Inconvenient Truths

Bob Gates writes the inconvenient truth.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has warned in a secret three-page memorandum to top White House officials that the United States does not have an effective long-range policy for dealing with Iran’s steady progress toward nuclear capability, according to government officials familiar with the document


Sanctions - tactics of economic isolation - have rarely been effective, especially against a country with something really valuable to sell. The fact is that there isn't really any good way to keep Iran from getting nukes. Sanctions strong enough to work won't happen. Iran's nuclear facilities are likely deep underground and widely dispersed. Attacking Iran would be dangerous, expensive, and only likely to succeed with a gigantic effort.

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