Right versus correct, part 2
Confidence Game - Newsweek: International Editions - MSNBC.com
The above article discusses Iran's nuclear program and the United States' options. It reflects on issues in the past that are similar to our situation with Iran: namely, the "unknown unknown" threats in Iraq of 2003. It is evident what Iran wants: at the very least, a nuclear program that supplies electricity to their populace (the article cites Iran's need to IMPORT refined oil--namely gasoline--which indicates they have a bit of an energy crisis on their hands, despite having the second largest reserves of oil in the Mideast). At the very worst, they want the bomb. The US does not want Iran to have the bomb. Apparently, neither does the rest of the world. However, what is NOT stated is how the global community can get a handle on this situation before it spirals out of control and the US eventually decides to act as it did in 2003 with Iraq.
How do we avoid this? In my opinion, each government needs to sit down and write a Wish List. Instead of preaching from the pulpit, as it were, and saying what they think the rest of the world should hear; or what their own citizenry wants to hear (to get re-elected or stave of coups, whatever); they need to write down what they honestly think is the RIGHT thing to do and NOT the correct thing to do. What does each government want to see happen? Does the United States *really* want to invate Iran? They should write that down. They should NOT write down "UN sanctions" if they honestly think it's not going to work. What does Russia want? If they think beating the stuffing out of Iran is the right thing to do, then they need to write THAT down. If they think it is the WRONG thing to do, and will, in the end, lend whatever support to Iran they can if the US DOES invade, they should write THAT down.
In the end, these Wish Lists will be very, very ugly. But if everyone knows exactly what the other is thinking, then maybe some progress can be made to a real solution. Or, at least, each government will have fewer of these "unknown unknowns" to deal with.
The above article discusses Iran's nuclear program and the United States' options. It reflects on issues in the past that are similar to our situation with Iran: namely, the "unknown unknown" threats in Iraq of 2003. It is evident what Iran wants: at the very least, a nuclear program that supplies electricity to their populace (the article cites Iran's need to IMPORT refined oil--namely gasoline--which indicates they have a bit of an energy crisis on their hands, despite having the second largest reserves of oil in the Mideast). At the very worst, they want the bomb. The US does not want Iran to have the bomb. Apparently, neither does the rest of the world. However, what is NOT stated is how the global community can get a handle on this situation before it spirals out of control and the US eventually decides to act as it did in 2003 with Iraq.
How do we avoid this? In my opinion, each government needs to sit down and write a Wish List. Instead of preaching from the pulpit, as it were, and saying what they think the rest of the world should hear; or what their own citizenry wants to hear (to get re-elected or stave of coups, whatever); they need to write down what they honestly think is the RIGHT thing to do and NOT the correct thing to do. What does each government want to see happen? Does the United States *really* want to invate Iran? They should write that down. They should NOT write down "UN sanctions" if they honestly think it's not going to work. What does Russia want? If they think beating the stuffing out of Iran is the right thing to do, then they need to write THAT down. If they think it is the WRONG thing to do, and will, in the end, lend whatever support to Iran they can if the US DOES invade, they should write THAT down.
In the end, these Wish Lists will be very, very ugly. But if everyone knows exactly what the other is thinking, then maybe some progress can be made to a real solution. Or, at least, each government will have fewer of these "unknown unknowns" to deal with.
posted by xanadian at 10:11 AM
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