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Argument: Iran can be deterred; attacking others would result in its annihilation

Issue Report: European missile defense

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Philip E. Coyle. “The Obstacles To the Proposed U.S. Missile Defense Systems in Europe”. 18 January 2008 – It is not credible that North Korea would attack the U.S., or that Iran would attack Europe, constrained to one missile with no countermeasures, and then just sit back to see what retaliation would follow. Nor would Iran likely attack Europe, no matter how many missiles it had, but if Iran had many missiles the U.S. missile defense system could be overwhelmed. (…) why would Iran chose to threaten the whole of Europe? For what purpose?

“Trita Parsi: Is Iran Suicidal?”. The Talent. 9 Sept. 2007 – There is no doubt that the regime in Iran can be deterred, in spite of its deliberate attempts to come across as somewhat irrational and in spite of the “mad mullah” argument. A regime such as the Iranian one, with so few international friends and so much domestic discontent, would not have been able to survive in the Middle East for 26 years and reach this position of power if it was suicidal.