" DOUBLE-DOG-DARE!!"

One of my favorite seasonal movies is "A Christmas Story". Every year, I watch it with great anticipation. I believe everyone around my age can find something to identify with during this film. I remember my mother bundling me up in winter clothes to the point of being trapped in them. I remember those hated rubber boots that always removed your shoes whenever you took them off. I remember schoolyard confrontations. One of the most memorable scenes of the movie is the "frozen flag pole dare". For those of you who haven't seen it, a group of boys at recess dare one another to touch their tongues to a flag pole in cold winter conditions, as some didn't believe their tongue would stick to the pole. The dialogue was perfect, the "dare system" used by young boys was uncanny in its realism. As they argued about the theory of the sticking flag pole, it degenerated into the dare; first, it was "I dare you!", followed by "I double dare you!", then culminating in the infamous "I double dog dare you!!"; the ultimate dare to a ten year old boy. Well, you can guess the rest of the incident; stuck tongue, fire department, and chastisement from the teacher. The results of the "Double-Dog-Dare"!

Yesterday, the United States announced new sanctions against Iran in order to pressure them into changing their nuclear ambitions. The sanctions were directed toward the Iranian financial community, targeting dozens of Iranian companies in an effort to separate them from the world financial community. The U.S. also encouraged other nations to increase pressure on the rogue regime of Ahmadinejad in a concerted effort to force change. This was kind of a dare, and like any dare there was a response. The lunatic, Ahmadinejad gave a speech. In the town of Shar-e-Kord, Ahmadinejad stated that Iran would not only continue in their present efforts, but begin the development of four new uranium enrichment facilities for the "peaceful" purposes of medical use. He continued his rant by calling out the U.N., and the U.S. He stated Iran would dictate the terms of negotiation, not the west. He has totally rejected previous proposals by both the United Nations and the United States. He is now making the "Double-Dare" in his challenge to anyone who tries to impose any conditions on Iran's nuclear ambitions.

What is left? Obviously, Ahmadinejad has no respect for either the U.N. or the U.S. and no matter what sanctions either entity attempts to institute, Iran will continue to ignore them. Neither the U.N., nor the U.S., seems to have the fortitude to make any kind of forceful move to put a halt to this dangerous regime, and Ahmadinejad knows it! What are the United Nations and the U.S.'s next move? Could it be the "Double-Dog-Dare"!?