"I think we're going to blow them up."

"When asked what he envisaged would be the Bush administration's eventual answer to Iran's nuclear facilities, John Pike, president of the noted Washington-area defense think-tank Global Security, told Asia Times Online, "I think we're going to blow them up." He added that he believed the effort would be some time before the 2006 US elections."

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it"?

During this past election cycle when befuddled friends and family asked me why on Earth was an educated social worker like myself voting for George W. Bush I usually answered, "Because I think he'll kill more Arabs than Kerry."

Now if you're still reading this, I'll explain why I would say such a thing and how some of my thinking has changed since I first uttered that phrase. Prior to the Iraqi war, I was of the belief that the Arab/Persian/Muslim world could not be reasoned with under any circumstances and it was only a matter of time before the Arabs ET. Al. had the bomb, which they would then give to any number of terrorist organizations. I felt that the governments of Arab ET. Al. nations were not serious in their commitment to the "War on Terror" and would continue to play the terrorist organizations against the Western World until the true nature of Wahhabism revealed itself in the form of a nuclear attack on US soil. Looking at the two candidates at the time, I felt that the Bush administration would be the safest bet to take the fight to the Arab ET. Al. doorstep rather than a potential Kerry administration. I was of the belief that there could never be a reform movement in the Muslim world and the only language the terrorists, the Mullahs and the Arab leaders understood was "shock and awe". In short, I thought Bush would kill more Arabs than Kerry would.

Over time I read lots of books and watched lots of news and slowly but surely it dawned on me that more than likely, the Bush administration would not take the fighting any further than Iraq. My father has taken great joy in pointing out that my main reason for voting for Bush had been betrayed...well there's still gay marriage but that's another column for another day.

In all seriousness, one of the issues that has made me a bit more reserved in my desire for all out war with the Middle East is a strong pro-democracy movement in Iran. The more I read about Iranian dissidents challenging the legitimacy of the Mullahs and specifically Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the more I wish for them to remain living rather than annihilated by one of our nuclear weapons. Couple that with strategic, economic and military cooperation with both China and Russia and you've got the makings of a real World War III. That's some potential Axis Powers we'd be facing. Not to mention the wrath of Syria, Egypt and Pakistan, our most important ally in the war in Central Asia against Al Qaeda. Our ally's would be Israel, Britain and Australia...and that's about it.

Now with reports that the Bush Administration is war-gaming an invasion of Iran and the above quote in the Asian Times, I'm starting to think that they might just be brazen enough to try this stunt. Suddenly I'm not so excited about that prospect.

I'm looking at the writing on the wall and thinking to myself, "What have we done?" It could be that starting a war with Iran before they have the "Arab Bomb" is tactical and worth the risk of dragging China and Russia into an even bigger war. If we do attack Iran, most assuredly we would be at war with Syria and Lebanon almost immediately. If there is truly hostile intent emanating from Iran then maybe instigating a war is the safest choice of action for us. But still, I can't get the image of Berkley-like Iranian teenagers demanding freedom and democracy and instead getting a mouth full of MOAB (mother of all bombs) for their troubles.

It's not fair. For the first time since 9/11 I'm seeing the complexities of the Arab/Persian/Muslim world and realizing that there has to be a middle road somewhere between protecting the US from the "Arab bomb" and reducing Tehran to Hiroshima.

Is it too much to ask for the Iranian people to learn a lesson from Ghandi and just strike until the Mullahs are embarrassed out of power?