To Carolc
I don't know the extent or the immediacy of the danger that Iran finds itself in.

However it is clear that there are some at the highest levels in the Bush administation and in Israel who would like to launch an attack on Iran.

This would almost certainly take the form of an air attack and would be targetted at the nuclear facilities which Iran says are for civilian use.

I don't think America has the stomach or capacity for another ground war in the Middle East after the debacle it is involved with in Iraq.

It is a sort of awful joke that the USA with its thousands of nuclear missiles and bombs and Israel with its hundred plus bombs [thank you Jimmy Carter for reminding us about those ], can complain about another country developing nuclear facilities even though Iran has stated time and time again it is not developing nuclear weapons but only civilian nuclear technology.

Iran has had the nuclear inspectors in several times to check out their facilities and these inspectors cannot find evidence of nuclear weapons although this morning the Guardian reported that the pressure from America remains .

It is worth noting that Israel will not allow nuclear inspectors into its Negev nuclear facility and will still not allow Morechai Vanunu to leave the country although he has not be inside a nuclear facility for over 20 years.

What does this have to do with the thread? Israel is one of the most militarised countries in the world.It has one of the world's most powerful military forces which have been unleashed without a qualm against civilians time and time again.Only two years ago Israeli warplanes raced of the Syrian president's palace as a reminder of what he can expect if Syria does not behave itself.
A few months ago Israeli war planes attacked a Syrian military facility in the north of the country.

The Israeli military machine is currently strangling Gaza and could launch further attacks at any time.Meanwhile back in Iraq the US has turned parts of Baghdad into a free fire zone.

These are not the actions of rational countries.These are the actions of violent racist governments who pay little or no heed to the well being of Palestinian or Iraqi people. Would Bush think any differently about the Iranians ...I doubt it.

Bush could still launch an attack before November in the hope of playing the patriotic card and scuppering the democrats for their lack of machismo and loyalty to the flag.And there would be voices in Israel urging him to do so.
david