Del Boy
First of all the Islamic Caliphate really refers to Wahhabbi Muslims like al-Qaeda and not to Iran. They are entirely different religious groups.
Sunni groups like Al Qaeda is Whabbi Sunni Muslim, Iran is Shiia Muslim. The Shiia and the Sunni hate each other more than the West, even more than Israel. They have been killing each other since the 13th century, each views the others as being heretics. Always remember that Muslims in the Middle East prefer killing each other more than anything else. Iran has to keep a constant eye on Sunni countries like Saudi Arabia, and Egypt which given the short distances and long ethnic hatreds are more dangerous to Iran then we are.
The (Iranian) Shiia Muslims are more reasonable that the Wahhabbi Sunni Muslims. Iran's interest in being a world policy player is political, not religious. That is important because not only are they able to negociate with non-Muslims it also means they have something to lose. As opposed to al-Qaeda which never negotiates with anybody and has nothing to lose. Therein lies the difference.
Iran's goal is to be a regional superpower, much like the US is in North America. That's all. So right off the bat, Iran is not a threat to Western security. Iran has no interest to launch strikes against the west or launch waves of terrorism without military provocation first. Why would they? It would be suicide. Jacques Chirac told the Iranians last year that if Iran started to use Terrorism in Europe to advance its goals, France's response would be attached via a nuclear warhead. Simply put, Iran is not going to take any course of action that would result in its obliteration. That's why I don't worry about them.
Al Qaeda is a different story, since they are religious lunatics and are convinced they are going to heaven anyway, their own death doesn't bother them much. If Iran's policy was like al Qaeda plan of world domination then I would consider them a serious danger to American National Security and urge that they be eliminated immediately. Right now they are more of a nuisance than a threat, just like Cuba and Venezuela are.
But If we deliberately provoke them by an attack, then Iran will feel like they have nothing to lose, and then all bets are off. I doubt they would defeat us, but they could hurt us very badly. Attacking Iran would be attacking a well trained, well equipped, highly motivated army that would make Iraq look like a beach party. And for what? The true winner of a US-Iran war would be al Qaeda. Two of their enemies fighting each other, need I say more?
To summerize: Al-Qaeda is the threat. Not Iraq, definitely not Iran, nor anybody else. If you want to deal a blow to Islamic Terrorism, go after its source. Instead the incompetent gnome we call a President wastes all our time and resources on sideshows and photo opts. Neither Iraq, Iran, nor Syria was responsible for 9-11, July 7, or any other of the Islamic Terror attacks this decade. We should pull out of these sideshows and hit al Qaeda where they are: In Afganistan and in Northwest Pakistan. Hit the terrorists were they are, not were they aren't.
