IRAN VS. THE WORLD

Here is the latest AP story on Iran (via the Washington Times). It appears that the Iranians are playing for time.

The New York Times has this on the upcoming meeting of diplomats in London to "jaw-jaw" about the Iranian situation.

Meanwhile, the Iranians are busy planning a conference on the Holocaust (via Breitbart.com). They would probably refer to it as the "so-called Holocaust".

Christopher Dickey of Newsweek gives a more detailed account of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) efforts to get the Iranians to come clean about their nuclear program. Dickey wants the U.S., E.U. and others to slow down the process to allow the IAEA to generate a complete report in March. He believes it will be a damning report, and it will have more credibility with the international community than any pronouncements by Secretary Rice. He is probably right about that, but his closing comments reflect too much confidence in the efficacy of sanction (which, he writes, will be the subject of his next column).

Tony Blankley lays out the case for why a nuclear Iran is something to be feared.

The pace of events is quickening. Expect the Iranians to continue to play for more time. The IAEA report should be a significant addition to the process. If Dickey is right and it is a damning report, referral to the Security Council for action would seem inevitable. Beyond that, events are hard to predict. The Iranians have made threatening statements about their possible reaction to sanctions imposed by the Security Council, but it is not at all clear that such sanctions would pass. It is likely that any truly vigorous sanctions would either fail to get the necessary votes on the Council, or would be vetoed by one of the Permanent Members.