We'll blame Bush when Tel Aviv is nuked.

Si Si Puede!

Snark aside, diplomacy can only work when one side wants something from the other side, which the other side is prepared to give.

You'd think that would be self-evident to the great unwashed masses but it's amazing how many people just don't seem to understand that some people have no intention of negotiating, we have nothing they want more than what they already are already pursuing.  In other cases, such as N. Korea (which the world seems to be doing an awesome job of ignoring) negotiating does work.  All of this was laid out in Goldfinger.

James Bond: What would it take for you to see things my way? 
Pussy Galore: A lot more than you've got. 
James Bond:  How do you know? 
Pussy Galore: I don't want to know.

He had nothing she wanted.  Negotiations fail.

Goldfinger: [to Bond, who is about to be cut in half by a laser] There is nothing you can talk to me about that I don't already know. 
Bond:  Well, you're forgetting one thing. If I fail to report, 008 replaces me.
Goldfinger:I trust he will be more successful. 

Bond: Well, he knows what I know.
Goldfinger: You know nothing, Mr. Bond. 
Bond:  Operation Grand Slam, for instance. 
Goldfinger: Two words you may have overheard, which cannot have the slightest significance to you or anyone in your organization. 
Bond: Can you afford to take that chance? 
Bond:  [thinks for a moment, then orders the laser switched off] You are quite right, Mr. Bond. You are worth more to me alive.

He had something of value.  Negotiations work.

Ace, please, Geraghty couldn't "break down" a piece of bread soaked in water, for instance:

This isn't a rumor of missile tests. U.S. systems detected and tracked at least seven of the missiles. The regime announced it on state-run TV, and showed missiles flying into the air (although perhaps it was file footage).

BamBam's point was that our intelligence agencies are needed to evaluate Iran's intentions, not their capabilities.  We've had a pretty good idea about their missile program for a quite a few years now.  Hell, they can buy most of the components in the open market.

I wonder who it was who advised Geraghty that purposeful obtuseness is an effective rhetorical device, because Geraghty needs to slap him, hard.

I would love to see Obama detail what Iran would have to do before he concluded that he did not want to seek "direct diplomacy" with them.

Why, Jimbo, so you can feign cluelessness, yet again?  It's like Geraghty's addicted to coming off as dumbass, or something.

Obviously, were the launches, say, targeted at Israel or US bases, then the diplomatic option would be inappropriate, and "direct action" the order of the day.  Or, say--since Jimbo is just begging for the Obamanator to engage in some pointless hypothetical, likely so he can misconstrue it--were we already entered into negotiations with Iran, and they up and fired off a few missiles.  OK, fuck you, Ayatollahs. 

But since we're presently only engaged in the "indirect diplomacy" (and wingnut specialty) of sitting on our asses, talking tough and doing absolutely nothing, and have been for years now, this missile test is no reason to pee the bed and alter one's views on the best way to deal with Iran (see North Korea, post-missile test negotiations with).  Obtuse and easily frightened is no way to go through life, son.

Obama says he sees that as a "step in the right direction," and does not see it as reward for bad behavior.

Yeah, it's funny, people can have different opinions that way, Jimbo.  And it's not as if the "reward-not-for-bad-behaviour" school of international relations and general dumbshitedness has such a long and successful track record that there's some sort of logical imperative to our continuing to handle Iran like we're dumbshits. 

We've held negotiations with just about every enemy we've ever had.  They were all bad and misbehaving.  And not until the administration of George "Wow" Bush has a US government made the negotiations themselves, hitherto a commonplace tool of international relations, the lynchpin of a bargain.

One get's the impression that some people would rather that there not be any chance for diplomacy, and that we simply proceed to the military option.  Most of these, of course, are presently sitting on their asses, talking tough and doing absolutely nothing, which y'all they will continue to do throughout any such  action.  And then, undoubtedly, y'all'll they'll take yet another victory lap. 

 It seems unthinkable to Obama that the Iranians could have actually determined that having a nuclear weapon is in their self-interest.

No, Jim, Bam the Man understands what the Iranians have determined to be in their self-interest, just as he understands what motivates millions of Americans to vote against their economic interests.  The aim of diplomacy (and his candidacy) would be to persuade the Iranians (and those millions of Ameicans) that their best interests actually lie elsewhere.

Look, I understand that these issues can be complex and are somewhat intractable, but Geraghty, presumably, sits around all day thinking about this stuff.  And this is best he can come up with?  And Ace regards it as a devastating takedown.

After just a few minutes of prepping, my 10-year old niece could offer better analysis than this.

Obama only suggests "more economic sanctions," without explaining what such sanctions might consist of

Well, we could cut back on shipments of bras to Iran, which apparently have increased ten-fold in the last eight years.

sponge: "pig in a pantsuit"

Heh. You win.

Does he get a cape?

Does he get a cape?

No, just a cool blue helmet

President Obama has begun to recover from the depths of voter dissatisfaction he hit women's chef coats  last fall, but he faces a newly empowered GOP determined to stop many of his initiatives as the 2012 campaign gets underway.