"Swimming against the tide"

Fouad Ajami

Maintaining Perspective on Iran - Fouad Ajami

We should not fall for the Persian bluff. It is important that we do all we can to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions and to checkmate it in arenas that count, but we should always remember that this is a society swimming against the tide of history and confronting the limits of its capabilities. The Iranians dwell virtually alone in the House of Islam, separated by language and culture, marked by their Shiism.

There is swagger in Iran, and there is menace, for its rulers are without scruples. But theirs is a vulnerable and brittle society. There is no need to "engage" them and bail them out as they stumble. The regime should be harassed, contained, and held to account.
(U.S. News)