Iran as the "stand-in" threat: you just can't make this stuff up

Secretary of State Clinton discussing the rationale for US-sponsored missile defense in Eastern Europe:

Clinton focused on the administration's assertion that the European missile defense system is not aimed at Russia but is necessary to deter Iran.

"Missiles not only with a nuclear warhead but a conventional warhead or some other chemical, biological weapon could very well be in the hands of a regime like Iran's, which we know will use whatever advantage they have to intimidate as far as they think their voice can reach, and who are actively pursuing a missile development program," she said.

On the other hand, Clinton seemed to suggest that the project in Europe is not entirely about Iran either.

"We have real potential threats, and obviously Iran is the name we put to them, but it is a kind of stand-in for the range of threats we foresee," she said.

You want to run that last one by me again...?

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