Building bombs would be suicide for Iran

Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is crazy but not suicidal. Ahmadinejad likes the idea that the world knows Iran has the capacity to create a nuclear weapon but he knows that once he even tests a nuclear weapon, let alone fires one at Israel, it would be suicide for Iran.

It needs to be clear to the Arab world that Iran does have a nuclear bomb before an attack can be launched. Before any attacks are launched, the United States needs to position Aegis class anti-missile cruisers in the Persian Gulf and Eastern Mediterranean and send two Patriot anti-missile batteries to Israel to protect from scud missiles from Lebanon and Syria and midrange missiles from Iran. Two carrier battle groups in the Persian Gulf would eliminate Iran's air force and navy.

First joint Israeli and U.S. strikes to take out Iran's nuclear bomb program need to be with conventional weapons. If Iran continues its nuclear bomb program, then we need to deliver a token single tactical nuclear strike and state that if they don't come clean and stop all programs, others will be following.

Ahmadinejad knows belligerent talk bolsters his image but that actually going ahead and building a nuclear bomb would be suicide for him and his armed forces.

William Peterson

USMC, retired

North Liberty