Fooled How Many Times?

We in Chelm pay close attention to events in Persia. For a while it looked like an exact replay of the Book of Esther, with Mohammed Khatami as King Ahasuerus and Ayatollah Khameini as Haman. Of course, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a much bigger Haman, and his name is too long and full of gutturals to be drowned out by groggers.

This morning brings news of yet another version of Iran's enriched uranium shell game, which no longer seems to fool even the Obama Administration. We are reminded of a certain famous cartoon, and also of an old Chelm saying:

• Fool me once, shame on you.
  
• Fool me twice, shame on me.
  
• Fool me three times, move to Chelm.
  
• Fool me four times, get a visit from George Mitchell.
  
• Fool me five times, get a seat on the UN Security Council.