Something more to worry about

I generally find it extremely worrisome that the IAEA has abased itself before Iran, and has done so with European support. I find it especially worrisome with Iran's president iterating and reiterating that Israel should be wiped off the map, which is the kind of threat you'd here from a country confident that, in a year or two, it can do just that. I know that certain cultures -- Iran among them -- are much given to rhetorical flourishes meant to strike fear into other's hearts, and that those threats are not necessarily followed by action. I also know, however, that Iran was willing to sacrifice millions in its years-long war with Iraq; that it willingly challenged the biggest nation in the world in 1979 (only to have the inestimable Jimmy Carter apologize to Iran); and that it feels that Europe's dependence on its oil gives it a certain degree of carte blanche to do horrible things, especially since Europe has bought into the evil Israel paradigm. I often wonder if Europe has thought through the fact that, what it defends as merely political rhetoric may, in fact, trigger others to commit genocide on a scale never before imagined in world history. Words have power and while I believe devoutly in free speech, I also believe that intelligent minds are charged with the obligation to use that speech responsiblity, and to contemplate the consequences.