Iran

You might think the unfolding fiasco in Iraq would make President Bush think twice before embarking on another military adventure, said Michael T. Klare in The Nation. But he seems 'œpoised to wager everything on one last throw of the dice,' and provoke a war with Iran. A second aircraft carrier is already en route to the Persian Gulf. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is being doubled in size, as a buffer against the disruption in oil supplies that war with Iran would cause. And now we have the administration claiming, on the basis of shaky evidence, that Iran is arming insurgents in Iraq. If that war scenario sounds crazy, said Tom Engelhardt in the San Francisco Chronicle, you must remember that Bush and Dick Cheney are true believers in 'œthe religion of force,' convinced the U.S.'s military superiority can be used to achieve any ends. Some critics expect the White House to launch an attack by spring.

Then again, this may just be saber rattling, said The Washington Post in an editorial. The difficulty of trying to analyze Bush's intentions regarding Iran is that actual preparations for war look exactly like pretend preparations for war—and there are many good reasons for the White House to be bluffing Tehran. In addition to Iran's apparent interference in Iraq, the regime of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is forging ahead with its controversial nuclear program. That is 'œnot acceptable,' and the U.S. should be using every tool at its disposal to persuade Iran to halt its pursuit of a nuclear weapon. Actual military action would, at this stage, 'œbe folly.' But the threat of military action is another matter.

Frank Rich

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