THE FRENCH TAKE THIS MORE SERIOUSLY THAN OBAMA DOES - AT 8:15 A.M. ET:  From London's Telegraph:

Iran's nuclear ambitions have started a "race to confrontation" with Israel and the world's leading powers must break the deadlock before the Jewish state "reacts", according to France's foreign minister Bernard Kouchner.

Bernard Kouchner stressed the urgency of reaching agreement with Iran over its nuclear programme and removing the risk of a pre-emptive strike by Israel.

During an official visit to Lebanon's capital, Beirut, the minister told The Daily Telegraph that time was running out.

Call the White House or send a text message.

"They [the Israelis] will not tolerate an Iranian bomb. We know that, all of us. So that is an additional risk and that is why we must decrease the tension and solve the problem. Hopefully we are going to stop this race to a confrontation," said Mr Kouchner.

"There is the time that Israel will offer us before reacting, because Israel will react as soon as they know clearly that there is a threat."

COMMENT:  Well, it's good to know there are some grown-ups trying to deal with the Iranian bomb.  But we have only months before the Israelis conclude that all hope is lost.  Then they may do what a threatened nation does.

October 26, 2009