You and jreeves are assuming that the "obvious" is Iran is attempting to, or wants to attempt to, build nukes to destory the world, or at least the US and Israel.
That's not obvious, it's just a hunch you have. You match often distorted, often out of context, vague rhetoric, with their desires for nuclear power, and assume a conclusion of a nation that wants to destroy humanity. I always leave open the possibility that they TOO, feel a need to posture to the world so they can maintain some kind of relevance. If they open their closet up to the world and show that they basically have NOTHING, if that's the case, they are automatically weak and vulnerable to outside aggression. In this nuclear world, the possession of nuclear arms is just as much a deterrent as it is a weapon. I tend to doubt they have nukes, but if I was them, I'd rather my enemies THINK I do, instead of KNOW that I DON'T. Especially since two countries that have nukes and enough firepower to ACTUALLY destory the world, show a strong desire to see you destroyed.
I understand your desire to keep tabs on Iran. I concede that it's necessary. But I see the same war drums being pounded during the lead-up to Iraq. It's only been a couple years, it's not like we shuold have all forgotten that already. The same patterns are emerging in the MSM over the last year or so.
It worries me what a hasty rush to another war could do to this country, and the global balance, or at least whatever semblance of balance is left these days.
Iran is in no way the last frontier in this pre-emptive doctrine we have taken up since 9/11. If we are to finish what we started, we'll be at war until the end of time trying to keep our boot firmly pressed into the throat of the Islamic community. I can count at least 5 more countries, probably more, that we would need to take some kind of major military action in to be able to say we are making a serious effort at controlling terrorism and protecting the dollar. This is the same thing the Romans did. If you really study history, and apply it to current events, the resemblance between us and the Romans is astounding.
There's just no foreseeable way to continue this empire on the track we are on, without eventually collapsing in more than one way.
You assume Ron Paul would be a lame duck president without any ability to accomplish his goals, but as CIC he would be able to tone down the empire dramatically in his first 24 hours. But this isn't about Ron Paul. I can just only hope that somehow we manage to skate by for another 50-60 years so I can watch my kids grow up in a normal flourishing society before I die. It's why I actively involve myself in politics in my community and beyond, instead of living the apathetic life I used to live when I was young, dumb, and full of cum.
The future worries me, and some small, militarily-challenged country in the middle of the desert certainly isn't the be-all-end-all of ANYTHING.
