Phony War, 2007

Nobody knows for certain what will happen in the buildup of confrontation with Iran in the coming year. SOMETHING is happening–Tehran balking at international pressure, fake Iranian missiles getting “launched”, anti-state insurgents blamed for domestic bombings, and an overreaction by Iranian sponsor Russia to proposed deployments of defensive missile shield technology in Europe by the United State–an overreaction that closely tracks the Kremlin’s renewed interest in countering America’s perceived hegemony in the region.

Do a Google news search for “US attack Iran” and you will get all kinds pantwetting, conspiratorial “news” releases regarding an imminent US plan to attack Tehran. There are even the occasional despondent “Cheney the Sith Lord” items, which I admittedly get a certain thrill when reading.

Several Congressmen have directly warned Bush against attacking Iran, especially without seeking Congressional approval first. Of course! But when it comes to launching transnational strikes elsewhere in the “War on Terror”, no such authorization is needed, nor complaints heard. Why not? Although Somalia may be a little disorganized as a state, don’t armed incursions onto Somali soil constitute the same sort of cross-border conflagration feared at the Iranian border with Iraq? Or at least “unchecked presidential action“? Why so touchy with Iran?