Marc, a related article I saw today took Chirac's comments a step further and mused about having to live with a nuclear armed Iran. I've read several related articles about Middle Eastern states considering pursuing the bomb as a reslt of Iran's progress and the inability to deter them, stop them, or general apathy about them possessing it.

You know I have not seen anyone really lay out all the security issues about Iran having nukes, but got to thinking about it as I read the story on "living with a nuclear Iran".

Its not just the power to deter attack on its own soil, it has incredible powers of psychological influence in this neighborhood. There is the obvious effect of its impact on hydro-carbons, but its effect on tipping the Sunni/Shiite & Persian/Arab equations throughout the AOR may be worth considering too.

I suspect the free world is going to look back on this and aportion blame to those who tried, but could not gain enough support. Many will ask the same questions they did on 9/11 - How did this happen.

I think about those who wish to believe that Iran is pursuing a nuclear capability for other then its weaponization, and I think its ironic that we will have to pay far more in the long run then if we had stood up when it was only a little painful, rather then wait until Iran becomes a nuclear bully, and one day makes a decision to use a nuke because they were never stood up to, and beleive their actions will have no consequence.