You say the West has never shown aggression toward Iran??? Well, I was as ignorant as you of history until I visited Iran for 5 weeks a year ago. Perhaps you also didn't know that Iran had an elected president and govt that was deposed by the CIA, who then installed the Shah, so leading to their present regime (thanks, USA!). Or perhaps you know about the arming (incl. materials for chem. weapsons) and support for Saddam Hussein by USA when he invaded Iran, leading to the deaths of millions of Iranians? And yet American and British tourists can travel thru Iran today and get a very friendly reception - amongst the friendliest people in the world. Go there and see, it's a fascinating and friendly country.

I disagree. Iran started causing internal bombings in Iraq and tried to assasinate Iraqi officals which triggered the 8 year war. The Taliban regime with their supersonic donkeys were never a regional threat to Iran. Iran was wise not to meddle with the Russians because moscow was still a superpower from a military perspective. Influencing the shia minorities in the persian Gulf led to many street clashes in bahrain and saudi and occupying three islands from Emirates is a living proof. Iran is pent on destroying Israel make no mistake. Time is running and you should take the initiative while you can along with the US. We feel threatend more than you do in the Gulf. Also, I believe the Iranians already have nuclear heads and the delivery systems. They are inviting a strike by Israel which they can absorb due to their size so they can strike back while still being looked at as a victim by the world and a hero in the middle east. I hope am wrong.

are homicidal, genocidal terrorist Jihadi psychos! I pray for the lovely persians to be deliverd from their evil rulers.

1. Iran ***HAS*** initiated wars of aggression. But it fights them on other people's soil. The Lebanese and Iraqis know this, to their sorrow. So does the Jewish community of Buenos Aries. And the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, strangely enough, never feared Pakistan's nukes, or Israel's, or India's, or the US's, or Russia's; they were okay with that situation. But they are terrified of Iran. 2. Iranian system of "checks and balances" is a fiction. The "Supreme Guide" has no checks and no balances.

Is he out of his mind? Unlike Iran, other countries do not state their desire to wipe a nation off the map. Iran has repeatedly stated such concerning Israel and that diabolical regime is feverishly building the weapons to achieve their goal. This naive dreamer believes Iran should be able to do such due to their "fear" of their neighbors (none of whom have threatened to anniliate them) while Israel should open up their nuclear arsenal to the inspection by countries whom only wish she didn't exist. How unbelievably foolish is he? Doesn't history teach ANYTHING??? Wake-up Zeevi!

He turns logic on it's head when he suggests it is a "Hostile Israel " which is propelling Iran's need for nuclear weapons. It was Iran that broke relations with Israel and has since consistently engaged in unremitting hostility to Israel and a world Jewry which does not submit to their vision of the superiority of Islam. For consideration, Josef Cohen

The problem is that it's NOT the same as the policy of Mutually Assured Destruction that existed between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Khruschev and his successors didn't have an apocalyptic vision which would make them want a nuclear holocaust. It's this psychotic religious view that makes Ahmadinejad more dangerous than the Soviets ever were. Not only that, but if you feel a nuclear exchange between Iran and Israel would be a good idea, I'd suggest you go to Israel, and that way you can have your wet dream from a front row seat..

Logically written, I hope you are wrong.

Poor little Iran! Let's just feel sorry for them and give them a dozen US military nukes and the full capabiliy of delivering them. We wouldn't want them to be scared would we? Any reader who agrees with this twisted opinion from the twisted professor needs to go live in Iran. Go ahead, insult my intellegence some more. UNBELIEVABLE!

With mentality like yours, it's a wonder you ever got out of slavery!

With due respect to th professor , this is somewaht naieve , once Iran develop nuclear weapons, a reversal would be impossibel (which country gave them up), second ,Hizballah war was a first for Iran , and others will be compelled to do so, Egypt Saudi Arabia, , Turkey .

I have to laugh everytime somebody says Iran is Nazi Germany 1938, it's ridiculous. If I were Iranian, I'd want nukes too, to defend myself. We have to put ourselves in their shoes to understand.

