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bananas

(27,509 posts)
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 05:29 AM Apr 2013

Iran's nuclear program entails huge costs, few benefits: report

Last edited Sat Apr 13, 2013, 03:26 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: Reuters

Iran will pursue its nuclear quest although it has reaped few gains from a totem of national pride that has cost it well over $100 billion in lost oil revenue and foreign investment alone, two think-tanks said on Wednesday.

A report by the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Federation of American Scientists said Iran's atomic work could not simply be ended or "bombed away" and that diplomacy was the only way to keep it peaceful.

<snip>

"No sound strategic energy planning would prioritize nuclear energy in a country like Iran," the report said.

"Instead of enhancing Iran's energy security, the nuclear program has diminished the country's ability to diversify and achieve real energy independence."

<snip>

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/03/us-iran-nuclear-report-idUSBRE93200620130403



The report is at http://carnegieendowment.org/2013/04/02/iran-s-nuclear-odyssey-costs-and-risks/fvui

The pdf is at http://carnegieendowment.org/files/iran_nuclear_odyssey.pdf

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Iran's nuclear program entails huge costs, few benefits: report (Original Post) bananas Apr 2013 OP
Not getting bombed, invaded, and occupied seems like a pretty big benefit to me. bemildred Apr 2013 #1
When you've got Oil ya need something. bahrbearian Apr 2013 #2
But will it? Or will it cause Iran to be bombed and invaded? bananas Apr 2013 #3
Iraq would be nothing like Iran. Arctic Dave Apr 2013 #4
Never say never. nt bananas Apr 2013 #6
I didn't say "never". Arctic Dave Apr 2013 #9
Iran has the capability to destroy every oil field in the Middle East Tempest Apr 2013 #10
Iran can manipulate the price of oil at will. xtraxritical Apr 2013 #11
Speculation is fun, isn't it? Indeed, who can say what the future will bring? nt bemildred Apr 2013 #5
It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future. - Yogi Berra. nt bananas Apr 2013 #7
On the other hand, the past is pretty clear. nt bemildred Apr 2013 #8
No, the past is more like beer goggles. xtraxritical Apr 2013 #12
But predictable. bemildred Apr 2013 #13
Found the pdf bananas Apr 2013 #14

bemildred

(90,061 posts)
1. Not getting bombed, invaded, and occupied seems like a pretty big benefit to me.
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 08:39 AM
Apr 2013

It's true the Nukular energy is likely a bad deal.

bahrbearian

(13,466 posts)
2. When you've got Oil ya need something.
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 09:17 AM
Apr 2013

How expenseive are invasions any way, I quess we won't know for another 20 years.

bananas

(27,509 posts)
3. But will it? Or will it cause Iran to be bombed and invaded?
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 10:04 AM
Apr 2013

Back in 1992, Iraq had chemical and biological weapons, and was developing nuclear weapons: http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/iraq/nuke/program.htm

That didn't stop Poppy Bush from bombing and invading.

And Iraq was bombed practically every other week until Dubya invaded in 2003.

Pakistan has nuclear weapons, but that didn't stop Dubya or Obama from invading.

Dubya wanted to invade Iran, but Iran's non-nuclear forces were a sufficient deterrent.

So Iran's nuclear program isn't going to stop it from getting bombed or invaded,
but it is quite likely to cause it to get bombed.

Israel has come close to launching an attack on its own,
just as they did with Iraq in 1981.

South Korea has announced they will launch a pre-emptive attack if an attack by North Korea seems imminent.
North Korea's nuclear program may result in it being pre-emptively bombed and invaded.
And it can happen even if North Korea wasn't actually going to attack, it can happen if signals are misread.



 

Arctic Dave

(13,812 posts)
4. Iraq would be nothing like Iran.
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 10:16 AM
Apr 2013

Could they be bombed? Sure. But you better be ready for blowback for the foreseeable future.

Invasion? Forget about it. No one in the wesern world has the military ability or the financial ability to invade much less occupy Iran.

 

Arctic Dave

(13,812 posts)
9. I didn't say "never".
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 11:01 AM
Apr 2013

I said doing so would be a catastrophic endeavor for anyone dumb enough to go through it.

Tempest

(14,591 posts)
10. Iran has the capability to destroy every oil field in the Middle East
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 11:37 AM
Apr 2013

Iran isn't stupid.

After Dubya included them in his "axis of evil" speech, Iran contracted with Russia to purchase tens of billions in Russia's latest military hardware. They're now armed to the teeth and would have no trouble turning the Middle East into an inferno.

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