There is so much smoke around the Iranian Mullahs’ bomb that makes Tehran’s smog feel like a fresh ocean breeze, by comparison. Here is a partial list of views about the Mullahs, their capabilities and intentions about the bomb affair.

The Mullahs: * Will never dare to use the bomb, even if they had it. To do so would be suicidal. * Are years away from anything resembling a credible bomb, in any quantities. * They lack the technological skills needed to make a workable bomb. * Don’t have the means of hitting Israel with the bomb, their professed favorite target. * Want the bomb for defensive purposes only. * Would never hand the bomb over to proxy terrorists. * Are using this whole bomb thing as a ploy to rally the populace and survive. * Are visionary patriots planning for a future when the oil dries up. * Are environmentalists aiming to curb global warming caused by the use of fossil fuel. * Are striving to join the nuclear club for its prestige.

When people hear the word “insanity,” they conjure up the image of someone out of touch with reality and out of control; a dysfunctional person fit to be tied. Yet, insanity comes in numerous types as well as degrees. It is also widely prevalent in groups, even in nations as a whole. One common and troubling form of insanity is, “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” warned Albert Einstein. When individuals make mistakes, the consequences are limited. But when nations make mistakes, the results can be catastrophic. It is disheartening to see the world’s best hope for freedom and democracy, the United States of America, repeatedly making the same mistake at crucial junctures. Once again, America is at a critical point and facing troubles in several hotspots of the world. A particularly dangerous threat is gathering momentum in the greater Middle East.

There is no shortage of proposals regarding what to do about the present Iran conundrum. Some proposals are authored by experts such as Henry Kissinger, while others are put forward by a variety of lesser luminaries. I am one of the lesser luminaries. I have been observing and worrying about my country of birth, Iran, ever since a gang of murderous Mullahs and their functionaries assumed power. To my infinite regret and the regret of millions of Iranians, the situation in Iran under the fascist rule of Mullahs is rapidly deteriorating in every respect. The Iranians, historically among the most civilized and tolerant of mankind's peoples, are now viewed as the base recruits of a primitive seventh century barbaric campaign of Islamofascism. Iran, under the stranglehold and machinations of the Mullahs, has been transformed, in less than three decades, to the lead perpetrator of all that is abhorrent to humanity. {C}

Slavery, making one human the property of another, was widely practiced in the past by many societies. Regrettably, even in the 21st Century, the horrid practice continues in certain areas, most notably among Muslims. Islam’s genesis was the Arabian peninsula of the seventh century AD, known for its primitive beliefs and savage practices. So, it is of no surprise that Islam incorporated slavery and much of the ethos of the culture of its birthplace.

Is discussing slavery beating a dead horse? Regrettably, it is not. The Anti-Slavery Society has documented numerous contemporary instances, most of them from Islamic countries. The repugnant practice of slavery presents a real threat to human dignity as Islamic fundamentalism is surging. The Islamic law—the Shariah—is based on the provisions of the Quran.

True Iranians have remained friends of the Jews by both belief as well as deeds

Is there anyone left in the world that does not know the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, hates the Jews? Just as he welcomed representatives of an extremist branch of Orthodox Judaism to his conference denying the Holocaust, we are reminded that the Nazis, whenever possible, used leaders in the Jewish community to facilitate the deportation of Jews to the death camps.

Nearly complete results from two important elections of 16 December 2006 in Iran reflect the defiant mood of the Iranians and their determination to work toward "regime change." Ahamadinejad and his camp suffered a decisive setback. Candidates of a clerical coalition of conservatives and reformers are poised to trounce those of Ahmadinejad's in both the Municipal Councils as well the Assembly of Experts in charge of selecting the country's supreme guide. The great majority of the people of Iran are disillusioned and even disgusted by the incompetent, oppressive, and corrupt rule of the mullahs, irrespective of which gang is in power. The votes, more than anything else are protest ballots cast against the entire system, rather than indications of support for the so-called conservative-moderate coalition.