McClatchy Newspapers: Experts: Danger of nuclear-armed Iran may be hyped

Experts: Danger of nuclear-armed Iran may be hyped
Warren P. Strobel | McClatchy Newspapers

last updated: November 12, 2007 07:40:44 AM

WASHINGTON — A hostile country led by anti-American ideologues appears close to developing its first nuclear weapon and, as a U.S. election approaches, the president and his advisers debate a pre-emptive military strike. Newspaper columnists demand action to stop the nuclear peril.

The country was China, the year was 1963 and the president was Lyndon Baines Johnson.


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"Would I like Iran to have a nuclear bomb? No," said Robert Jervis, a Columbia University professor of international politics who has written widely on nuclear deterrence. But, "the fears (voiced) by the administration and a fair number of sensible people as well, just are exaggerated. The idea that this will really make a big difference, I think is foolish."

Even some commentators in Israel, whose leaders see themselves in Iran's crosshairs, present a more nuanced view of the potential threat than the White House does.

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President Johnson took no military steps to stop China from going nuclear, and it tested a weapon in 1964.

Iran's leaders suspect the United States wants to overthrow them. "Nuclear weapons mainly protect the homeland," Jervis said.

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http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/21341.html

Sometimes those people seem starved for news.

Here's a list of their papers:
http://www.mcclatchy.com/102/story/354.html

Got to be spread far and wide--stop the insanity.