Step one is pretty much what we're doing now. Applying diplomatic pressure. We're at the very beginning of a diplomatic and U.N. process that started after the first Gulf War with Iraq. After a number of years, it became obvious that that wouldn't work. I suspect it won't work on Iran either, but it has to be tried.

Step Two is encouraging the Iranian population to resist. The mullahs are a lot more vulnerable than Saddam was. Unions in Iran are setting themselves in opposition to the leadership. It's possible that Iran needs military action a lot less than it needs a Lech Walesa.

We also need much better intelligence. Are the nuclear facilities vulnerable to precision strikes or not? I've seen credible arguments both ways. A solid analysis of this would give us a better idea what our options are.

And of course, nobody knows what Israel, the prime target, is going to do.