Adding Nukes to the Sailor Standoff
As troubling as the Iranian seizure of the 15 British sailors and marines has been, everyone knows it could be a much more explosive situation: The next time the Iranians pull off such a stunt they could be armed with nuclear weapons. It's a noxious combination, that of an Iranian navy that's really not part of the Iranian Navy, and a central government so sure of its righteousness that it would haul the 15 Brits — 14 men and a woman —to Tehran for questioning. British Prime Minister Tony Blair somberly declares the standoff "very serious," but London would be in a far bigger pickle if Iran were a nuclear power.
That prospect gives some leverage to those warning of Iran's continuing push to develop such weapons and its resolute refusal to heed the demands of the United Nations and even Monday's call by its closest allies on the Security Council, China and Russia, to relent. As things now stand, Britain — and its closest ally, the United States — know they could attack Iran militarily and be sure of prevailing, though the diplomatic damage could be great.
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Pertinent Links:
1) Adding Nukes to the Sailor Standoff
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