean instant and total national suicide. Not likely and actually quite impossible.

So I'd guess the US is operating on about 90% paranoia and 10% legitimate concern for its own safety, but America has genuine concerns about a regional arms race.

Well SOME people have genuine concerns. The Bush administration doesn't know anything about the Middle East, obviously.

Personally I feel that Pakistan and Russia are far greater threats to America than Iran will ever be.

Answer 6

The 10 year assessment is yours or someone elses, because the head of the UN Nuclear Weapons program said just yesterday that Iran would cross the path of no return to nuclear weapons by the END OF THIS YEAR.

But lets say for sake of argument your presentation of 10 years is more accurate then the guy at the UN (cause I don't trust the UN much anyway). I hope that you would not want radical islamic leaders of Iran to possess such power for your children's sake or their kids sake.

Answer 7

Look at it this way, would you want someone that has mental issues having possession of lets say a fully auto AK-47. And for some reason he doesn't like you, well because he doesn't agree with what you believe in and he thinks you are Satan.

Understand now cupcake.

Oh I'm so sorry, I forgot to add, he has the gun but all he needs is the bullets! Hows that?

Answer 8

Nuclear bombs don't care if you are liberal or conservative. Nuclear bombs don't care if you ever got laid yet. Nuclear bombs don't care if you never rode a Harley or drove a cool car yet. They just make you dead. If you are dead it is too late to fight back.
If I said I was going to rape your wife, would you try to stop me? Or would you wait until there was penetration, proving my intent? Sorry to be so graphic, but this is serious s#it. If Emperor Tito had known of the Manhatten Project, he may have cut the crap earlier and said "sorry, we f 'd up.
Flip side here, if they have one ahead of schedule, say next week, surprise! Then the whining will be , why didn't somebody stop them when we had the chance?

Answer 9

The point is that if you wait until they have the bomb (oops, I mean 'The Bomb') it will be too late.

I express no opinion on what is going on over there. After Iraq, I'm a little skeptical. However, their leader is a loose cannon and it is NOT the same as a stable government having the bomb.

Answer 10

They have already supplied insurgents with IED's in Iraq and have even sent fighters.

They have made statements consistant with a hitler-like desire to wipe out all Jews. They hate America and feel like its their job to start their version of armageddon. How many times are we going to repeat the lessons of history and let the hitlers of the world sieze power, and do what they want to do? Europe had their eyes closed and leanred the hard way in WW2.