Must start somewhere

When grappling with large tasks, it is sometimes the smallest steps that make the most difference.  Tonight while one roommate immigrated to my room for the promise of a stronger internet connection, and the other prepared for a date, I decided to write the first paragraph of my research paper.  Line zero is always intimidating but once begun it is exhilarating in its freedom.  The paragraph I composed is less than academic and therefore may soon fall victim to convention, but until then I thought I would share with you the first step of what will prove to be a long, arduous path to completion:

Buffalo Springfield said it best.  "There's something happening here, what it is ain’t exactly clear."  States meet each other’s gaze with the cold stare of geopolitical calculations as they slowly draw lines in the sand.   Whether the tide of history is coming in or going out remains to be seen.  According to the latest IAEA report, Iran marches towards nuclear capability with strategic, security, and ideological convictions.  Many believe a nuclear Iran is inevitable, while some maintain that a military strike or threat of one could alter the course.  The future of Iran’s nuclear program may be shrouded in the veil of uncertainty, but what has been exposed in the past year is Iran’s standing in the region.  This notoriously revisionist state has managed to elude the American crystal ball, but what is clear is that for Iran the status quo is unacceptable and therefore unsustainable.  By analyzing the Iranian reaction to the Arab Spring, policy makers can understand where Iran stands in the region and what might be next for the state behind enemy lines.