Today, Iran announced to the world that it has successfully enriched uranium--the key ingredient for making a nuclear bomb. They are either very close to completing their bomb or already have it and are not saying at this time. What do you think about this new development?
128678
I think there is a strong chance that the War on Terror is going to continue into Iran.\n\n"A recent poll shows six in ten Americans think a new world war is coming: the same poll says about 50 percent approve of the dropping of the atomic bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II. Somewhat inexplicably, about two-thirds say nuking those two cities was "unavoidable." One can only wonder, then, what their reaction will be to this ominous news, revealed in a recent issue of The American Conservative by intelligence analyst Philip Giraldi:\n\n"The Pentagon, acting under instructions from Vice President Dick Cheney's office, has tasked the United States Strategic Command (STRATCOM) with drawing up a contingency plan to be employed in response to another 9/11-type terrorist attack on the United States. The plan includes a large-scale air assault on Iran employing both conventional and tactical nuclear weapons. Within Iran there are more than 450 major strategic targets, including numerous suspected nuclear-weapons-program development sites. Many of the targets are hardened or are deep underground and could not be taken out by conventional weapons, hence the nuclear option. As in the case of Iraq, the response is not conditional on Iran actually being involved in the act of terrorism directed against the United States. Several senior Air Force officers involved in the planning are reportedly appalled at the implications of what they are doing – that Iran is being set up for an unprovoked nuclear attack – but no one is prepared to damage his career by posing any objections."
317468
I say that you are crazy.  Iran cannot have nukes, no if's, and's, or but's about it.  They have vowed to wipe Israel off the map, and a nuke would give them the means to do it, and permanently.  A weapon that deadly in the hands of insanity is just that- insanity.
448112
If they are stupid enough to fire a nuke I think all nations with nukes should respond in kind. A few dozen big mushroom clouds coming from all the major powers would have a startling effect on all the countries who want to have a nuke.  Imagine it. One nuke from every country that has the capability to hit Iran. That would be like a huge "WHO IS NEXT" sign for the world to see.
64573
It would be very difficult for the U.S. and Israel to accept Iran having nuclear weapons. I give it less than a year because I believe common wisdom is that Iran could have nuclear capability that soon. \n\nWho will be involved?\nUs and Israel mainly, with Bush trying to put together a coalition like he did with limited success for Iraq.\n\nWill this lead the Western world into an endless war with Islam? \nI don't think so, but this is why it's so important to foster democracy in Islamic countries.\n\nHow far off is a war with Iran and Israel, and when will the global community step in and stop the Iranian "president" from dictating us and threatining us with oil?\nThe "global community" won't do anything to stop Iran, in my opinion. They're all afraid of terrorist retaliation. Look at news organizations' reaction to the rioting over the cartoons. They're all afraid to run the cartoons.\n\nIs oil worth the threat of an arms race in the middle east?\nI don't quite understand this question. Are you saying we are somehow responsible for encouraging an arms race because we want middle east oil? An arms race between who and whom?
129722
It may be the only option to tackle climate change. Iran shouldn't be denied this technology because of the fears of the west. In any case their enrichment isn't anywhere near that required to make nuclear bombs (70-90%). Lets all work together for a peaceful future.
330666
Small amounts have been found in Iraq, though not at the levels we believed.  Personally, I still believe that they could've been removed, but that's a debate for another day.  \n\nThe current Iran situation is that Iran is seeking nuclear power, however, most of, if not all of the world sees right through their current nuclear work as purely for the attainment of a nuclear weapon.  The president has even gone so far as to publicly state that he wishes to wipe Isreal off the map.  All we'd really like to do is to go in and see for ourselves how advanced they are, and they're denying that as well.
221364
Take it at 95%. The US, Britain, and France all are getting tough on the UN to stop Iran from its nuclear program. But as you know IRan is not listening and probably won't listen into they have obtained nuclear weapons.
