For those of us growing weary of the health care reform debate’s absolute dominance of every news medium in existence, an old friend has done us all a favor.Unfortunately, that “old friend” is Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and, as usual, his face on TV heralds high international tensions.Ahmadinejad has found himself on center stage again after his country admitted it was constructing another nuclear facility — proving fears the country has been operating nuclear programs without the approval (or even knowledge) of the world community. President Obama, standing alongside British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, issued a strongly worded statement grilling Ahmadinejad and the Iranian leadership for defying global expectations.  “Iran has a right to peaceful nuclear power that meets the energy needs of its people. But the size and configuration of this facility is inconsistent with a peaceful program,” Obama said.The recent developments concerning the previously unmentioned facility bring back to the fore concerns that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons. Historically, the U.S., Britain and France have all been united in opposition to Iran’s pursuit of nuclear energy. But these three nations alone are not able to employ peaceful measures to prevent the program’s advancement — largely because of China and Russia. These two powers, both veto-wielding members of the United Nations, have blocked efforts to impose harsh global sanctions on Iran and indeed have provided the country with lifelines to keep their program alive.  However, Iran’s behavior regarding this new site is clearly an attempt to keep Western powers in the dark about its ambitions. In doing so, it may have slighted Russia, who first received the information from the U.S.In the wake of these developments, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hinted his country may be willing to begin sanctions on Iran should they continue refusing to cooperate with international demands.Because of sanctions from the U.S. and its allies, Iran has become increasingly dependent on support from Russia — should that country choose to restrict its support, Iran’s economy could conceivably reach such a critical state that maintaing a nuclear program would prove impossible.Russia’s new willingness to even talk about sanctions is definitely a positive sign, but the speed at which they are developing is of great concern.At some point, Iran’s nuclear ambitions are going to lead to a confrontation. If Iran refuses to back down from its current path, and if the U.S. and its allies prove too hestiant to act, Israel is going to have to take action by itself.They have little choice — Iranian leaders, especially Ahmadinejad, have been frighteningly, vocally anti-Israel. Ahmadinejad has referred to Israel as “a stinking corpse” and has publicly declared “it should be wiped off the map.”  Hardly the kind of nation    Israel can afford to allow nuclear weaponry.If enough time passes, the nuclear plants that most world leaders suspect to be used to produce weapons-grade material will eventually be “hardened,” preventing air strikes from neutralizing their perceived threat.Israel can’t — and almost certainly won’t — allow that to happen.  If President Obama can’t convince Russia and/or China tosoon knuckle down on Iran economically, Israel is probably going to bomb the hell out of it.In other words, there is a clock, and it’s ticking.Although supporting Israel in the wake of such action would obviously be difficult for the U.S., we’d have to take a much more active role than merely supporting them. If Israel is to bomb Iran, its planes must fly over Iraqi airspace — which the U.S., of course, currently controls.An Israeli attack on Iran would likely incite considerable conflict. And, if the U.S. chooses to allow it, it will inevitably be drawn into that conflict. But, at the same time, it’s equally difficult to imagine the U.S. refusing to allow Israeli permisison.I hope this situation will not materialize. But, as things stand now, the only way it will be prevented is if enough sanctions from the right nations can force Iran to concede.One thing’s for certain — health care isn’t the only thing we need to pay attention to now. In addition to convincing the country to accept that controversial domestic proposal, Obama has a new, equally tough sell — convincing Russia and China to rein in Iran.It must really suck to be him right now.Matthew Albright is a 20-year-old mass communication sophomore from Baton Rouge.  Follow him on Twitter @TDR_malbright.—-Contact Matthew Albright at [email protected]