...and the cycle begins again

As if the diplomatic situation with Iran wasn't precarious enough, here comes the Israeli deputy prime minister stating in no uncertain terms that Israel will be forced to attack Iran if it doesn't halt its nuclear program.

We already all knew Israel would act in its own security interests, and so did the Iranians, no doubt. Does Ahmadinejad really think Israel wouldn't strike Iran, especially with their blitz of Lebanon and Hezbollah, who didn't have nuclear weapons? So what is the significance of having it stated so publicly and unequivocally?

Personally, I think the Israelis just handed the Iranians a powerful propaganda tool. I could see the Ayatollahs using this as a excuse to drum up nationalistic fervor: "The Israelis want to attack us! So we MUST have a nuclear capability!"

It doesn't matter that the Israelis said hostilities would be conditional upon Iran abandoning its nukes; do you really think a totalitarian regime like Iran's really cares about context when quoting its enemies?

This was a diplomatic blunder. Not to mention the fact that such an increase in tensions also artificially increases the price of oil, but hey, at least we'll only have to deal with a recession, surely not an out and out energy crisis plunging us into a full-on depression, right? RIGHT?

But what's done is done. Bush's plan for peace in the Middle East marches on inexorably towards what I'm sure will be a stunning success. :\

See? SEE?

God wants Iran to have nuclear capabilities.

How do I know?

Because the Ayatollah says so:

""The Iranian people openly announce that they will defend their rights [to nuclear power]... God will reprimand them if they do not do so," state radio quoted Khamenei as saying.

Naturally, he makes it clear after saying this that, of course Iran isn't going for nuclear weapons.

Yeah, I'll believe that one.

After all, God also wants Israel "wiped off the map," and we all know what God expects of his children in carrying out that divine ordinance:

Would she herself become a suicide bomber? "If God wills it," she says in a low, serious voice. "If I had the means, I would have done it yesterday."

So forgive me if I see this as being only one step away from "God wants Iran to have nuclear weapons," and an even shorter step to "God wants Iran to use the weapons to destroy the Zionists and the Great Satan (i.e. the West)."

Just add it to the list of reasons why religion is dangerous and should be relegated to the historical scrap heap of failed human ideas.