Building a rudimentary nuclear bomb, like the one that destroyed Hiroshima, is well within the technical ability of most nations, including Iran. You can find the directions on-line. The hard part of the bomb building process is obtaining the highly enriched, weapons grade Uranium that makes the bomb go bang.

There are three ways to obtain weapons grade Uranium: make it; buy it, and steal it. Iran has the technology to make it. The process of making weapons grade Uranium is called refining. The product of the process is what is called enriched Uranium. Enriched means the Uranium now contains a higher percentage of the Uranium 235, (U235), the special kind of Uranium used to build a nuclear bombs.

Nuclear power plants also use enriched Uranium but not the kind of highly enriched Uranium that goes bang. The ONLY reason to refine Uranium to more than 20% pure U235 is to build a bomb. This is really important, so again: The ONLY reason to refine Uranium to more than 20% pure U235 is to build a bomb. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has made about 1,000 pounds of 60% pure U235.

Last June, the US tried to stop Iran’s enrichment program by bombing the underground refinery at Fordow. It didn’t work. It now seems likely Iran moved part, or all, of its highly enriched uranium stock pile to impenetrable “Pick Ax” mountain before the bombs hit Fordow. In fact, during recent failed negotiations, Iran bragged that it had nearly 1,000 pounds of highly enriched Uranium. The bomb that incinerated Hiroshima and killed 80,000 people, contained less than 150 pounds of 80% pure U235. The bottom line: Iran has, or is very close to having, enough weapons grade U235 to build several nuclear bombs.

And who knows what Iran might do with a nuke. They could detonate it in the desert and show the World they have joined the nuclear club. Or, they could put it in a truck and drive it to Tel Aviv. Or, they could put it onboard an oil tanker and float it into New York harbor. Are you sure their bomb will only incinerate the dessert? Or will it be New York City?

President Trump decided that Iran must not be allowed to have a nuclear bomb. Yes, his decision to attack Iran has cost American lives and spiked the price of gas. But the alternative could have been far worse. The last time Iran attacked the United States, they murdered 3,000 Americans and killed our economy. A Hiroshima size nuke detonated in New York Harbor would be 100 times worse.

So, should the US allow Iran to build a nuclear bomb? I assume every sane person would say no. President Trump tried to negotiate a deal, but Iran won’t agree to stop making highly enriched U235. And he tried to “obliterate” Iran’s refinery. That failed too. Now Trump is using brut force. Let’s hope that the “war” is successful in stopping Iran’s nuclear ambitions.