The one thing these guys don’t talk about is why there was an explosion, which the Times also finds mysterious, although it does note that “Some Iranian officials have talked of sabotage, but it is unclear whether that is based on evidence or surmise after several years in which Iranian nuclear scientists have been assassinated on Tehran’s streets, and a highly sophisticated computer worm has attacked its main uranium production facility.” Oy, those wacky Iranians, eh? Looking for “spies,” and “saboteurs,” and “assassins” under every bed! And, sometimes, even overhead! Just because, you know, they shot down a drone or two!
On the other hand, the Times allows that if something should happen to Iran’s missile-testing program, well, that might not be altogether such a bad thing, particularly if it affected the development of solid-fueled missiles, which can be easily concealed and fired on short notice. “That would add to Iran’s ability to protect its nuclear sites from an Israeli strike — a subject of renewed debate in Israel in recent weeks — because Iran could threaten to retaliate before many of its missiles were struck.” And how unfair would that be? Shouldn’t Israel be allowed to launch pre-emptive strikes—in the name of peace, of course—without having to worry about Iran, you know, defending itself?
Afterwords
Think Israel is kidding about wanting to take out Iran’s nuclear sites? Listen to what Charles “Charlie the Kraut” Krauthammer has to say about it: “Everything is going to have a price. It is true that if we cut off Iran’s economy entirely or if we impose, as the Europeans, or some of the Europeans, are suggesting, an embargo on Iranian oil you might get an increase in the oil price. But think how the cost will pale compared to the cost of what is inevitably going to happen if nothing is done, which is an Israeli airstrike, which would cause the outbreak of a regional war, which could cause the closing of the Straits of Hormuz, which would cause a doubling of [oil] prices.”
Got that? We do it Israel’s way or they’re going to blow up the world’s economy. Meanwhile, Andrew Sullivan is queasy about assassination but down with sabotage. Because it’s so easy to blow up “suspected” nuclear sites, missile-testing facilities, et al. without hurting anyone. When will anyone notice that it is the U.S. (and Israel) who are addicted to the use of force against other nations, often for domestic political reasons, and not Iran? Iran’s government is often a threat to the Iranian people, but not to us. A nuclear Iran might even stabilize the Middle East, because Israel would feel less able to throw its weight around.