305809
dude ...\n\nread between the lines and this goes for all of you ;)\ni`ve put this in another answer in here \nwhat energy source should the iranian have?!\nwill UE/NATO/ONU help then with eolian power for all the country ? oil? that al flows in the us!!!!\nthink of sollutions for the people .. in the middle east .. there are countries . with people just like us ...\nthose are not armed countries .. with people that want to conquer the world!!!\nthe iranian got pissed `cause they DO NOT HAVE ENERGY SOURCES in the country and the nuclear energy is the optimal one for them..\n\nthink about it!\n\n*sorry .. i understand german .. but forgot a lot and cannot write it anymore that well .;)
213931
Interesting question.\n\nAt the moment the truth is that Iran is stating absolutely that it doesn't want 'Nukes', instead it is claiming a right to develop a nuclear capacity for peaceful power generation. With the price of oil rising globally this seems a sensible strategy.\n\nOf course the problem is that this could be masking a drive for the development of nuclear weaponry.  \n\nIs this justified?  Well there are two schools of thought.  \nThe first is that for defence purposes it is.  Iran is a developed nation in the Middle East and one of its neighbours, Israel has a nuclear capability.  Iran could justifiably argue that it requires a nuclear deterrent to counter that of Israelis.\n\nThe second is that no, it's not.  Iran has been explicitly threatening to the West and Israel (whom it said it intended to 'wipe off the map') and whilst the rest of the world are looking to dismantle nuclear stock piles, it is incongruous for a nation to be building a nuclear capability.\n\nNot sure of the answer, but hope this helps.
217340
well obviously you know that one isotope is weapons grade and one is not.  the iranians want the isotope that can be dismantled into nuclear weapons because thats what they plan on doing with it...  the United Nations offered to give them the alternative nulcear energy isotope plant but they refuse... they want the weapons grade, wonder why?
310244
In my view,Iran is as entitled to develop a nuclear program just as much as anybody else,regardless of whether it's for energy or military use.Iran has a hostile neighbour that is bristling with nuclear weapons,so who can blame them if they're trying to develop an effective defence system.Israel is a country which is founded and run according to religious fundamentalism and in my view they are the most likely to be the protagonists for the next nuclear war but nobody is prepared to try to disarm them or halt any nuclear research and development.I am from the czech Republic by the way.
163859
They did not accept Russia's proposal to enrich uranium for them. This makes it look like they are trying to develop nuclear weapons. Their actions are living up to the 'axis of evil' title that mr.bush said. For the safety and stability of the innocent people of the region, their nuclear facilities should be bombed. They looked like a religeous people with great morals before. Now they look like fanatics who want to wipe Isreal off the map and are developming weapons of mass destruction. Korea is unlikely to use any of its stockpile. Iran is more likely to use theirs to kill innocent people (Israel). And if you can justify using nuclear weapons there, where would they stop?
41557
They say they are pursuing nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, our government says they are trying to build a bomb.  Given the track record of the parties on both sides of this issue I couldn't begin to guess who's telling the truth.\n\nThe most important issue here is that it must be resolved by diplomatic means.  I sincerely hope that Iraq has taught this administration that a military solultion is NO solution.
293010
Man, tell me honestly, do you really want Iran to have nuclear weapons. Forget your equality crap and think logically, do you really want Iran, who wants to kill you, to aquire nuclear weaponery??\nAlso, I think you're a bit misinformed since Pakistan has had a nuclear weapon program since the '70s, claimed they had the technology in the early '80s, and it's main supplier was China, NOT the US.
401457
Nice ideal, but absolutely impossible. If I was an Iranian Leader, I wouldn't even think about it until I saw several American leaders convicted & successfully impeached. He is well aware our leaders speak with forked tongues.\n\nBy the way, what about this alleged nuclear weapons development? Is it any more real than what was in Iraq? It's the same people saying it, folks. Think. They were never found in Iraq because they never existed. You can hide a bomb, or several bombs, where they are difficult to find. Not true for the facilities that make them. Iran has a facility to enrich uranium for power plants.But nothing has been found suggesting bomb grade uranium, or the facilities to make it. And they are under constant inspection. think.
242394
Nuclear energy is very cost efficient if it is used carefully obviously.  However everyone knows that Iran is not interested in nuclear energy for just energy alone.  They want to be a bigger fish in the pond so to speak.  I think that some of the radicals in Iran would not hesitate to drop a nuke on Israel or the United States.
616097
No, they have put some pretty lucrative incentives on the table for Iran. The international community agrees to the terms of the offer we have laid out.  The ball is in their court. The next step in this process is how Iran responds, they can slow play as long as the want because they know that the US is in no position to launch an attack. The question is how will we respond to an attack by Israel which is the most likely possibility, once the international community knows for sure that Iran possesses a nuclear weapon.