Iran's missile test

The Iranian regime is showing us "its true face once again," said Michael van der Galien in PoliGazette. Right after the world learned that Western intelligence sources had uncovered a secret nuclear facility in Iran, the "the Mad Mullahs decided to test some brand new missiles." President Obama is still talking sanctions and talks instead of force—but some day "even pacifist leftists" will understand that "this is not a regime to be reasoned with."

The middle-range missile test wasn't "directly related to Iran's nuclear weapons program," said Walter Pincus and Karen De Young in The Washington Post, and it was planned before President Obama and the European leaders disclosed the findings on Iran's secret uranium enrichment facility on Friday. But, ahead of talks with Western leaders this week, Tehran is clearly using this military drill "to underscore its rejection of international efforts to halt its nuclear program, which it contends is intended for the peaceful production of electricity." (read an Iranian general's statement, calling the test a message to "arrogant" nations)

This could prove to be like the Cuban missile crisis—only in slow motion, said Joe Gandelman in The Moderate Voice. If so, the question is whether the U.S., Israel, "and other interested and fearful countries" are willing to go beyond ramping up the rhetoric to bring Tehran in line. "It looks as if Iran believes they won’t."

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