Iran is moving ahead with its plans to build nuclear weapons and has already purchased many 36 foot missiles which are long range and can reach most all of Asia and Europe even though they have already proclaimed Israel as their fist target stating they will "blow Israel off the map!" What is unfortunate is now their nuclear weapons creation work is going underground in specially re-enforced bunkers.

And in all of this they are threatening the world with higher oil prices as Iran is the forth largest oil producing country in OPEC. Even though their nation will need the money to fund the military build up they are still making these threats, which could bankrupt their country. Additionally they do not have refining capacity so even if they do not allow the crude out into the market and the price goes thru the roof that means the world oil prices will also affect their economy. Never the less the problem and level of political threats and rhetoric has escalated to a very high level as neither side has blinked as we race towards the brink of war.

The showdown with Iran now continues as we fight the insurgents they have sent into Iraq to destabilize the region and prevent the Iraqis from getting to the freedom and democracy they have waited for and duly earned. Consider all this in 2006.