US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's latest pronouncement on possible new sanctions on Iran has been explicit: a series of punishments that will be as "tight and crippling" as possible.

Iran will understand force, and the use of state power in the form of sanctions. But which state or political organization wouldn't? Like other states, Iran is well-versed in the exercise of power, whether domestically, through its nuclear program, or through regional allies like Hizbullah and Hamas, and their rocket arsenals. Violence is what states do, and Iran, like other states, can comprehend the implications of weapons such as sanctions.