Israel: Between Scylla and Charybdis

Every morning I wake up, I'm surprised Israel hasn't turned Iran into glass. How long can you tolerate someone threatening to push you into the ocean or obliterate your nation before you smash them in the nose and tell them to "shut up"?

For years the madman of the Middle East, manic Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, president of Iran, has threatened Israel with such carnage. Until a couple years ago, he packed no more bite than a rabid mosquito. Now, with the help of mother Russia to the north, the Persian pecan has nuclear weapons very nearly ready to go. Perhaps Kim Jong Il, Ahmadinejad's muy loco counterpart on the Pacific rim, ops tested the very same weapons vehicle the Irani military has in its possession. Perhaps it is ready to go.

Regardless, Israel faces a very real sunrise tomorrow morning of the nuclear variety. When will she decimate those stockpiles as she did Iraq's and Syria's?

But then there is the enemy at her back. That would be world opinion. Should Israel waylay Iran, the outcry from Russia, China, France, and the rest of the usual suspects would make the earth tremble, and considering how President Obama has cozied up with Chavez, made overtones to Castro, and capitulated to Kim Jong (Mr. Il?), I don't 'spect he's going to be siding any time soon with Israel.

For years, the US and Israel stood astride world opinion not really caring much what Russia or China thought because they were totalitarian regimes that put their own people in gulags and really did torture their own for punitive reasons. The only nation that gave their people a real vote, Israel became our staunchest ally for freedom in the Middle East. We became the only ally Israel could rely upon. With the new administration, that alliance sadly seems tenuous at best.

So what is Israel to do? Do they strike Iran and risk the fallout from the rest of the world? Or do they appease world opinion in hopes that someone might restrain Iran and risk getting nuked before they have time get to the Western Wall?

Something's gotta give.