Our national security correspondent Douglas Hanson has an op—ed in the Washington Times this morning, entitled "The Mullah's War Games." As AT readers have come to expect, Doug places the military strategies of the mullahs in context, showing how the current nuclear threat is part of a larger and longer—term project to gain a choke hold on the entire Central Region by control of the waterways, particularly the Straits of Hormuz.

The mullahs' desire to be the world's newest atomic power is only the most visible manifestation of its decades—old plan to isolate Saudi Arabia and to pressure the United States to reduce its presence in Southwest Asia. In fact, Iran has been implementing a long—term operation to secure choke points in the strategic waterways in the Central Region; developing nuclear weapons is simply the icing on the cake.

These same Straits of Hormuz, whose history and situation is analyzed closely, are likely to be at issue in the case of any pressure on Iran, much less any military action. Douglas Hanson has long warned us of the importance of Iran's long term presence and strong military position there. The rest of the media is barely moving ion the direction of comprehending their importance. Doug's op—ed does credit to the Washington Times.

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