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Originally posted by imas
I don't believe we are over stretched right now. Afghanistan is becoming more stable and self sufficient everyday. Iraq despite popular belief is going well for the most part.
Originally posted by Aelita
Originally posted by imas
I don't believe we are over stretched right now. Afghanistan is becoming more stable and self sufficient everyday. Iraq despite popular belief is going well for the most part.
I don't know what you are smoking, but I would like some of that.
Read some informed sources like www.juancole.com and others. Both countries are a royal mess.
The US doesn't quite control all of the city of Baghdad.
This is all very true. My question is, what is Russia's stuborm motive to build this reactor for Iran anyway. Iran has one of the world's largest oil reserves. They have no strategic incentive to spend so much money on an unneeded energy source. It is clearly indisputable to every country in the world, except they claim, Russia herself, that this Iranian reactor is being built to get the spent fuel for military use.
Now, putting myself in their mindset (as best I can), I can see, especially from the "no nuke Iraq" vs "several nukes North Koria" analogy, why Iran wants to so feverishly pursue their goal of becoming a nuclear power.
What I don't get is why Russia wants to make Iran a nuclear power.
Do they have a desire to create a powerful Iran to extend Russia's power and influence over the middle east and oil supplies, vacariously through Iran? If so, do they really think they can keep Iran on a leash?
Or is Russia just so deperately cash strapped that they'd be willing to arm one nation with the nuclear power that could one day be used against them? (even if only for use as leverage/blackmail)
[edit on 1-11-2004 by Chris G]