Reply #78: But you don't have to approach the table saying that

[Tom Rinaldo]

There are phrasings that the United States could use that do not promote and potentially lock us into a potential monumental policy error without giving up any bargaining leverage. It happens all the time.

Statements like "Allowing Iran to acquire nuclear weapons would constitute a significant threat to the security of the United States, our allies, and the entire Middle East which quite frankly is unacceptable and the United States will respond appropriately if Iran insists on pursuing this path further" When asked if that means the U.S. will definately attack Iran if Iran attemps to build nukes the answer could be "It would not be appropriate to comment further with specifics at this time, other than to say that the United States reserves a right to pursue any and all options available to us in the face of serious security threats."

But that is not what leading Democrats have all been saying, let alone the Bush Administration. While pandering to look tough to constituencies they want to appeal to, or in an attempt to prove to the public that they can be just as hard nosed as any Republican when it comes to protecting America, some of our candidates choose to leave no abiguity in asserting that Iran will not be allowed to acquire nukes, period.