I agree with the assessments that say Iran's anti-Israel tendencies are all talk.  Israel could turn Iran into a giant sandbox at a moment's notice, and -- let's be honest -- the Israelis make far better soldiers than the Muslims (not that the Muslims don't make better soldiers than I could ever hope to).  As I've said in the past, last time a Muslim country attacked Israel, it didn't work out so well.

This is a major reason for why I think the US should take the advantage of getting out of the way, because Israel doesn't need anyone to defend her.  Why are we continuing to feed the Islamist propaganda by giving them ammunition in the "Is the US Israel's Prison Bitch?" argument?  It's a major reason, I'm convinced, for 9/11 and various other attacks over the last twenty years.

Also, a nuclear attack on Israel translates to an attack on Palestine.  The Palestinians would be slaughtered -- if not by the bomb, itself, then by the fallout.  Iran has no incentive to attack Israel.  A nuclear attack would mean the end of Iran.

The Islamists' demands are fairly clear: They want us off their land.  Out of Saudi Arabia (more than any other area), out of Iraq, out of Afghanistan, and off their oil -- though bin Laden has clearly never studied economics, because oil is the only good that anyone requires from the Middle East.  Take away the oil dependency, and every leader in the West could tell the Saudi Royals, "Go to hell, you brutal pigs.  If you want to trade with us, you're going to trade on our terms, politically."  If we could end our oil dependency, we could dictate to the thugs who control Middle East countries and really work for democracy and freedom -- and without firing a shot.

Anyway, I've ranted enough.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.