Hi Sandy,
While I personally see a lot of wisdom in what you say, and I really do, there are some serious problems with it in real-world application:
If Iran develops working thermonuclear weapons, they already have Ballistic Missile systems capable of delivering them to Israel, which is the stated intention of their government. Therefore, the first warning that they have successfully developed a few working warheads might just be that Tel Aviv is now a radioactive hole in the ground. The Russians have provided them with schedules for when US Sattelites are overhead, so we might not even have the warning that the nukes are on their way provided by spotting "launch blooms." And what's the flight time anyway? 5 minutes?
Also, when making threats, as in "Nuke Israel and we'll anihilate you" one has to take the religious component into consideration. Iran is an Islamic theocracy, therefore the main aim of their government is not the temporal welfare of their people, but the advance of Islam and the conformity of their people to the laws of Islam. A threat therefore to turn Iran into a "nation of martyrs" and deliver most of their men immediately into paradise is actually less of a threat than a ideal. Additionally, they know such action would unleash a worldwide response from the Muslim world, including but not limited to a total embargo on oil exports and open calls for the umma to rise up in worldwide Jihad. If that doesn't alarm you consider this, if a few cartoons can produce worldwide rioting and mayhem amongst the umma, what do you think killing millions of Muslims will do?
So, the sit back and wait policy may only ultimately result in Millions of dead Israelis (and Arabs living in and around Israel) which would certainly be a repudiation of our "never again" promise. Waiting on the Iranians may only result in the total destruction of at least two countries, whereas an invasion of Iran would save Israel and Iran from destruction, but would tear the United States to shreds in terms of national and international politics.
So in this the US is: ROCK-----> USA <----- HARD PLACE
- SEAGOON