Citerank: (20) 58849Motivate Chinese support for sanctionsThe threat of military action against Iran might encourage China to support sanctions against Iran.1198CE71, 58852Potential scenarios?8FFB597, 58862Capability to have a weapon is the same as having a weapon13EF597B, 58868Right now everybody is worse off109FDEF6, 58874Vacuum may be less dangerous than failed negotiations13EF597B, 58878All the conflicts of the Middle East are so intertwined now1198CE71, 97305How should the US deal with Iran if economic sanctions don't work?How do you deal with a country that is probably not going to be affected by economic sanctions? 8FFB597, 97344Potential scenarios?8FFB597, 97418Motivate Chinese support for sanctionsThe threat of military action against Iran might encourage China to support sanctions against Iran.1198CE71, 97482Capability to have a weapon is the same as having a weapon13EF597B, 98391Vacuum may be less dangerous than failed negotiations13EF597B, 98397Right now everybody is worse off109FDEF6, 98398All the conflicts of the Middle East are so intertwined now1198CE71, 148972Vacuum may be less dangerous than failed negotiations13EF597B, 148978Right now everybody is worse off109FDEF6, 148979All the conflicts of the Middle East are so intertwined now1198CE71, 150340How should the US deal with Iran if economic sanctions don't work?How do you deal with a country that is probably not going to be affected by economic sanctions? 8FFB597, 150379Potential scenarios?8FFB597, 150454Motivate Chinese support for sanctionsThe threat of military action against Iran might encourage China to support sanctions against Iran.1198CE71, 150519Capability to have a weapon is the same as having a weapon13EF597B

I think what's going on here is that the administration is beginning to face the choice that's always been there, which is, how do you deal with a country that is probably not going to be affected by economic sanctions? Do you pursue a containment course, which means essentially improving your military relationship with Saudi Arabia, the gulf states, Egypt and Israel so that you can deal with a nuclear Iran without losing your security, or do you begin to develop military options for attacking Iran? And what I think is happening now is they're -- they're realizing that they're going to have to send signals one way or the other through their military deployments of which direction they're going, and so Secretary Gates is indicating to the president that this is an important moment. We're going to have to lean one way or the other. Or can we mask it with some clever moves militarily that still shows we could go both ways?