At the Munich Conference on Security Policy, Germany’s leader made her government’s position on Iran’s nuclear program crystal-clear. From The Times:

Looking back to German history in the early 1930s when National Socialism was on the rise, there were many outside Germany who said, ‘It’s only rhetoric — don’t get excited’ . . . There were times when people could have reacted differently and, in my view, Germany is obliged to do something at the early stages. We want to, we must prevent Iran from developing its nuclear programme.

Iran has blatantly crossed the red line. I say it as a German chancellor. A president who questions Israel’s right to exist, a president who denies the Holocaust cannot expect to receive any tolerance from Germany.

Merkel’s statement came less than three weeks after French President Chirac, in a speech clearly directed at Iran, warned that France would consider the use of nuclear weapons against terrorist states.

All that was needed for the rejuvanation of the Atlantic Alliance was a new threat shared by all. Now we have it.