Daniel J. Pipes

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Not a great idea

Reader comment on item: President Bush Replies to My Iraq Critique

Submitted by gary (United States), Oct 26, 2006 at 22:15

Chances are the Sadrite Shia Militias backed by Iran are going to fight a protracted civil war with Baathists and Sunni factions to the death. In light of Iran's apocalyptic mahdist visions and nuclear capability, it is incumbent on the US not to allow Iran to create a client state out of Iraq.

Therefore, as politically unpalatable as it seems, the US must join forces with the remaining baathists and Sunnis (and other Islamic sunni states such as turkey and egypt) , take off the gloves and destroy all shiite forces in southern Iraq (Sadr, etc), and then drive the effort home to Tehran before they acquire a credible nuclear capability.

The gauntlet has been thrown, and the forces of civilization have NO CHOICE but to face down the forces of apocalyptic eschatology in Tehran. The US would be able to count on help from the Saudis and Egyptians. They are as afraid of radical apocalyptic shiism as we are. Shia Islam is inherentlyt radical; sunni Islam is not (with the exception of the Wahabis). Turkey is a good example of this.

I know this seems like an extreme view, but we can no more shrink from the challenge of Iran as we could from the Nazis. Iran has taken over our embassy, inspired numerous terrorists acts and sponsors hezbollah (which makes al quaeda look like boyscouts). We need to take off the gloves or the future is bleak. Mr Pipes, your proposal is a half-measure that will do nothing to stop Iran, and will potentially leave our troops as sitting ducks. We need to take the offensive here before it is too late. Thoughts?


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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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