Rick Santorum: I Would Bomb Iran Nuclear Sites

WASHINGTON -- Republican Rick Santorum says that if he's elected president, he would bomb Iran's nuclear facilities unless they were opened for international arms inspectors.

Santorum says President Barack Obama hasn't done enough to prevent the Iranian government from building a nuclear weapon and has risked turning the U.S. into a "paper tiger."

Santorum tells NBC's "Meet the Press" that he would tell Iranian leaders that either they open up those facilities, begin to dismantle them and make them available to inspectors – or the U.S. would attack them.

The Obama administration, like the Bush administration, has focused primarily on international diplomacy and economic penalties to try to pressure Iran into abandoning its nuclear program. Iran contends its efforts are for peaceful purposes.

Comments

[WRH Mike Rivero]

10:57 AM on 01/24/2012

Okay Rick, if you feel that way about it, here's your rifle, and here's your parachute. We ran out of the desert camo for you but here is a left-over bright orange jumpsuit from Abu Ghraib for you to wear. We'll call Tehran and tell them you are on your way to kick their ass all by yourself. But you understand, given that IAEA has not found any evidence of a weapons program in Iran, and after that whopper you all told us about Iraq having nuclear weapons to get us to go along with attacking them, you will forgive us if we refuse to allow any more of our children to be blown to bloody bits in another war for Israel's benefit. No government can serve two masters, and right now, in the midst of the greatest economic crisis in our history, brought down on us by the biggest financial crime in history, America needs leaders who will put America first, and you just failed the test.

[mater]

07:07 AM on 01/03/2012

He has no authority to make such a challenge on behalf of this country, who is not at war with Iran. This ain't the wild west, dude, and nuclear war is not High Noon, all grown up. What kind of man even says those WORDS--what else terrifying is in his head, and we know , don't we?

I'm wondering if Iran could see this as more than a being "punked"-- and do alarming things.

[Lobo912]

03:41 PM on 01/02/2012

Rick forgets a few salient points. First, Iran is a sovereign nation which has done nothing to us except talk mean. To unilaterally bomb them would be an act of war by anyone's definition. Second, Iran is a member of the United Nations. To unilaterally bomb them without UN support would announce to the rest of the world that as far as the US is concerned, the UN is meaningless, which means anyone who wants to attack the US is welcome to do so because we can't complain to the UN. Not a great grasp of foreign policy, there, Rick. You can't just go bomb anyone you want.

[JRsNana]

01:39 PM on 01/02/2012

Oh goody. A new slogan for the homophobic non-entity. "A vote for Rick Santorum is a vote for nuclear war". Wonder how that's going to play in the "heartland"?

[HADAFAKAYA]

01:05 PM on 01/02/2012

I like paper tigers.

[Tuigim]

12:40 PM on 01/02/2012

I would bomb Iran nuclear sites►
I would bomb Iranian nuclear sites
or
I would bomb Iran's nuclear sites?
Just sayin'. If the man can't understand the rules of English, he shouldn't attempt big decisions.

[Brekke Ferguson]

06:56 PM on 01/02/2012

You win. :)

[LMK123]

12:22 PM on 01/02/2012

Thank you Rick and the GOP for waging war on the poor, working, middle class, unemployed, voters, disabled, women and seniors - and promising to up the ante by making your war efforts not just local but international as well.

[HLL]

01:48 PM on 01/02/2012

F & F ~ Perfectly put, LMK123. Exactly correct.

[Mark Boileau]

11:53 AM on 01/02/2012

Give Rick his 15 seconds of fame and he starts beating his chest and talking war. What makes it even more truly impressive Rick is those J.C. Penney yuppie sweaters.

[Krystal Braswell]

11:45 AM on 01/02/2012

He wants to bomb Iran Nuclear Sites, then say hello to WW3. SMH

[grf67]

11:42 AM on 01/02/2012

That is good. Many of us who have actiually been in ground combat would give santorum and his repub cowardly friends the opportunity to participate in actual combat up close and personal to see how long they would last.

[Drumbeato]

11:27 AM on 01/02/2012

A reality check on Santorum's claim that as President he would "Bomb Iran's nuclear facilities". It's not that easy a task to get done. After Israel destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities years ago, Iran began to rebuild them deep below mountain in underground facilities. The bunker buster bobes we currently have don't reach deep enough to destroy them, & we also lack the ability to deliver these weapons effectively.

This leaves two alternatives that would be effective in setting Iran's nuclear capabilities back again. We (Or Israel) would have to use nuclear weapons, or at least nuclear tipped weapons to get the job done, or putting boots on the ground, fighting Iran's military face to face as they defend these facilities, & if we are successful in defeating them in actual combat, destroying the nuclear facilities by hand. As Iran is not Iraq, & has a well trained & well equipped standing army of a million men, don't expect them to melt into the sand as did Iraq's troops when we invaded there.

Neither solution is an easy one, & both hold horrendous consequences. Unfortunately The chest thumper's will buy this rhetoric & give no thought at all to the reality of what a strike against Iran would mean.

[Rubinwitz12]

11:12 AM on 01/02/2012

Whatever Jees and Christians left in Iran will summarily be attacked if we bomb.

[Rubinwitz12]

11:09 AM on 01/02/2012

10 million people will march on Washington when we start bombing Persia.

[wvuweirton]

11:08 AM on 01/02/2012

WHY IS IT SO EASY FOR POLITICIANS TO SEND SOMEONE ELSE INTO BATTLE, WHILE THEY SEAT IN YOUR MILLION DOLLAR HOMES LIVING THE GOOD LIFE....

RICH, WANT ANOTHER WAR...HOW ABOUT LEADING THE TROOPS INTO BATTLE!!!!

[NHGranite]

11:25 AM on 01/02/2012

I think you've got it! If they want to start a war, they go first, or they have to volunteer their children for the front lines.

[Stoplyingtous]

11:06 AM on 01/02/2012

We are really good at bombing .