well i disagree.you say iran is the problem,but tell me was iran responsible for the displacement of palestinians in 1948,being expelled out of their homes,and having their monuments destroyed.is iran responsible for the illegal settlements of israel in palestine,for stopping palestinians at check points for hours and not having enough water in their homes,while jews have nice lawns?was iran responsible for all the deaths in iraq from this war,plus sanctions that killed millions of kids in iraq?was iran responsible for u.s lying about iraq wmds?was iran using terrorism against the u.s in 1953,when cia overrthrew its democracy and placed a dictator shah?when america and england were taking about 40% iran's oil revenues?was iran responsible all the coups so called "democracy defending" u.s was instigating against democracies and placing dictators.u.s supported terrorists like contras in latin america and taliban in afghanistan in 80's.u.s has been supporting dictators in mid-east and and destrying democracy.it was u.s who overthrew abdul karim kassen in iraq in 1963 and helped saddam hussein's baathists.it was u.s who continues to support israel's occupation of palestinians and of destroying lebanon for years.it is america who got itself in quagmire in iraq.it u.s who used nukes,chemcials,agent orange,and has tested many unknown chemicals on its troops.it was the cia who has conducted many tests on human beings.it was u.s that continues to lie about using depleted uranium.is this all iran's fault smooth stone?is it islam's fault why america has been supporting coups,dictators,terrorists like contras,testing banned weapons and using them,invading nations on lie like vietnam and iraq?is it iran's fault?no i do think so.get your head straight and understand that america is not innocent.wonder why finland,sweden,or czech republic are not attacked?u.s is the problem,not iran.

as a sign of appreciation of your thoughtful article "Iran motivated by fear", in Yediot Ahronot (1/21/2007), and an invitation to look at some related material (e.g. www.solami.com/holygrail.htm): Mohammad Siddiq Mahmoud - the lawyer & poet who, before turning into a leader of the US-betrayed Kurdish uprising of 1991, had served mainly as jester at the court of Saddam in such official functions as agriculture minister, governor of Dohuk and presidential adviser - has destilled his experiences, insights, and visions into a non-partisan appeal to "all Iraqis and their friends at home & abroad". For those who have lost confidence in the free flow of things and wish to take matters into their own hand, I recommend his attached one-pager "Iraqi Peace, Security & Independence" as food for thought (it is also available on my subsite: www.solami.com/opinions1.doc and is currently translated into Arabic and Kurdish; these versions will also be available in doc format .../opinions2.doc). To be sure, there are some who have their doubts on the timeliness of any related initiative while the clothless Emperor is still in power and - though ever less but still - continues to draw applause for his pretended-to-be nice cloths. Who see the Piper of Hamelin still very very active - and up to no good. And there are those who, moreover, have not forgotten Siddiq's still unresolved 1996 arrest at the Geneva airport "for deportation to Baghdad" (sic!) by zealous Swiss handymen (nota bene while in possession of a valid Swiss visa). Who have not since seen much evidence either of Switzerland's "independence of all foreign influence", i.e. its neutrality credo, to be competently and reliably practiced. And thus who still have to be convinced that, in the future, Swiss foreign policy - apparently driven in part by some officials of the Federal police acting as local vassals - will no longer be part of Iraq's problems and will in fact again be in the vanguard of the search for road-holding diplomatic solutions, e.g. by heeding Siddiq's proposal of a well-prepared new Lausanne Conference à la 1923. Salve! Iconoclast

You must be pulling out your facts out of your Tukhus . Iran has a pact with Germany ?!! Iran was one the countries that was giving Iranian passports to French Jews to save them from death. I wont go through the rest of your Hasbra job since I don't want to embarrass you more.

Gee Iran has insisted that it was pursuing its nuclear program for “peaceful” purposes. What’s does it fear, that it will run out of oil? Iran should be afraid, Ahmadinejad and his threats toward Israel and other countries makes him a world wide menace.

I praise Prof. Zeevi's bold ideas. However, I fear that his suggestions will go the same way most bold ideas go, meaning: slayed by reality. Kind regards from Switzerland

President Ahmadinejad of the country of Iran. He truely Hates Israel and the United States. And for that matter anyone who is not Islamic. Yes he wants nuclear bombs and rockets. He is a man to be take very serious. He is the modern day Dragon the Serpent. He well in time Ahmadinejad meet his maker. All who have Wisdom and can discern Evil. Already know this Dragon well play his part in the end time. And Admadinejad well meet his master in his home. Incusbus has a special place seat aside for Ahmadinejad.

Irans President Ahmadinejad, swears to destroy israel, denies the holocaust, is hurting israel by supplying hezbolla with cash and arms... frankly, islamic extremism welcomes death as a price to pay for its jihadist views. So fear or no fear..... they may just strike israel with a big BOMB in the name of ALLAH. They will then do their best to fight of an israeli counter attack. If the internal politics doesnt remove the mad man running the country, all the analysis wont prevent an attack by israel and its allies..... no coincidence that USA, the worlds largest importer of middle eastern oil, in his state of the union speech, aims to reduce imports from that region , by 75% within 10years. The US smells trouble, and if it reduces its only dependency on the region, i.e. oil, it can act without major economic concerns. Israel, welcomes peace with its neighbours, but clearly recognizes that survival is the key.... The rise of characters like Avigdor lieberman testify to this current in the israeli ciew of play hard and survive... Opening israel nuclear weopens to world eyes, is not a clever idea. One only has to remember the run around sadaam gave the inspectors for years. Iran...will be a similar story.