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Sadly, Ahmadinejad is not alone in his wacko beliefs; Other Iranian elites share Ahmadinejad's end-time vision and proclivity to embrace "pave the way" activism to help bring about the annihilation of the West. Reportedly, Ahmadinejad has assigned devotees of this "mystical 12th Imam" cult to his cabinet and various governmental spots. Worse yet, it wouldn't be a stretch to characterize Ahmadinejad as out-of-touch with reality. He's not only delusional, but experiences hallucinations as well. And this is the Iranian leader who wants to control nuclear weapons? If it weren't for the monumentally high stakes, Ahmadinejad would be considered just another pathetic figure. Instead, the first word that comes to mind when discussing Ahmadinejad is "dangerous".

According to Iran expert and author Ken Timmerman: "When Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations in New York last September, he suddenly felt himself surrounded by light. It wasn't the stage lighting, he said. It was light from heaven... Ahmadinejad's "vision" at the UN could be dismissed as political posturing if it weren't for a string of similar statements and actions that suggest he believes that he is destined to bring about the "end times" - the end of the world - by paving the way for the return of the Shiite Muslim messiah. Given that Iran continues to pursue suspect nuclear programs, which could bring the Islamic Republic dangerously close to a weapons capability, a leader with messianic visions is worrying. After all, this is the same man who recently pledged to use Iran's newfound powers to "wipe Israel off the map" and to "destroy America."

One key question we should ponder is this: How would a nuclear-armed Iran, with a growing delivery capacity (courtesy Russia, China, and others) play out in the real world? There are no certainties in this life, only educated guesses. That's precisely why the Pentagon is always running war games, which examine possible threats to our national security and help in the development of contingency plans to address whatever comes down the pike. For example, Iran might decide to engage in simultaneous nuclear attacks upon Israel and its vital ally, the US, for the two-fold purpose of disabling the US and thwarting its ability to come to the defense of a stricken Israel. Another scenario being bandied about has Iran utilizing a nuclear bomb to create a high-altitude nuclear burst - an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapon - which has the capacity to cripple America's electronic infrastructure.

According to a July 2004 report in Jane's Defence Weekly, "The US armed forces infrastructure, and American society at large, remain vulnerable to a debilitating attack by an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) generated by a high-altitude nuclear blast, a senior-level, congressionally appointed panel has warned." In effect, an "electronic blanket" would knock out electrical grids, all communications, computers, appliances, cars, trucks, train tracks, etc. Telecommunications and all types of advanced computer technologies are particularly vulnerable to an EMP attack. Although the American populace would survive an initial blast of this sort, it could potentially deny the populace access to electricity, news/information, modern day transportation, and basic supplies such as food, water and medicine for a considerable period. In such a scenario, starvation and illness would be rampant, and numerous casualties would ensue. In other words, a devastating nuclear EMP attack would lead to slow death of a populace, making it an especially insidious type of warfare.

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