SDAI-Tech1 said:

>Only idiots contemplate nuking Israel. This new guy is just
>another power hungry politician who uses religion and
>hatred to augment his power. Hate is a powerful tool. Using
>hate to solidify your support and weaken that of your opponent
>is an age-old tactic. He's no more eager to die than anyone else.
>This is just an obligatory power consolidation rant - to keep the
>illiterates all fired up as he sweeps out some of their rights. This
>he must do to appease the religious folks who want more power
>as well and who helped bring about his victory.
>
>Religion, power and ignorance. The triangle can't stand if any of
>the sides are absent.

SDAI-Tech1 shows a good understanding of theocracy and I agree with what he wrote. There is however an additional subtlety. When a politician bases an ideology upon hatred he is essentially summoning a daemon. As any reader of fantasy knows, one never summons a daemon unless he knows the "spell of dismissal". The Iran mullahs have indeed summoned a daemon in the form of hatred for the west and Israel but I strongly suspect they do not know the spell of dismissal. Just as Gen. Musharraf of Pakistan lost control of A.Q. Khan who engaged in independent nuclear proliferation, I fear there will be analogous misbehavior in Iran (probably much worse). Iran is a nation ruled by relgious fanatics. I find it very difficult to believe that they will behave responsibly when they've acquired nuclear ballistic missile technology.

Gary