No one is stopping Iran. The United Nations has applied sanctions, but the Iranians are not paying much attention. One of those responsible for stopping Iran, Mohammed El-Baradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports that a recent
There is a strong case for Israel and the US to act to stop Iran.
inspection shows that Iran had thirteen-hundred centrifuges working in "cascades."
This means that Iran has, in effect, solved the major technical problem involved in enriching uranium. And they may well already have, and most certainly soon will have, enough enriched uranium to produce nuclear weapons.
This has happened in part because of the irresponsibility of the UN. Both Baradei and his predecessor, Hans Blix, ignored Iranian illegal activities and tried to explain them away. Even more importantly, this is now happening under the watch of a US President who is certainly aware of the magnitude of the Iranian threat.
One of the world's major journalists, an expert on the Iranian regime, Kenneth Timmerman, writes in Frontpage.com:
"The real blame lies right here in Washington with our government, and especially, with our CIA and our State Department. With Porter Goss gone, the CIA has returned to a delicious slumber when it comes to Iran. And they have been led back to Dreamland by their overseers at the Director of National Intelligence, whose brilliant analysts - many of whom are proud alumni of the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research - concluded last year that Iran would not succeed in building a nuclear weapon until 'early to mid- next decade.'"
Timmerman puts the onus of responsibility on Washington, but it is Israel that is existentially most threatened by a nuclear Iran. Unfortunately, Israel now has a Prime Minister whose only proven skill is in manipulating events for his own political survival. His poor performance during the Second Lebanese War, his indecisive handling of the rocket attacks from Gaza on Sderot do not suggest that he has the kind of determination and savvy, or the leadership ability, to contend with the Iranian threat.
US President George Bush has pushed for and succeeded in obtaining economic sanctions against Iran. But the diplomatic activity has not done the job to this point. Timmerman believes the way to act now is to push for an overthrow of the regime in Tehran:
"The United States must dramatically ramp up the economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on Tehran if it wants to have any impact at all on this regime's behavior. It's time now to talk about an international trade embargo, and an international investment embargo. It's time to talk about banning Iranian leaders from international travel. More than anything, it's time to get serious about helping the pro-democracy movement inside Iran. The one thing the regime truly fears is that the West will help spark a 'velvet revolution' in Iran."
This strategy might well seem a wise one for those who can afford to wait a few years until Iran's missiles are capable of reaching the continental United States. But even for the United States, a nuclear Iran threatens many of its vital interests and allies now.
Military historian Edward Luttwak sees Iran largely as a paper tiger.
So, there is also a strong case for not only Israel, but for the US, to act to stop Iran now.

Among others, the military historian Edward Luttwak sees Iran largely as a paper tiger, militarily. This suggests an Iranian counter-strike might not be as bad as many think. However, as the brunt of Iran's response will be directed against Israel, Israeli leaders have to consider whether the damage that might be caused by Iranian, Syrian and Hizbullah missile strikes against the country at this stage is worth absorbing, in the course of preventing a nuclear threat that might cause unimaginably greater damage in the future.