Iran Special: 5 Very Bad Reasons to Start a War

We are at the cusp of another calamitous event. Even though Iraq is still warm from the withdrawal of US troops, after almost nine years of war and occupation, some politicians, pundits, and "experts" set their sights on the next target of Iran. This steady push for an attack is in its early stages, manifesting itself in the form of advocacy of "a limited strike" against Iran's nuclear enrichment sites. Make no mistake, though: even the "limited" of bombs and missiles will have catastrophic results. This being said, the utter dishonesty displayed in the arguments in favor of such a strike is stunning.

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Iran Special: The Debate About War Begins (Kroenig and Kahl)

The discussion surrounding Iran's nuclear programme, and a possible US/Israeli preemptive strike against Tehran's facilities has grown in the last 6 months into a front-page narrative. Among those feeding the appetite for war is Matthew Kroenig. Many readers may have noticed his "5 Reasons to Attack Iran," published in the Christian Science Monitor, and Kroenig's article, "Time to Attack Iran" was set against Colin H. Kahl's "Not Time to Attack Iran" in the latest edition of Foreign Affairs.

On Tuesday, National Public Radio's Tom Ashbrook had both men explain their positions, with Ashbrook and listeners weighing in on the arguments made by each.

The result is a long, fairly comprehensive flushing-out of the arguments from both sides of the debate.

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NPR's Map: Iranian Nuclear Facilities

View Iran's Nuclear Facilities in a larger map