Tick tick tick.

In general, I think the nuttiness of the Islamic Republic is overstated—they generally comport themselves like most rational state actors. However, their rationality has led them to believe that aggression, particularly through proxy terrorism, is rewarding. Consequently, they’re one of the more destabilizing forces in the region. And having the relative feeling of invulnerability that nukes provide isn’t going to make them any more demure. And of course, Ayatollâh Rafsanjânî once said

If a day comes when the world of Islam is duly equipped with the arms Israel has in possession, the strategy of colonialism would face a stalemate because application of an atomic bomb would not leave any thing in Israel but the same thing would just produce damages in the Muslim world. [Tehran, Friday sermon, 14 December 2001]

Of course “the world of Islam” has had nukes for some time in the state of Pakistan without much problems for Israel (though not insignificant ones for India), but given that ideologically, the Islamic Republic is the vanguard of a pan-Islamic state, its leaders might believe that nuking Israel, whatever the price, is a “win” in their book, and whatever “damages” they take to be rationally justifiable costs.

St. Norbert the Peacemaker, ora pro nobis.

Confucius, Œc. Vol.

Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu.