ColumBIA, S.C. – The world is often said to be shrinking. Sadly, smaller does not equate to safer.

The international story of the moment is how to deal with the Middle Eastern nation of Iran. Placed between the hotbeds of Iraq and Afghanistan, what Iran does internationally can potentially affect tens of thousands of coalition troops in the region.

Right now, Iran’s focus is developing nuclear weapons.

It is not an Arab country, but it still sits with an aggressive stance against Israel. It is almost universally agreed on by the world that Iran should not get these weapons.

The European Union, United States and Russia have finally found a common ground based on fear. The tragedy of a potential nuclear disaster is shared by all of us, regardless of nation or religion.

Celebrating the unity of the moment would be ideal. Unfortunately, what we are unified against is dangerous to the extreme.

In this situation, it speaks volumes to how far diplomacy has come. After a World War that left countries shattered, we still can’t agree. Now the First World is accused of hypocrisy for holding nuclear arms but not allowing others to do so.

The history and status of Iran cannot be avoided. The fundamentalist Islamic Revolution has given us an Iran that hangs homosexuals and allows brutal violence against women. The question we need to ask is where we distinguish cultural and morality relativity.

Danger is not something we should be forced to live in. There is no moral code that should allow for a nation like Iran to bully and threaten neighboring countries. If we want to live in a small world, we need to stop alienated countries like Iran from being able to destroy it.