If you do, we will. If you don't, we will.

Mark Steyn quotes two Iranian nuclear negotiators speaking last July.

"Iran will resume uranium enrichment if the European Union does not recognize its right to do so."

This reminds me of the negotiating stance adopted by the French Student organisation during the recent street discussions:

"We won't negotiate until they fully back down."

Was she wrong?

Steyn also dramatises the Western response to Iran and, at the same time, shows you how to kill time on a boring flight.

You know what's great fun to do if you're on, say, a flight from Chicago to New York and you're getting a little bored? Why not play being President Ahmadinejad? Stand up and yell in a loud voice, "I've got a bomb!" Next thing you know the air marshal will be telling people, "It's OK, folks. Nothing to worry about. He hasn't got a bomb." And then the second marshal would say, "And even if he did have a bomb it's highly unlikely he'd ever use it." And then you threaten to kill the two Jews in row 12 and the stewardess says, "Relax, everyone. That's just a harmless rhetorical flourish." And then a group of passengers in rows 4 to 7 point out, "Yes, but it's entirely reasonable of him to have a bomb given the threatening behavior of the marshals and the cabin crew."