re: #319 A.W.

Hmm, hmm… So Hitler was rational. And indeed more rational than FDR.

Kind of refutes itself, doesn’t it?

I didn’t start this “Realism” argument, but I think a more functional definition of “Realism” is that all else being equal REGIMES (not necessarily nations) will try to act in what they PERCEIVE to be their best interests.

But of course, there can be a pretty wide chasm between what an individual leader or oligarchy THINKS is in its nation’s best interest, and what actually IS. There can also be a big gap between what one TRIES to do and what one is actually CAPABLE of doing.

In the case of Iran, its blatantly obvious that the ruling Mullahs believe that having nukes is in their national interest. It increases their power and standing in the region at the very least, plus of course, it helps insulate the regime from external threat.

So as Krauthammer explicitly says in this piece, its utterly absurd to think that supporting the Mullahs (by not standing up for free elections) is in any way going to affect their desire to obtain nuclear weapons.

Further, its equally absurd to think that Iran’s nuclear program can be traded away by *ANY* arrangement between itself, Israel and the Palestinians.

Bluntly, its in Iran’s interest for the Palestinian issue NOT to be solved, and once it gets nukes, that issue becomes largely moot anyway. Further, even if Israel were to actually disappear from the map tomorrow (using Ahmedinejad’s own words), Iran would *STILL* want nukes.