Heads, They Win. Tails, We Lose?

Stephen Walt must be very smart.

Because as Iran continues on its path to nuclear weapons, Professor Walt says that compelling Iran to stop that path either through diplomatic or military means will just inspire Iranians to get back on that path and get nuclear weapons.

Iran's people will learn to resent and hate us he says.

Because if we don't stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons and Iran's nutball rulers use one or three, we'll feel so much better knowing that the majority of Iran's people are really, really sad that their rulers nuked somebody.

Walt argues that wisdom requires us to allow the Iranians room to retreat so they don't resist to the death. The problem is that the room to move actually has to be for them to retreat and not us.

How is letting Iran be a little nuclear weapons capable a retreat for Iran? It's just a slower advance for them. We'd be the side retreating.

I'm thinking you have to be a super genius to argue that stopping Iran from going nuclear is actually bad in the long run.