While you've all been jabbering about civics and internet mobocracy...

[Iason Ouabache]

Humans are immersed in theology, ideology and lines in the dirt. If those fail to explain a situation look for a profit motive.

You also forgot sex. Everything is about sex, even when it's not about sex.

[Cain]

Iran's a lot more centrally controlled, and a lot more rational in terms of its foreign policy.  In fact, since the Revolution, Iran has been an exemplar of raison d'etat, cutting deals with Israel, the USA, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and India when required.

Point taken. What about outside forces?

Iran wont give them any important weapons.  It already has a highly developed chemical warfare program, and those have not been given to the likes of Hezbollah or Hamas.

Look at it this way - you are the leader of a terrorist group, reluctantly relying on the support of state backers who seek to use you for their own geopolitical ends.  And then they give you a nuke.  What is your first response?  Well, mine would be to blackmail by state supporters for more, or else I set off the nuke in one of their cities.

Most nations involved in supporting terrorism know their proxies are untrustworthy and unreliable.  They have already considered the above scenario, and so have come to the conclusion it is better to just give them bullets, semtex and grenades.

[Adios]

Iran's a lot more centrally controlled, and a lot more rational in terms of its foreign policy.  In fact, since the Revolution, Iran has been an exemplar of raison d'etat, cutting deals with Israel, the USA, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and India when required.

Point taken. What about outside forces?

Iran wont give them any important weapons.  It already has a highly developed chemical warfare program, and those have not been given to the likes of Hezbollah or Hamas.

Look at it this way - you are the leader of a terrorist group, reluctantly relying on the support of state backers who seek to use you for their own geopolitical ends.  And then they give you a nuke.  What is your first response?  Well, mine would be to blackmail by state supporters for more, or else I set off the nuke in one of their cities.

Most nations involved in supporting terrorism know their proxies are untrustworthy and unreliable.  They have already considered the above scenario, and so have come to the conclusion it is better to just give them bullets, semtex and grenades.

Now this makes sense. Kind of like controlling them by self attrition!

[Adios]

Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- Authorities in the Mexican border state of Nuevo Leon have finished excavating and are trying to identify 51 bodies they found in nine hidden mass graves, state media said.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/07/25/mexico.mass.graves/index.html?iref=NS1

Cartels are getting nastier.

[The Johnny]

Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- Authorities in the Mexican border state of Nuevo Leon have finished excavating and are trying to identify 51 bodies they found in nine hidden mass graves, state media said.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/07/25/mexico.mass.graves/index.html?iref=NS1

Cartels are getting nastier.

"Narco-fosas" aren't a new trend...

Just sayin'.

[Jenne]

I'm more worried about Pakistan's nukes - they're half a coup away from being in the hands of Islamist radicals who believe they're under attack from America - not just in a general sense, but right now with an army on the border and killer drones flying over the country.

Yup.  I've been worried about this for YEARS.  Meh.

[Jenne]

Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- Authorities in the Mexican border state of Nuevo Leon have finished excavating and are trying to identify 51 bodies they found in nine hidden mass graves, state media said.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/07/25/mexico.mass.graves/index.html?iref=NS1

Cartels are getting nastier.

"Narco-fosas" aren't a new trend...

Just sayin'.

Naw.  They're just not as well hidden as they used to was.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Iran's a lot more centrally controlled, and a lot more rational in terms of its foreign policy.  In fact, since the Revolution, Iran has been an exemplar of raison d'etat, cutting deals with Israel, the USA, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and India when required.

Point taken. What about outside forces?

Iran wont give them any important weapons.  It already has a highly developed chemical warfare program, and those have not been given to the likes of Hezbollah or Hamas.

Look at it this way - you are the leader of a terrorist group, reluctantly relying on the support of state backers who seek to use you for their own geopolitical ends.  And then they give you a nuke.  What is your first response?  Well, mine would be to blackmail by state supporters for more, or else I set off the nuke in one of their cities.

Most nations involved in supporting terrorism know their proxies are untrustworthy and unreliable.  They have already considered the above scenario, and so have come to the conclusion it is better to just give them bullets, semtex and grenades.

This. Iran would loose an important advantage to a group of people that might turn on them at any moment. Even if they didn't turn right around and use blackmail, they may eventually become a target for different reasons themselves.