International lawyer wrote that "Short of an actual armed attack having taken place, or an armed attack which we may reasonably anticipate will take place in the immediate future, an attack by Israel on Iran would be illegal. " This is correct, the unresolved legal questions are (a) what constitutes a credible threat of attack and (b) how immediate is immediate? Clearly, a compelling argument can be made that Iran's continuing public threats to erase Israel from the map coupled with its existing long range missiles and the imminent development of nuclear warheads are sufficient grounds for Israel to invoke the UN Charters right to self-defense. I would question the competence of any international lawyer who lacks the capacity for such simple "mental gymnastics." It's a no brainer: once Iran is capable of assembling a "dirty" atomic bomb, Israel SHOULD attack..

The IAEA has reported it can find no evidence that Iran is trying to create weapons grade uranium or plutonium. At the same time, everyone knows Israel possesses hundreds of nuclear warheads and missiles. If Iran had a weapon, they would be crazy to attack Israel. Israel would retaliate and turn Iran into a green glass parking lot. Also Israel is very adroit at mistranslating what Iranian leaders have said. What they said was "History will erase the present regime in Jerusalem from the sands of time." Not the map. Also, Iran has signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Israel refuses to sign it. I think anyone who thinks it's just fine to attack another country is criminally insane! Here's an example: Suppose I find out my neighbor has acquired a rifle. I know he hates me. But, I can't sneak over there in the middle of the night and kill him and his family and call it "proactive" self-defense! I would be arrested and tried for murder and rightfully so! Now, if he comes to my house and tries to kill me, I certainly have the right to defend myself. Under international law, countries pretty much have to treat each other the same way people have to treat each other. One last point: Iran has not attacked another country in about 300 years.

"If you neighbour starts collecting weapons AND makes public promises to wipe you&you family from the face of the earth AND the police say "sorry, no shots were fired yet" ... Except that you forgot to mention that you have rocket propelled grenade launchers pointing at his house and now you find out he may be trying to acquire one himself. So your solution is to fire bomb his house ... as a precautionary measure.

If someone says to you that they will kill you and you then draw your revolver and shoot them in the head, I'm reasonably sure that even in Texas you're going to go to jail for a very long time.

The IAEA report you cite was not internal IAEA work but intel submited by Countries such as the USA and Israel. You want to talk human rights violations what about the Israeli government admitting to the harvest and sale of organs until the mid 80's? What about the displacement, murder and imprisonment of the people of Palestine? The RELIGIOUS leader in Iran has said some hateful things. The political leaders have not unless you want to misquote Ahmadinejad as so many do with the "wipe isreal off the map quote" which is not what he said but is simply warmongering propaganda. Iran is trapped in a corner but western armed forces and we keep banging on shields and making threats it is not hard to understand why they are being vocal about fighting back they do not want a war unlike you.

He is a horrible example of a human being. He beat his first wife so badly that she was hospitalized. Fact. Look it up. Then, strangely, she was found dead in the river under the Brooklyn Bridge. Many police believe he murdered her a dumped the body there. Google it.

He is not only blatantly being dishonest, but he is using his color and authority as a licensed lawyer in Massachusetts to do it. What cases/work/publications has Mr. Dershowitz had to be bestowed "world foremost legal expert". That is a joke. Plus, everyone here who says Iran said "Israel should be wiped from the map" is lying and doesn't know the difference between overthrowing a Zionist government and calling for Jewish genocide. Shame.

No need for your interpretation as apologist for Iran.

Iran provides tactical and logistical support for the Hamas in Gaza. The Hamas have physically attacked southern Israel on a regular basis. Israel has legal justification for military action. I challenge 1,2,6 and friends to admit this is correct.