Tehran is encouraged by Western indecisiveness over the use of military force against it as the regime continues to ignore demands to stop enriching uranium as Iran carries on toward nuclear statehood.

Western ambivalence is quite understandable. A military strike cannot be taken lightly. Therefore to misinterpret any hesitation as a sign of weakness within the coalition against Iran joining the nuclear club would be a grave mistake by Tehran.

Yet a U.S. and/or Israeli military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities would be just as erroneous.

The question to ponder is what can Iran gain by pursuing its current nuclear ambitions?

Assuming that Iran did build a nuclear weapon, is it realistic to think it could deploy it without unleashing an unimaginable counterattack?

Indeed, the Islamic republic may well succeed in producing a nuclear bomb, and even have the capacity to deliver it as far as Tel Aviv. But if that were ever to happen, Tehran's victory would be short lived indeed. The ripost would be immediate and terrifying. Iran may well become a nuclear nation, but it can never match the nuclear deterrence and might of the United States.

Instead, the only tangible result of Iran continuing on its current course is that the United Nations will increase sanctions against it. This is highly unlikely to deter the regime, however.

Twelve years of sanctions against Iraq were counter-productive. The only concrete result was a widening of the gap between the Iraqi people and the United Nations.

In Iran's case, read the United States.

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's henchmen, despite the sanctions, were never short of commodities. They continued to enjoy life, along with their Cuban cigars and German luxury automobiles. But the ordinary people suffered tremendously, and their desperation worked in favor of the regime.

That should serve as a lesson in just how unsuccessful sanctions against Iran will be.