Mohammed ElBaradai, the chairman of the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned that Iran may now be several months away from developing a nuclear weapon. As if to underscore that point, Iran is starting the process of building two new nuclear reactors. Although oil-rich Iran maintains that it needs nuclear energy to power the country, the byproduct of the reactors also happens to be useful for constructing nuclear weapons.

A nuclear Iran is rather worrisome considering the recent statements of new Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad:

“And God willing, with the force of God behind it, we shall soon experience a world without the United States and Zionism.”

[T]he “new wave of confrontations generated in Palestine and the growing turmoil in the Islamic world would in no time wipe Israel away.”

“[Any country that] recognizes Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation’s fury.”

Since we all know that military action is not justified until a threat becomes full and immediate, I’m looking forward to seeing how the brilliant minds at the UN negotiate their way out of this mess. A chance to say, “See, I told you so!” won’t feel nearly as satisfying if I’m doing it from the inside of a mushroom cloud.