Bombs don't erase knowledge on Washington's war maps, the idea seems simple: bomb a facility, stop Iran's nuclear program and force Tehran to give up. The problem starts after the explosion. Buildings may become ruins, but the knowledge that made their construction possible remains in universities, factories and people. Iran did not study nuclear physics yesterday. Decades of research have created scientists, engineers and an industrial network capable of sustaining the Iranian program, with applications in energy, medicine and research. Uranium enrichment is at the center of the dispute over possible military use, and Tehran says its aims are peaceful. The bombing of its facilities may cause heavy losses, but it does not make the country forget what it has learned.

Bombs don't erase knowledge on Washington's war maps, the idea seems simple: bomb a facility, stop Iran's nuclear program and force Tehran to give up. The problem starts after the explosion. Buildings may become ruins, but the knowledge that made their construction possible remains in universities, factories and people. Iran did not study nuclear physics yesterday. Decades of research have created scientists, engineers and an industrial network capable of sustaining the Iranian program, with applications in energy, medicine and research. Uranium enrichment is at the center of the dispute over possible military use, and Tehran says its aims are peaceful. The bombing of its facilities may cause heavy losses, but it does not make the country forget what it has learned.