Why Doesn't Iran Have a Nuclear Device?

[Steve R.]

It has been speculated, since Obama, that Iran is on the verge of having a nuclear device. This speculation is getting tiring, similar to the "boy who cried wolf" fear mongering. What is preventing Iran from developing a nuclear device?

Russia, China, and North Korea all possess nuclear weapons and are adversarial to the US. It would therefor seem logical that these countries would assist Iran in developing a nuclear device, yet that is apparently not happening (unless it is in secret). Furthermore, other countries such as India and Pakistan have nuclear weapons. So the genie of a nuclear device is out-of-the-bottle. It would seem that Iran could easily copy nuclear technology to construct a nuclear weapon. One can only hope that the Iranian nuclear program is completely inept.

 

[AccessBlaster]

As soon as they do they'll be struck by Israel.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

At least a few years ago, someone "hacked" the Iranian nuclear facility and somehow set back their program a few years. Now? They might be on the verge of catching up. I'm a bit worried that India and Pakistan, currently skirmishing neighbors, BOTH have nukes. WW III might not be fought on USA soil but our air quality could suffer tremendously.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

a few years ago, someone "hacked" the Iranian nuclear facility and somehow set back their program a few years.

If we're thinking of the same incident I think they caused centrifugal separation devices to spin at incredibly high speeds and self-destruct!

 

[Steve R.]

As soon as they do they'll be struck by Israel.

True!
But that is a sacrifice martyrdom that they may be seeking for the Iranians. Consider that both Hamas and Hezbollah are willing, for the propaganda value, to promote the killing of their own Palestinian brethren so they can blame those deaths on Israel and claim genocide.

So far it does appear that Iran's nuclear program has been periodically sabotaged. The Israelis are very good at that (exploding pagers and cell phones). That sabotage delays progress, but does not address the issue of their technical competence. They've had years to build a nuclear device but apparently have not been successful. (Reminds me of the California high speed rail project that has been under construction for years with massive cost overruns.)

 

[Pat Hartman]

It would therefor seem logical that these countries would assist Iran in developing a nuclear device, yet that is apparently not happening (unless it is in secret).

The citizens of Russia and China do not chant "death to Israel", "death to America" in the streets and I don't think either country has a death wish. Both understand mutually assured destruction. Iran doesn't care about that because Islam preaches that they will be rewarded in the afterlife for killing infidels. So, I doubt that either country would actually share their technology. Even North Korea doesn't have a death wish. It is only the Islamic countries who would nuke Israel as soon as they thought they could. Consequences be damned.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Another reason Iran might have some trouble with their nuclear research (BESIDES having the facilities bombed into pebbles) is that they are facing a socioeconomic crisis. They might have trouble doing much based on their inflation rate and falling demographics.

In another generation, Iran might become irrelevant, a nation with insufficient population to advance itself. It could happen. (But I'm not betting on anything at the moment.)

 

[Pat Hartman]

I am really surprised that the literacy rate among women was so low during the Shah's reign. I would have thought it would rise with the change to a more secular society. Of course, it may have just risen from 10 to 30 under the Shah.

 

[Isaac]

Probably takes time to catch up with infrastructure and planning before people's literacy rate actually starts to match an increase in freedom