The holiday of Hanukkah celebrates a miracle in which oil that should only have been enough to last one night instead lasted for eight. Less well known is the fact that the holiday of Hanukkah is associated with a war. It commemorates the victorious Maccabean revolt, overthrowing Greek rule, and the re-dedication of the Temple.

How fitting it is then that on the first night of Hanukkah, we find ourselves embroiled in a war over oil in Iraq, and seemingly itching for war with its neighbor Iran.

The National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) released its report yesterday, confirming what the the U.N. has been saying for a while now. Iran has no nuclear weapons program. They in fact have not pursued a nuclear weapons program since 2003.

This good news would evoke a sigh of relief from any rational person, but for our current president and his administration, they somehow interpret the lack of nuclear weapons as justification for their continued sabre-rattling. Go figure.

Hanukkah has started. Christmas is coming. This is supposed to be a season of peace. Let us pray that it is so.