EDITORIAL: Iran's provocation

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Iran's test fire of nine long-range and medium-range missiles on Wednesday was a shot across the bow. The Iranians are sending a strong signal to both Israel and America that they will not be intimidated by the threat of military action by either nation to abandoning their nuclear ambitions. The limitations of diplomacy and tepid economic sanctions are increasingly apparent to leaders in both Tel Aviv and Washington. The Iranians have only been further emboldened to thumb their nose at the international community.

Gen. Hossein Salami, the Air Force commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, stated that the war exercises are proof of Iranian "resolve and might against enemies" who threaten Iran. "Our hands are always on the trigger and our missiles are ready for launch," he said to Iranian state television. The point was effectively made. The missiles that were showcased have a range which can strike Israel, Turkey, the Arabian peninsula, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The military exercises were conducted at the Strait of Hormuz - which indicates that the Iranians can shut down a waterway through which 40 percent of the world's oil traffic passes. Thus, Iran is ready to both attack its neighbors and to imperil the economies of many nations, if necessary, by holding hostage a good portion of the world's oil supply.

Despite all efforts to contain the Iranian threat through multilateral diplomacy, the Iranian government persists in its nuclear ambitions. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated in her recent trip to Prague: "We face with the Iranians, and so do our allies and friends, a growing missile threat that is getting ever deeper, and where the Iranian appetite for nuclear technology is still unchecked." In an effort to protect our European allies, the Bush administration signed an agreement with the Czech Republic whereby it will host a radar system that will become part of a U.S. missile defense system. This is a good step - but more than just defensive measures are necessary.

In June, Israel conducted a military exercise which was a rehearsal to a potential attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. The maneuver also demonstrated to the United States that the Israeli government may resort to military force if diplomatic efforts continue to fail. The problem, however, is that if Israel strikes Iran, they will need assistance to complete their mission. America will be dragged into the conflict. This will be necessary both to protect our ally and to prevent an economic calamity once Iran retaliates - as it surely will - by strangling the oil supply.

Iran's latest show of force confirms that it is not likely to back down from its current revolutionary trajectory. And Israel cannot afford to wait for Iranian power to grow much larger. This means America is obliged to toughen its stance against Iran now - or be inevitably dragged into an even more difficult situation later.