From The Washington Times:
Former Defense Secretary William S. Cohen said Tuesday that fears about Iran have replaced animosity toward Israel as the top concern of governments in the Persian Gulf and the broader Middle East.
Mr. Cohen, a former senator from Maine who was the only Republican in President Clinton's Cabinet, from 1997 to 2001, also warned the Obama administration that it would be a "mistake" to promise Russia to scale back plans for a missile-defense shield in Europe before Moscow helps stop Iran's nuclear ambitions. He gently chided top administration officials for recent comments criticizing Russia, which he said needlessly antagonized a Kremlin still resentful of U.S. treatment after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
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My Comment: Some of the worst wars in the Middle East have been religious .... wars not with Israel but wars within Islam itself. The Sunni - Shiite split brings chills to those who are sensitive to their regions history .... a sensitivity that gets worse when everyone realizes that Iran today gives no sense of confidence or reassurance that their intentions are peaceful.
On the contrary .... their behavior is hostile and very aggressive.