Bullies

Robert Farley, at Tapped:

Is Iran a threat to the existence of the United States? Joltin' Joe Lieberman says yes:

Obviously Israel is first in the line of Iranian fire. And it represents an existential threat to Israel. But you know who is next? The Arab countries in the Middle East and they’re worried about the Iranian program and want us to ask strongly to stop it. And we’re next! Because Ahmadinejad in Tehran constantly leads the mobs in shouts of death to America. And they mean it.

...Fortunately, the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation has prepared a helpful chart:

	UNITED STATES	IRAN
Population	303,824,646	65,875,223
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)	$13.8 trillion	$0.75 trillion
Defense spending fiscal year 2009	$711 billion	$7.2 billion
Total troops	2,580,875	895,000
Main battle tanks	8,023	1,613
Reconnaissance vehicles	348	35
Armored infantry fighting vehicles	6,719	610
Armored personnel carriers	21,242	640
Artillery units	8,041	8,196
Helicopters	5,425	311
Submarines	71	6
Principal surface combatants	106	5
Patrol and coastal combatants	157	320
Mine warfare ships	9	5
Amphibious ships	490	21
Fighter aircraft	3,538	286
Long-range bomber aircraft	170	None
Transport aircraft	883	136
Electronic warfare/intelligence aircraft	159	3
Reconnaissance aircraft	134	6
Maritime patrol aircraft	197	8
Anti-submarine warfare aircraft	58	None
Airborne early warning aircraft	53	None
Nuclear warheads	~5,400	None

Is there any graver threat to the US in the world today than artillery units and patrol and coastal combatants (halfway across the world)?