Never again until tomorrow

The Jerusalem Newswire Service is carrying a report on statements issued by Iranian Ayatollah, Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani:

Two-times former Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani said earlier this month that the Muslim world would win a nuclear exchange with Israel, aggravating fears Tehran's quest for atomic weapons indeed has one purpose: the annihilation of what it calls the Zionist “cancer.”

“[The] application of an atomic bomb would not leave anything in Israel - but the same thing would just produce damages in the Muslim world,” Hashemi-Rafsanjani was quoted as saying by the government-controlled Iran Press Service.

The spiritual leader, who wields ultimate power in Iran, made the comments during a prayer service in Tehran. It was the first time an Islamic leader of such prominence openly suggested a nuclear attack against the Jewish state, media analysts told the IPS. Iran has been pursuing atomic weapons in defiance of international demands.

Now we know the nature of the homily that an Ayatollah preaches in the mosque. But not to worry because those butt kicking European Union thinkers are busy contemplating a way to kick Mullah butt in the 2006 World Cup Soccer Tournament:

But neither Israel nor the US are keen to utilize military force in order to thwart Iran's destructive intentions, and have therefore turned to Europe, which enjoys amicable ties with Tehran, to diplomatically resolve the issue. European officials vowed to deal with Iran's worrying behavior at a European Union summit that opened in Brussels Thursday, warning that the continent's patience with Tehran is wearing thin. However, the most serious punitive diplomatic measure being discussed is Iran's exclusion from the 2006 World Cup soccer tournament scheduled to take place in Germany next summer.

While the comments are disturbing in their own right, they represent nothing new under the Iranian sun. The element that I find truly disturbing of this news piece is a report alluded to that was published by the US Army College and quoted in the article:

Meanwhile, a report published by the US Army War College this week said neither military nor diplomatic efforts were going to stop Iran's nuclear weapons program. Entitled “Getting Ready for a Nuclear-Ready Iran”, the report pointed out that “given Iran's extensive nuclear know-how and capabilities, it is unlikely that the United States or its allies can deny Iran the technical ability to covertly make nuclear weapons.”

The authors instead suggested that Israel try to set an example by first dismantling its nuclear capabilities. They admitted, however, that Iran would likely not follow suit, leaving Israel without a deterrent in the crosshairs of a regime with both the desire and the means to annihilate the Jewish state.

I never would have expected this from any report published by the US Army College. Silly me, I thought the whole lay down and die damn Jew theme ended at the gates of Auschwitz but I guess that there is truly nothing new under the sun.