Crackdown on Iran could be exactly the wrong thing

Posted on: Apr. 16th, 2006 || Source: sptimes.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

Although it has enriched uranium, Iran is probably seven to eight years away from producing a workable bomb. And if it does develop one, it is unlikely to use it for offensive purposes, but rather as a deterrent against what it sees as two hostile nuclear powers, Israel and the United States.

"If somewhere down the line Iran has nuclear capability, the question is: What are they going to do with it?" asks Brian Michael Jenkins, an expert on terrorism at the Rand Corp.

"Are they going to launch a missile and wipe out Tel Aviv? Are they going to launch a nuclear weapon against the United States? That would be the end of Iran."

Iran has no recent history of aggression against other countries, although it supports Islamic proxies like Hezbollah that have been blamed for terror attacks against Israel and U.S. soldiers in the Middle East.

Read the full article

• Boeing's C-130 AMP Flight Marks Completion of Software Development
• Navy UCAS Demonstrator On Track for First Flight
• Lockheed Demonstrates Intelligent Autonomous Control of Multiple UAVs
• Russian Navy aircraft test new equipment over the Arctic
• Russia may push forward with S-300 sales to Iran
• Boeing, US Navy Offer Super Hornet for Denmark Fighter Competition
• Boeing Awarded US Army Contract for 191 CH-47F Chinook Helicopters
• The Netherlands shows interest in Gripen
• 4th F-35 Lightning II Rolls Out As Production Line Fills Up At Lockheed
• Lockheed Martin C-5m Super Galaxy Completes Flight Test
• Air Guard Predator pilots increase combat air patrols
• Predator passes 400,000 hours
• Future Predator/Reaper Formal Training Unit announced
• Saab/Gripen team completes Hungarian offset contract
• South African Gripen deliveries on track