Thomas P.M. Barnett :: Weblog

Reza Aslan's recent piece in the LAT echoes Tom's thinking on the soft-kill for Iran, and while he is certainly worthy of the space in the LAT, I think Tom deserves that kind of newspaper platform, if not a larger one, i.e. like a weekly column in USA Today.

That said, why not mention also the doubtful chances of your two leading Democratic presidental candidates (Clinton & Obama) doing much in the way of opposition to this out of fear of appearing insufficently hawkish on the issue?

While I agree that somehow, someday, Iran must be made part of the solution rather than a larger problem, I still don't see how Barnett can keep advocationg quid pro quos with a regime that even today is blathering about a "countdown to Israel's end." Tom says the biggest offering we have for Iran is an assurance that we will not try to change the regime. But it seems to me Iran does nothing but keep providing assurances to the US right that that is exactly what will be required.

Yes Sir! "Systematically prepared"...but with Iranian President "Whacky Man" sounding off the way he does about wiping Israel off the map, or some other nutty rantings--he doesn't make it too difficult to "prepare" America for striking Iran. Ahmadinejad is a nut--he is dangerous and the WORLD needs to take serious and quick action to silence/marginalize him. He is one more evil the world must do without. This is tough talk, and I realize it isn't tough talk we need--we need serious leaders with a vision for tough action--enough talk.

Again, I remind people of the actual power held by the presidency in Iran.

There is a bravado here unworthy of the facts.

We make ourselves pawns of propaganda with such bluster, and we pretend to hear only that which is spoken.

This game is being played on more levels than those tracked in the blogosphere or MSM.

Some humility please, on the question of war.

Ask yourself on which side history lies, and then you decide when to pull the trigger with no regret.

Bottom line Sir, I must ask you, and I hope you'll answer straight-up "yes" or "no." Do you think Iran should have nuclear weapons?

Now here we are, nearly six months later, and the rhetoric abounds--and we are nearing $100 ppb for oil. Sure, it will only get worse if we go to war, but would you agree Sir, that sometimes, things must get worse (maybe much worse) before getting better?

I simply want good sound leadership on the issue (political and military). I want to hear from the President as representing the people of our Nation and I want to hear from our Commander-in-Chief. If not him, then a LEADER to step forward and provide the American people the real essence of what is going on with Iran.