The sanctions chimera
Iran is determined to develop a nuclear weapon, and all evidence suggests that nothing short of force is going to stop it. That applies especially to the combination of low-level negotiations and economic sanctions, which, despite a history of failure, remain the preferred approach of the Obama administration, Congress and the mainstream media.
The mullahs in Tehran know that if they can just last another few months, not only will sanctions be moot, but their nuclear arsenal will give them dominance of the Persian Gulf and ironclad security for their regime – both of which will offer the additional advantage of allowing increased support for terrorist allies and the possibility of harming Israel and the United States.
Douglas Stone is a Senior Fellow at the Center.
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