July 20, 2006: Sometimes it pays to be bold. We should destroy the Iranian oil industry. By bombing all oil transportation facilities, pipelines, storage tanks, tanker trucks, refinery's etc. we can cripple the funding of numerous terrorist organizations, Hezbollah, Hama's, Sadr's militia, Syria, as well as make it more difficult for Iran to buy missiles and such from North Korea, China, and Russia.
It would remove Iran's threat that if we attack they will shut off the oil. Making the threat ridiculous and demonstrating that they are a single product state and without oil, and no other product that the world wants, they are nothing. Additionally, by declaring that we will destroy any attempts to repair the oil facilities, as long as the Mullacracy remains in charge, we can focus the Iranian's blame for the situation, on the Theocracy and their support of Terrorism.
This will also bring home to all the other oil producing countries like Venezuela, Libya, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, etc. that they are very vulnerable to the same tactic.
In addition, this will gain us time for the Iraqi's to stand on their own, and free up troops we would need if we have to go into Iran, North Korea or somewhere else.
Sure the price of gas will rise, but this will also demonstrate to the world that the United States is not in Iraq for the Oil, and the onus can be shifted on to the Democrats for not allowing more domestic production.
"It's not the control of the spice but the power to destroy the spice that is the real power."
It has recently been said that the nuclear production facilities in Iran are so deep that we can't reach them with conventional weapons. Perhaps so, but maybe we can starve those facilities of funds. Nuclear weapons are terribly expensive to build, and if Iran now needs all its money to repair vital civilian infrastructure, it may have to slow or stop its attempt to build an atomic bomb.
Finally, Iran is a state sponsor of Terrorists, it must be punished, and it must be seen to be punished. Iran's continued sponsorship of terror is a slap in everyones face, and it must be answered. --Karl R. Maier