Iran
It looks like diplomacy has officially run its course. When the French give up on talking, that's pretty much the end of the line.
France, with the support of the United States, rejected Iran's request for more negotiations on the Islamic republic's nuclear program, with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice saying Wednesday "there's not much to talk about" after Iran resumed atomic activities.
Comments
Being this is Cynical Nation, I am fully convinced that France will still stick it in our eye at some point.
I hope that the President, by his own admission, will be able to have the credibility needed to make the stand necessary with Iran.
Posted by: Malcolm | January 19, 2006 09:23 AM
I'm sure the French are getting ready to finally step up and rectify their unmanly reputations by nuking Iran. You have to admit, if France would invade Iran and rebuild the government in its own image, they would once more be a respectable nation.
Posted by: Bailey Hankins | January 19, 2006 09:39 AM
That's the beautiful thing about nukes Bailey, you don't have to invade...or rebuild.
The only real worry is over half lives and how soon after the attack, oil drilling can resume.
Of course, the sad thing is that there is reportedly a large and relatively secular youth movement in Iran that opposes the Theocracy. Maybe it would be possible to use that group to undermine and topple the reigning Mullahs from within, though that certainly wouldn't be as exciting France following through on their threats.
There seems to be no middle ground with the French. It's eaither spread eagled, Chamberlain-like appeasement or Dr. Stangelove.
OK, of the two, I much prefer the latter. Those Third World uprisings around Paris a few months back must've really shook them up over there.
Posted by: JMK | January 22, 2006 12:46 PM