And after nearly a year of the Obama administration believing that Lucy wouldn't pull the football away, falling flat on it's back may be confirming what we Neanderthal Americans have argued for years--Iran wants nuclear weapons. Period.
And worse, the main alternative to war is unlikely to be implemented, let alone change Iran's mind:
The Obama administration is shifting the focus of its Iran policy from talk to sanctions, but the prospect of winning early international support for toughened new penalties appears dim.
Equally problematic is finding a set of sanctions that would have a significant impact on the prime target of American and international worry: Iran's suspected pursuit of an atom bomb. Three rounds of U.N. sanctions, dating to December 2006 and aimed mainly at squeezing Iran's nuclear work, have had little apparent effect.
The administration may get an early indication of its prospects at a huddle Friday in Brussels with senior diplomats from the four other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council — Russia, China, Britain and France — plus Germany. Any decisions on new Iran sanctions, though, are likely weeks away.
For most of the Euro talkers (and their North American kindred), it will be a relief when Iran finally goes nuclear so they can give up the embarrassing failure to get Iran to halt their nuclear work through talks. No longer will these appeasers be in the position of holding the clearly untenable position that a little more talking will relieve us of the need to use military force to halt Iran's nuclear drive.
Once Iran has nukes, they can shift to the argument that Iran's possession of nukes means it is too late to use military force.
And then the talking with Iran can shift focus to other topics--like an arms control treaty that sets upper limits to Iran's arsenal. Mission Accomplished!
