Good post BP.

I shan't repeat my views on Iran here, only to say that if I was Iranian rather than just married to one I too would want nuclear weapons. I would observe that there was a hostile nuclear armed power with a history of flouting international law to the west (thats Israel not the US forces in Iraq), a profoundly unstable nuclear armed power to the east, (Pakistan, and don't imagine for a moment that the Iranians like the taliban style of government, they gave considerable assistance against afghanistan when the taliban were in power) and a member of a nuclear armed military alliance with powerful conventional forces to the north east (yeah, you and I know Turkey isn't a threat but the Iranians are genuinely scared of them. Not sure why but suspect Kurds will be involved.)

I'd also observe that even genuinely very dangerous members of the axis of evil are left alone once then demonstrate they have nukes.

Its a no-brainer.

Honestly, Team America, Iran is NOT what you have to worry about. They are a functioning state under central control, they are not stupid, and they may be theocratic but not in a back to the dark ages way. They have too much to lose every to use a nuke.

Pakistan, on the other hand...