{"id":1578,"date":"2007-12-04T15:59:44","date_gmt":"2007-12-04T15:59:44","guid":{"rendered":"0"},"modified":"2010-02-10T23:07:28","modified_gmt":"2010-02-10T23:07:28","slug":"iran_its_still","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marcdanziger.com\/?p=1578","title":{"rendered":"Iran – It’s Still Not That Dark, And We Still Have A Really Big Flashlight"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ll assume you’re all familiar with the news about the new NIE<\/a> about Iran and the Bomb.<\/p>\n

Reading it ought to give us all an appreciation for how difficult it is to make judgements in areas where the facts seem apparent but are really so unclear (see: AGW).<\/p>\n

My position on Iran hasn’t changed.<\/p>\n

Here’s what I wrote in early 2006<\/a>:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

We need to do four things in parallel as regards Iran, starting pretty much right now.<\/p>\n

* First, we need a national energy policy. It’s not a matter of saving trees, it’s a matter of national defense. We should have done it a decade ago, but tomorrow’s the soonest we can start. Doing this not only has real impacts, but sends clear signals about our intentions and capabilities as well. <\/p>\n

* Next, we need to build up our invasion-ready forces, by planning with allies, expanding the Army, and rebuilding some of the capability that has been used up in Iraq. We should have been doing this since 2002, but starting today is better than starting tomorrow. See above re signaling capabilities. <\/p>\n

* Next, we need to sit down and start talking. We need to talk to the Iranian regime, to their opponents, to Russia and China most of all. What are we talking about?<\/p>\n