But Doc, I urge folks here to READ the other articles you have listed below your featured news. Notice the love affair going on between Iran and Syria? Because I'm a Christian, this is somewhat chilling for me. Isaiah 17 says that Damascus will one day be toast, and the fact that Iran's new Prez seems to be moving into a "go" mode and decides to make visiting Syria a top priority......well, do the math. Especially when you see (read the aritlces) just WHAT they were talking about.
And then I've noticed several times in just the last few days, new "reports" that claim we don't think Iran will have any nuke capabilities for years, lol. Sure. I saw this stuff go on right before we went into Iraq. Here is one example of what I'm talking about:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=87379
I wonder if that isn't some sort of message to Iran saying...."See, we're (USA) so busy with Iraq, and the Retreat Plan in Israel that we just don't really have any plans of dealing with you Ahmadinejad for a long while, so kick on back and sleep easy." A month ago my email box was loaded with "nuke Iran now before they get nukes" news. That seems to have cooled off somewhat. Who knows? Time will tell.
The nuclear issue with Iran is the number #1 reason why we need regime change ASAP, yet even if they are five years away from getting an operational bomb, it doesn't matter.
The United States flat-out cannot leave Iraq until the Syrian and Iranian regimes are eliminated. If we do leave before then, I guarantee you that the Islamists will overthrow the government in short order. I can only hope that the U.S. is serious about regime change in those two neighboring countries, and that the news of the U.S. beginning a troop withdrawal as soon as spring 2006 is tied into that. There is reason to believe that this is the reason why John Bolton is now at the UN.
And look, Iran terrorizing its citizens. No one should live under those conditions. The US isn't the world police force, but we ought to promote freedom and democracy worldwide, regardless of whether or not that country to critically tied to US interests. Americans, Iraqis, and Iranians are all human beings. They are all worth the same. Too bad the U.S. media - and the vast majority of Amricans - don't agree.
And regarding estimates before a nuke weapon - it is important to keep in mind that much of the Iranian nuclear program is "underground," that is to say, it is an unknown. Yeah, based on the information we have, Iran might start churning out nukes in five years, but what about the reality of the situation? The actual current state of the Iranian nuclear program is a mystery. I'm not saying that we should act rashly, but when you read these intelligence estimates, it is almost certainly worse than you think.
And I must say I was somewhat shocked yesterday, with Europe seemingly collapsing into America's arms, chanting "Sanctions!" Almost a year ago, I was getting mad at Bush that he wasn't imposing sanctions on Iran. OK, it would/will be the UN, but it's likely to be vetoed, and even it is isn't, who is going to provide the ships and other assets? The same countries that have the most troops in Iraq (such as the US, UK, Australia, etc.), but most especially the Americans. But now, I'm almost against sanctions - for right now. Though I know the UN, like the US gov't, moves at a snail's pace. I want to give the Iranian people at least a few more months at trying to overthrow the regime. Not at least until 2006, after the Iraqi elections in December. And hopefully the Iraqi consititution gets approved in two months, although I dearly hope the constitution is moderate. I don't have a problem with Iraq's rules and laws being based on the Qu'ran, America's are based on the Bible. I just hope it doesn't go hardcore Qu'ran, like reducing women to second-class citizens.
Anyway, that's my two cents.