The Prevailing Equation

An ancient civilization that excelled in all the artfulness of human existence exemplifying at a time of emerging consciousness of possibilities, the heights that human ingenuity, curiosity and expression could attain. How utterly degraded in contrast now, to its hulking, bad-tempered presence on the world scene, as it looks around at those cultures and national entities that have emerged long since, to eclipse its past greatness.

Taking disgruntled comfort in its belligerent roars of outrage at being ignored.

Threatening to unleash upon the world a cyclone of terror.

Just as soon as it gets all its spinning centrifuges to cough out enough enriched uranium to gently foster nuclear annihilation. Of course world powers take notice. Hard not to. It's like the spoiled child in the playground, throwing itself on the cold, hard ground and producing a powerful imitation of a grand mal seizure; difficult to tiptoe around.

Do you treat that psychotic kid with compassion or rejection?

Rejection is what the considered choice was, even by the standards of overweening empathy generally proffered by the usual schoolyard monitors there to ensure that the kids don't enthusiastically tear one another to shreds, because they are, after all, as temporary custodians, answerable to anxious parents who have visions of their offspring as latent genius material.

Surely Russia and China are under no real illusions respecting Iran's ambitions...? True, the world shuddered at the prospect of both these great powers attaining nuclear status, and with it a deadly stockpile of nuclear deterrents. They know how rational, when push comes to shove, they are, but they harbour doubts respecting the cerebral functions of brain-addled theists anxiously awaiting martyrdom to catapult them into Paradise - their future exclusive playground.

February 29 editorial cartoon Photograph by: CAM, The Ottawa Citizen

Iran is not alone among the world's most dysfunctional countries, but it does stand out in flaming distinction as a candidate for the worst. It shares platform space with North Korea and Pakistan with some minor players in the background, cheering them on, like Venezuela and Cuba, Syria, and non-state actors like Hezbollah and Hamas.

Russia's growling presence on the Security Council, backed complacently by China in opposition to the rash decision-making of the more readily excitable others at the prospect of the dark side of existence bringing the world to a sterile, yawning-cold place of non-existence in the afterwake of a firestorm of nuclear proportions, simply balances the equation on the side of caution.

Right?