>>>>>>Once upon a time Iraq had a nuclear program too. Israel took care of it the first time.
>>>>>
>>>>>And look how effective that was in the long term.
>>>>
>>>>Pretty much 100%. No Iraqi reactor ever went on line and the likelihood of Saddam trying to get the French to build him another one has been greatly reduced ;-) Imagine 1991 Iraq with nukes.
>>>>
>>>>Now imagine 2010 Iran with nukes.
>>>
>>>Nuclear power is also about having enough well educated people and a wide industrial base.
>>>Which sort of bombing is going to prevent that.
>>>
>>>Its going to happen one day and we may as well start dealing with that.
>>
>>Do you seriously believe Iran's push to enrich plutonium has anything to do with nuclear 'power' in the sense of generating energy? Even the UN EEC doesn't believe that.
>
>They aren't enriching plutonium.
>
>`when `i said nuclear power `i meant nuclear weapons and lastly I do believe they are more focussed on energy.

Sorry, I meant enriching uranium. i was confused by "Nuclear power is also about having enough well educated people and a wide industrial base" Do you mean that if they do that the ability to create a nuclear weapon is inevitable? I think their obtaining nuclear weapons can be forestalled if very particular programs are thwarted, either by damaging or destroying infrastructure, supply chain or personnel necessary for the project. A more difficult way is to put enough pressure (or incentive) in other areas to rechannel the will. I don't think that route is feasible in Iran given the current political climate and timeframe.

If they want nuclear energy there are international mechanisms in place to allow that within existing treaties. Their weapons program is the problem.