re: #262 WindUpBird

Power base - the Ahmadinejad and Khamenis? Yes, I think they’re willing to sacrifice all of Iran for their theological goals - the return of the Mahdi and the slaying of the Sunni to show Shia supremacy.

It’s irrational by Western terms, but that doesn’t make it any less of a factor. MAD simply doesn’t apply. It doesn’t factor in such religious desires as trumping rational behaviors like avoiding destruction in a nuclear exchange.

Iran’s leadership might be more than willing to sacrifice Qom, Tehran and a significant portion of Iran’s population to turn Jerusalem/Tel Aviv, Amman, Cairo and Jedda and Kuwait City into a smoking ruin. Ignoring that possibility is at our own peril.