If Democracy is such a good idea, why not support the elected?

Iran to Give $50 Million to Hamas-Led Government

"We warn that if the aid is cut and if this continues in the near future, this land will witness a humanitarian disaster and the occupiers and their supporters will be responsible," the ISNA student news agency quoted Mr. Mottaki as saying, alluding to Israel.

Oh, really? Can't even keep that illusion into the next paragraph.

The European Union suspended its $600 million aid package and the United States a $400 million donation after Hamas's unexpected electoral victory in January.

Unexpected? Unlike Islamic Jihad, they promised non-violence during and after the campaign, they ran candidates known among the people, and they treated the voters as people who would eventually have self-rule. Only the Armchair AIPACers at the NYT could possibly have not expected the results.

Oh, and about those "16-day" bombs:

Iran announced last week that it had enriched uranium to 3.5 percent, a level of purity that, if enough could be produced, might fuel a nuclear reactor. If enriched to higher levels [something they have not come close to accomplishing], the uranium could be used for making nuclear bombs.

Melissa Fleming, a spokeswoman for the [IAEA] who was in Tehran last week, said a team of technical inspectors was expected to visit Iran's nuclear plants this week.

Everything is proceeding apace. Expect the rhetoric to escalate in late August (Andy Card is gone), with a push into the November elections.