It's More Than Just Israel: Iran's Threat To America

Given the current conflict between Israel and Iran-supported Hezbollah, along with Iran's Ahmadinejad openly wishing to destroy Israel, many Americans likely believe that Iran's key grievance remains the Jewish state.

But while the Mullahs' threat to Israel is very real, it would be highly erroneous to assume Iran has limited its ambitions to the Middle East. Indeed, from firsthand reports from Americans who traveled to Iran, its primary target is none other than the United States. Iran has long declared this - they call America the "Great Satan" and Israel only the "Little Satan" - but largely it has been dismissed as mere rhetoric.

Plenty of evidence has arisen, however, that Iran takes these words very seriously. Ahmadinejad has supported Iraqi terrorist insurgents against American troops, and has taunted Americans at home both economically and militarily.

Furthermore, in an additional escalation, (as hinted in the previous post) Iran's government has been actively propagandizing its people against the U.S. Recently at a private Israel-support event, I met several archaeologists who had just returned from Iran on a search for the current whereabouts of Noah's Ark. This group had traveled through several Iranian cities, and were able to glimpse a much more authentic view of the nation than the typical polished image fed to Western media. And what the group saw was this: pure unadulterated government hate for America.

All over town centers, official signs and billboards proclaimed "Death to America" and similar slogans. The archaeologists saw virtually nothing directed at Israel, but plenty of large anti-U.S. images such as the Statue of Liberty with a skull for its face. Almost everywhere, the government seemed to blame America, President Bush, and Western freedom/capitalism for the ills of the world.

Most Americans know very little about the extent of this hatred, but it is the absolute genuine face of the Iranian leadership. Ahmadinejad is not simply a nut and his anti-American rhetoric no mere hyperbole. This man and his government seriously intend to defeat the United States, and they clearly believe they can do so.

To stop him, America must absolutely take Iran's intentions at face value and respond accordingly. This means one thing: Under no circumstances can we allow them to develop nuclear weapons. Unlike the Cold War-era Soviet Union (and even North Korea today), Iran likely will hardly hesitate to use them. This cannot whatsoever be permitted to occur.

No more dillydallying. No more accepting Iran's own timetable. Now is the time to act. Iran must be stopped.

I can't wait to see one of these in Ahmadinejad's front yard:

(photo of American flag missing)

(Yep, it's a 6.65-acre floral flag. Photo credit: Bill Morson and Lompoc.com. Hat Tip: Rabbi Shea Hecht)