On Monday the world learned that several boats bearing the Iranian flags approached American warships, shouted threats to Americans, and tossed suspicious packages into the water. No shots where fired but may nerves where frayed.

We may be on the verge of the wider war in Iran and it is a truly frightening prospect. Nobody really knows what will come next, and Presidential candidates on both sides are cautious about a situation with Iran that appears to be deteriorating beyond our control. Let’s hope our leaders have the wisdom to do what’s right with the Iran situation.

As a country, we do not a broader war in the Middle East. We have already gotten ourselves in a quagmire with Iraq, a war in which after 5 years there is little evidence of our occupation coming to an end. Deaths are down in Iraq for our troops but there is little evidence that this war is near over or that no more of our boys will die in this country.

Russia’s support of Iran in various ways is the main reason why our hawkish leaders in our country have not gotten our country more engaged in a futile and deadly war in Iran. We can’t save the Middle East, it will ultimately be up to the people in Iraq and Iran to choose the kind of government they live under. We shouldn’t be passing judgment on their government, nor should will be intermingling in Iraq or Iran’s affairs any more then Russia is.

A war with Iran will ensure even higher oil prices. We might look back at $100 a barrel of oil as cheap and plentiful if we go to war with Iran. While Iran has relatively limited exports of oil, further restrictions due to war or the threat of it are sure to send a shock wave of misery across our country. Our world depends on cheap oil and peace with Iran helps keep oil prices down.

Everyday, more evidence points to possibility of a serious recession combined with inflation driven by expensive oil. Stagflation will do significant damage to our standard of living. In a world highly depended on imports and cheap transportation, an adjustment to a different world will hurt many individuals far beyond the boarders of Iran should war happen.

Our communities will lose more first responders such as police and firemen to Iraq and Iran, should the war widen. Resources will be further deprived from our local communities. We all will suffer in a variety of ways as we waste money in Iran. The war will be paid for our children, as we pay back long-term debts through debt services.

President Ahmadinejad militarism and posturing against our country is greatly offensive. The way he treats many of his citizens is disgusting. Yet, his actions should not be heeded as a call for war, but instead should be heeded as a warning of a dangerous and irrationally run country. Which should let him serve out his term, and let events take their place in Iran.