Excerpted from: ERRI DAILY INTELLIGENCE REPORT, Sunday, April 16, 2006, Vol. 12, No. 106

CHICAGO, IL: We find it extremely interesting to watch Iran line up terrorist allies (and nations) to assist them in the event that either the United Nations or any country (or coalition of countries) decides to take action to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. In the history of the world, it isn't often that a country seems so confident of it's position that it carries out a public campaign using such confrontational rhetoric and undertaking such overt actions.

Either the Ayatollahs in Iran think that they are so powerful that they can publicly "bully" the United Nations into taking no action, or they have already lined up the necessary allies to thwart any potential sanctions there. Perhaps it has something to do with the large chunks of oil money that is being spent to buy weapons systems and support from Russia and China...and their influence at the United Nations. Or, "C"...all of the above, choices may be true.

Certainly, Iran has clearly shown that they believe that the United States and her allies are so heavily engaged in Iraq that they would not be able to move to interdict Iran from development of the "Islamic Bomb." That said, what other country in the world would lead an effort to stop Iran from further nuclear enrichment and eventually building a nuclear device? The answer is discouraging and dangerous...probably none.

Furthermore...once Iran has shown that they have a "working nuclear device," (probably by conducting a "public" test) can the world expect this provocative rhetoric to decrease? We would think not, and would respectfully suggest that a nuclear Iran would become even more verbose and their demands and their aggressive diplomacy will continue to escalate.

Thus, the apocalyptic chess game continues as much of the world watches and cowers. A country with what was once considered a "third-rate" military assumes a world leadership role as the vanguard of a movement to development a world-wide caliphate with the Iranian mullahs in a major leadership role. Many, if not all, of the Sunni factions will then fall into line as they "see the power of Iran," and decide that joining them (rather than fighting them) will result in the reemergence of Islam...and voila...you have the makings of either a truly world-wide war, or capitulation to the Ahmadinejads' of the world. Either option is unacceptable to those of us who love freedom and democracy.

Resolution of this problem must come sooner than later. While negotiations would be the preferable solution, it is also becoming less likely of success as Iran gains strength. Inaction is unacceptable and capitulation is unthinkable. No one wants another conflict in this world, but unless the world wakes up to the reality of this Iranian plan...their strategy will come to pass. The world community, collectively, must make a rational choice and decide what to do about a militant Iran...and do it now.

[This analysis is the editorial opinion of ERRI/EmergencyNet News. We would welcome rational and reasonable opposing viewpoints and consider them for publication in future editions of EmergencyNet News. Please feel free send your comments, criticism, or analysis to: webmaster@mail.emergency.com]