Iran - If not for nukes...

. . . they'd be laughable and worthy of ignoring.

But can we afford to wait for the supposed popular, liberal revolution brewing among students and on the streets? Sure, if Iraq does pull it together, get the terrorism under control, it will be a great example and inspiration for free-thinkers in Iran to rise up against the Islamic-extremist government.

That's exactly why Iran's ultra-fundamentalist leaders, more worried more about maintaining control than religious purity, are behind much of the terrorism in Iraq at the moment. To have a democratic, Islamic state next door would over time make the ayatollahs in Iran all the more uneasy.

This is not say that the U.S. should move with force against Iran in another effort to supplant Islamic fascism with a more democratic alternative. However, putting a halt to arms and financial support to terrorists attacking U.S. personnel and Iraqi citizens would be a perfectly justified, prudent move. Other than that - and if not for a growing threat of the Iranian extremist using nuclear weapons to force the world (the U.S.) to listen to their mad rantings - let Iran and Iraq compete for the minds and votes of their people - democracy or theocracy.