Iran is not a nuclear threat, really?

This R&R is a comment I made regarding an editorial written by NY Times columnist, Helene Cooper:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/08/us/politics/08web-cooper.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/C/Cooper,%20Helene

No matter what has been happening in Iran as far as their nuclear ambitions, they are a clear and present danger and must be kept under watchful eye by this government and others as well. In fact all radical islamic regimes are suspect when it comes to this country’s national security as was evidenced by 9/11 here, the tube terrorism in England and the attacks in Spain, Indonesia, ad infinitum. With the possible exception of the United States, and I say this with a sense of cheeky humor, radicalized arab nations pose the single greatest threat to all peace-loving sovereign nations. But because of OIL, we are overly careful in asserting our higher principles of equality for all, preferring to instead offer up our more noble and higher principles of the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for political and economic expediency. If we pull ahead in the world in the development of alternative energy sources, we will be the ones all nations will turn to for their energy needs. We will be the new middle east.

Nothing that happens on the democratic or republican side will act as a watershed moment in this political season. Most people have already made up their minds along party lines. I can not imagine any one candidate from either party offering enough substance that is a departure from the usual rhetoric to sway that much opinion. We are a stubborn people propelled into action through a crisis management mentality rather than proactive considerations. I hope all of you do your homework like I am doing; for the first time I feel engaged and compelled to learn about ALL the candidates in both parties.