In ref to our earlier discussion..
This is grim, grim indeed. We may soon have no choice but to take out the nuclear sites as much as possible, even when the Iranian leadership rings them as they have before with children while their TV cameras catch it all on film.
We may have to let Iran overplay their hand to such an extent first, however, that it unites China, India, Russia etc. and sane Muslims against them, and then take out not only the nuclear sites but part of their leadership as well. Otherwise we could be stirring up a bigger hornets nest.
The rest of the Muslim world did not erupt into flames when we went in Iraq. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is probably counting on a strike to help erupt the wider region into an apocalyptic radical Islamic jihad. Like Saddam Hussein, however, he may come to see he miscalculated.
We learned a lot about getting diplomatic support by going down this path on Iraq. We are increasingly unwilling just to let others freeload while we take the hit in world sentiment. There will be a careful counting who stands where and a cost extracted for those who don't stand on the side of greater security. The more countries stand together, the less likely extreme measures will have to be taken.