Ghost of a flea: A suggestion

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October 02, 2009

A suggestion

All we are saying.

In so far as senior officials of the government of Iran have repeatedly threatened the state of Israel with destruction and the people of Israel with genocide;

in so far as the government of Iran has funded and armed and continues to fund and army proxies to wage terror against the people of Israel;

in so far as the government of Iran is developing weapons of mass destruction and attendant delivery systems for the express purpose of the destruction of the state of Israel and the extermination of the people of Israel

a state of war exists between Israel and the government of Iran.

(Period.)

A further suggestion: Give war a chance.

Do not aim merely to destroy - let alone delay - the development and production of Iran's WMD industry. Aim to destroy Iran's ability to make war. At one time, for most of history in fact, this would have been a tall order. Not so in this instance. Iran is vulnerable in its (limited) capicity to refine oil and Iran’s primary oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf - Kharg Island - makes a tempting target. There is no need to target Iran's nuclear development and production facilities directly to cause serious problems for Iran's governing class or to pinch however many supporters they have remaining in the population at large.

Sure, oil prices will spike, terrorists will strike and there is the off chance that despite their recent restiveness Iran's people will support their government against external attack. So what. And especially to that last point. If the people of Iran cannot or will not overthrow their government thanks to the magic of Obama's diplomacy they are in no position to criticize the mullahs' next victims should these victims choose to defend themselves.

Another consquence of such an attack would be the opprobrium of the world's chattering classes. Consider it a bonus.

Existentially related: Iran's leadership believes Israel is bluffing. They may be right about that. But one thing they have got right for certain: There is an enormous difference between military strength and the kind of strength that matters.

In my conversation with the Iranian diplomats, the men made it quite clear Iran had nothing to fear. They said there would not be an attack. "Israel is bluffing," confidently averred one of the men. "There is absolutely nothing for us to concern ourselves with because neither Israel nor the United States tried to save its ally, the shah. They could have with their military, but were too weak to do it. If you think either one will go to war with us, I can tell you, it will never happen."

Posted by Ghost of a flea at October 2, 2009 06:21 AM