Today Juan Cole said:

"Iran is a poor weak third world country and poses no threat to the US. It hasn't aggressively invaded another country for over a century."

Iran is not poor and it is not weak. Iran threatens the US every day verbally and in every other way it can manage. Moreover, it is dedicated to the destruction of Israel, an idea which itself has been seen by every US government as a direct threat to its own interest. Iran is known for proxy wars, international terrorist attacks and assassinations. It has military and paramilitary capabilities that it cultivates and exports wherever possible and is an admitted advocate of suicide operations.

The US has no greater enemy than the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Iran is indeed the logical successor to the former Soviet Union as the world's chief US antagonist. In its propaganda Iran refers to the US every day as its enemy and as the Great Satan. Military analysts have said a US attack on Iran would have disastrous consequences for the US. Is this the profile of a "weak" country, or of one that poses no threat to the US? I'm not advocating war with Iran, but it should be seen as it is.

In context, Cole was trying to make a case for the impeachment of Dick Cheney, and he did make some good points.

Comments on Iran's economic situation and the nature of the threat it poses to the world were published here today by Amir Taheri.