Pfaff makes sense on Iran as usual

William Pfaff continues to write calmly and rationally about issues that tend to disturb so many editorial writers in this country. He recently commented that the prospect of Iran getting nuclear weapons is a non-issue. I especially liked his brief comment about the security issues connected with a state providing nukes to non-state terrorists.

Think about it. Countries take steps to prevent people, mostly their own citizens but including anyone else on their soil, from doing dangerous things. They license automobile drivers. They station police within easy range of banks.

Now imagine the danger inherent in letting psychologically unstable people get their hands on nuclear weapons. Governments have their own enemies within the borders of their countries. A workable nuclear bomb would be hard to get across an international border, but much easier to stuff into a Ryder truck and drive to a domestic location. The logistics of getting a nuke into the hands of al-Qaeda so as to pose a threat to foreigners only are daunting.

For states themselves, nukes are strictly defensive. The North Koreans may bluster, but they know that if they ever lobbed a live one at anyone, the United States would turn Pyongyang into a glowing heap of radioactive dust in an hour. A nuclear armed Iran is not a pleasant prospect. But then, any Iran is not a particularly pleasant prospect under its current regime. Being nuclear armed is not enough worse to start an actual war over.

Iran's claim to have only peaceful intentions for its nuclear program is laughable. They need nuclear power for their economy? They sell gasoline to their citizens for about ten US cents a liter. Not exactly the policy of a country concerned about its energy supplies. On the other hand, we don't have much room to talk. Bush now wants us to develop cars that run on booze. Maybe he'll hire Kate Moss as a consultant.

When we think of Hamas, let's think about IRA

The American press is stressing out over the prospect of Hamas forming the next government of Palestine. Meanwhile, other reports make it appear that the Irish Republican Army is sticking to its agreement to disarm and disavow violence.

One should remember that not long ago, the IRA was committed to removing the last British soldier from Ireland and considered the occupier and their collaborators to be fair game, whether in Ireland or England, and viewed collateral damages to be an acceptable price whether they were men, women, or children. Now they've given that up. Things change.

Think about China. The Chinese Communist Party has come so far down the road to capitalism that they make Wal-Mart look like a social services agency. Things change. Hamas in power is not going to be Hamas in basements packing explosives into vests. This is actually going to make life more difficult for the chauvinist element of Israeli politics, but it shouldn't be a problem for the United States.