The United States shared some intel with the United Nation’s International Atomic Energy Agency in hopes of getting someone to see the truth - Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon:

Shared in the past two weeks was material on a laptop computer reportedly smuggled out of Iran, said another diplomat, accredited to the IAEA. In 2005, U.S. intelligence assessed that information as indicating that Tehran had been working on details of nuclear weapons, including missile trajectories and ideal altitudes for exploding warheads.

He said that after declassification, U.S. intelligence also was forwarded on two other issues—the “Green Salt Project”—a plan the U.S. alleges links diverse components of a nuclear weapons program, including uranium enrichment, high explosives testing and a missile re-entry vehicle, and material in Iran’s possession showing how to mold uranium metal into warhead form.

While it is easy to dismiss US intel following the whole WMDs in Iraq misfire, there are other things that point to this being the case, including:

Iran is under two sets of U.N. Security Council sanctions for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment, which it started developing during nearly two decades of covert nuclear activity built on illicit purchases and revealed only five years ago.

Since then, IAEA experts have uncovered activities, experiments and blueprints and materials that point to possible efforts by Iran to create nuclear weapons, even though Tehran insists its nuclear project is peaceful and aimed only at creating a large-scale enrichment facility to make reactor fuel. Its leaders consistently dismiss allegations that they are interested in enrichment for its other use—creating fissile material suitable for arming warheads.

Instead of heeding Security Council demands to freeze enrichment, Iran has expanded its program. On Wednesday, diplomats told the AP that its new generation of advanced centrifuges have begun processing small quantities of the gas that can be used to make the fissile core of nuclear warheads.

There are those that will claim we are just building a case to go to war with Iran. But making that case dismisses the actions of the Iranian leadership in the same fashion that absolves Saddam of any responsibility on his part. Look at their actions, and read the words of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad:

• “There is no doubt that the new wave (of attacks) in Palestine will wipe off this stigma (Israel) from the face of the Islamic world, … The World without Zionism.”
• “As the Imam said, Israel must be wiped off the map,”
• “Do the removal of Israel before it is too late and save yourself from the fury of regional nations,”
• “Anybody who recognizes Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation’s fury,”
• “Iran is ready to transfer nuclear know-how to the Islamic countries due to their need.”

He is not only threatening Israel, but any country that recognizes Israel. It reminds me of a quote by someone who was considered a paranoid warmonger.

Winston Churchill said:

One ought never to turn one’s back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. Never run away from anything. Never!

I think Winston understands the threat better than most today.