So, should we be nice to Iran?

I do hope you realise that the question is a rhetorical one. The article linked to below has a great (mocked-up) picture of Ahmanedinejad blowing out a mushroom-shaped smoke "ring". We almost don't need the article that follows. Still, Henry Kopel (who is a counter-terrorism prosecutor with the US Department of Justice in Connecticut) does a good job of explaining why the question really is a rhetorical, not to say stupid, one in the first place. He convincingly shows why sanctions are needed and why the rest of the world should not hold back from calling Iran to account not to say its bluff. He pulls together the threads that numerous other commentators have provided, to reach that conclusion.

It's a two page article, and well worth your time and trouble. You'll find it here.

By Brian Goldfarb.