Why is it that the Obama Administration is all the sudden building up Iran as an existential threat to the rest of the world? I was watching the Sunday Morning political talk shows this morning, and all the mouthpieces of the administration were on pushing this thesis that Iran's program cannot stand.

As Yogi Berra would say, it's deja vu all over again. And we thought (at least some of us) the neo-conservatives were out of the councils of power. Seems as if the neo-liberals are just as hawkish!

Never mind that Iran hasn't violated the terms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and didn't break any international laws with regards to its nuclear facilities, all of which have been inspected and cleared by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). These are facilities that we've known about for years, yet all a sudden, Obama claims that Iran is inching closer to war becuase he believes they are in non-compliance, even though they have disclosed the entire scope of their program, as confirmed by the IAEA. In addition, the National Intelligence Estimate confirmed that their nuclear program isn't a threat to us. Multiple international intelligence agencies confirm likewise over a time span of many years. Yet all of the sudden this is a problem?

The facility in question wasn't a secret, like Obama now claims, and it does not have the capacity to make weapons-grade uranium. This second enrichment facility that they were developing was also well known, fully disclosed, and not capable of producing weapons grade uranium. Yet this is being used as an excuse to either start another round of grinding economic sanctions or outright war and regime change. Remember those mystery WMD's that the Bush Administration claimed existed in Iraq? The same ones he used as a pretext to war with that country? This is the same exact concept. Only now it's a different President.

Iran did disclose everything, but the only thing you'll hear about in the mainstream media is this constant drumbeat of propaganda claiming that they are a threat.

Mohammad El-Baradi, head of the IAEA, has come out in recent days and claimed likewise that he believes that Iran isn't building a nuclear weapon, nor that there is any concrete evidence that he is building a nuclear weapon. He also says that the threat is being hyped up by the United States.

If this isn't really a casus belli, as our government claims, then why are we building up this threat? Look to the dynamics of international political economics for the backstory. Iran in recent months has began to diversify more aggressively its holding of petrodollars. Since the dollar is trading at record weak levels due to high debt spending domestically, many other nations are beginning to aggressively to move out of the dollar as it's currency of choice when it comes to international trade. It is the world's reserve currency, at least for now. The problem for the United States is that since the value of our currrency at least since the 1970's has been largely propped up only because most international trade up until this point has been conducted in dollars, therefore boosting demand for the dollar. Prior to 1971, the dollar was supported by the gold standard; in other words it was backed by something tangible. Today, the dollar is only backed up by the paper it's printed on--that and "the full faith and credit of the US Government". But this type of system can only be held up by international demand, and with this dynamic of dollar dominance ending, a very deadly dollar forward carry strategy is developing (where international currency dealers "short" the dollar because they know its value is going down).

In short the unipolar international system dominated by the United States is collapsing and the government is getting desparate to prop it up by any means, including fighting a war which we are not prepared to fight from a tactical standpoint.

In short, the declining value of the dollar means that internationally it doesn't buy as much as it used to, so folks in Asia and the Middle East are starting to move their trade and holdings out of it in order to preserve their economic position. The European are struggling under the weight of excessive debt even worse then we are and are likewise concerned about the long-term viability of the Euro. The balance of power for the moment seems to be shifting towards Asia, and Iran and other regional powers are taking note.

Iran as one of the world's largest exporters of petroleum products, including natural gas, is a centerpoint of the petroleum trade. Them pulling out their petrodollars (used for trading oil in dollar denominations) en masse could create massive weakness for the dollar, thus severely damaging America's economy. War and economic depression/recession and debt spending always go hand in hand--and this is yet another instance where that's occuring. Ultimately it is the American people who pay for such irresponsible and reckless policies.

The folks in power are very concerned that the dollar will collapse and are using regime change in Iran as a means to ensure that Iran's petroleum trade is conducting in dollars, as opposed to other international currencies gaining in strength, like the Renambi (China's dollar) or the Yen (Japan).

One of my professors back in college, who taught a geopolitics and strategy course that was immensely interesting, always used to tell me to always read between the lines and look for the real interests behind foreign policy developments. In this case, a new war is just a consequence of unsustainable debt and expansion. And you know what Washington's solution to the problem is? More debt, more war and more unsustainable expansion!

"The definition of insanity is doing this same thing over and over again and expecting a different result". This is so true on many different levels.

I don't understand this from a logical point of view. Iran is developing nuclear energy, which is its right as a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran’s nuclear energy program is subject to inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which consistently reports that its inspections find no diversion of enriched uranium to a weapons program.

I do understand it from a political point of view. Israel is not a signer to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and illegally developed its nuclear weapons program with help, I am sure, from Uncle Sam. The hypocrisy is extreme here. Israel and its puppet, Uncle Sap, don't want the nuclear hegemony of Israel in the Middle East broken.

We should nuke them. Turn the whole place into glass.

It's one to watch, but the US should stop stereotyping Iran and adopt a sensical and ethical foreign policy (if any - the US should keep to itself: I can't think of many good things they've done abroad). What about US nuclear proliferation - I think that's a greater danger to the world.

Why don't we just show them how they can get burned by nukes and maybe they will back off. Why would a middle eastern country prone to supporting terrorists, and have a good supply of oil need nukes. The idiot in charge would like to see Isreal wiped of the planet and what be the best way to do that, nukes. So for those of you who believe we should just sit back and wait for them to get together with North Korea to create long range nuclear weapons. Start digging you shelter or your grave now because you are going to need. Remember a good defense is alway a strong offense.

If the U.S. invades Iran, it will surely be World War III.
Have we learned nothing from this fiasco in Iraq? The U.S. needs to keep our nose out of other country's affairs. North Korea has nuclear capabilities. Why are we not viewing them as a a threat?
The hostility the Islamic world has towards the U.S. will just blossom into full-blown war if we take military action. And why would we take military action to begin with? To protect Israel?
Seems like a big risk - when we can't even find the mastermind behind 9/11 (Bin Laden) and there were no WMDs in Iraq. Sounds like history repeating itself. This administration needs to protect its own borders vs. a country the size of Indiana on the other side of the world.