I knew there was something about that friggin' mouse. He has haunted me.

[UPDATE: Yes, we need to send out a humbled 'thank you' to Straight White Guy for pointing out the above is, without doubt, a really amateurish Photoshop. If we exercised similar care installing a new security light on the deck, we would likely be standing in the front yard right now watching the emergency responders hose down the charred remains of our dwelling. Touche, good sir, touche.]

Lest you ever get dispirited about the competence of America's public officials, survey our global community brethren once in a while. Every day, you need to read MEMRI:

Cultural Advisor to Iranian Education Ministry and Member of Interfaith Organization Lectures on Iranian TV: Tom and Jerry - A Jewish Conspiracy to Improve the Image of Mice

On February 19, 2006, Iran's Channel 4 covered a film seminar that included a lecture by Professor Hasan Bolkhari. In addition to being a member of the Film Council of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Bolkhari is a cultural advisor to the Iranian Education Ministry, and active on behalf of interfaith issues:

The Jewish Walt Disney Company gained international fame with this cartoon. It is still shown throughout the world. This cartoon maintains its status because of the cute antics of the cat and mouse - especially the mouse.

Some say that the main reason for making this very appealing cartoon was to erase a certain derogatory term that was prevalent in Europe....

Watch Schindler's List. Every Jew was forced to wear yellow star on his clothing. The Jews were degraded and termed 'dirty mice.' Tom and Jerry was made in order to change the Europeans' perception of mice. One of terms used was 'dirty mice...'

Tom and Jerry was made in order to display the exact opposite image. If you happen to watch this cartoon tomorrow, bear in mind the points I have just raised, and watch it from this perspective. The mouse is very clever and smart. Everything he does is so cute. He kicks the poor cat's ass. Yet this cruelty does not make you despise the mouse. He looks so nice, and he is so clever... This is exactly why some say it was meant to erase this image of mice from the minds of European children, and to show that the mouse is not dirty and has these traits.

I'm betting Professor Hasan Bolkhari has a college degree and enjoys some level of professional respect in his region. Given that, take a moment to suspend whatever emotions you may be having about the above lecture, and ponder objectively where this fellow must be coming from. Put yourself in his shoes and his listeners' shoes, and imagine you are interpreting the lecture as credible.

Now, what do you think about folks in that mindset having a nuclear device, and what type of 'deterrence' do you think they would understand?