F – i don’t think irrational people are capable of controlling things to the extent the mullahs, stalin, mao, hitler, whoever do. that’s just sloppy shorthand, the effect of which is ultimately to stupefy everyone. no no. a recent article i read quoted a russian official saying that he believed “russia would be the last possible target of an iranian nuclear rocket.” ask yourself whether a russian transfer of strategic technology and infrastucture to a country such as iran could possibly be accomplished without the simultaneous importation of russian technicians, scientists, and kgb? obviously not. a country without the ability to build its own nuclear arsenal or reactor does not suddenly bridge that gap because a pakistani educated in belgium decides to hang out a shingle. so where does the tech come from? russia. who must therefore man it, guide it, protect it? russia. this is obvious. he who believes such difficulties as ideology, 19th century relations, or other aspects of historiography preclude the designs of mortal men faced with the prospect of either victory or oblivion in the flesh should read JB Kelly’s Arabia, The Gulf & The West, for example. the Shah had relations with Russia despite his status US client (actually, the US was more like his client). those relations became the basis for future relations once the US had to withdraw under the conditions you point out. these are not irrational men. is it so much more irrational to believe in the Mahdi than it is to believe in Jesus Christ? of course not. it is entirely rational to want to kill people. for example, i want to kill all members of the government of iran. i think they amply deserve it and their use of their four score & twenty proves it. beware of nonsense.