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Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran

By Jeralyn, Section Foreign Affairs
Posted on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 03:30:06 PM EST
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Bush is elevating Iran into a crisis situation. But there is no crisis. Josh Marshall calls it correctly.

The only crisis with Iran is the crisis with the president's public approval ratings. Period. End of story. The Iranians are years, probably as long as a decade away, and possibly even longer from creating even a limited yield nuclear weapon. Ergo, the only reason to ramp up a confrontation now is to help the president's poll numbers.....The period of peril the country is entering into isn't tied to an Iranian bomb. It turns on how far a desperate president will go to avoid losing control of Congress.

[Via Atrios.] As Juan Cole reports, the IAEA report (pdf) released Friday found no proof of an Iranian Nuclear Weapons Program. Iran has promised to cooperate with weapons inspectors and insists it is only acquiring uranium for nuclear power, not nuclear bombs.

Matt Yglesias weighs in with how Democrats should frame the debate. One of his commenters responds:

The Democratic Party position should be that our big problem for the future is learning how to handle disputes diplomatically, and not militarily; how to maintain our security in a world with an ever increasing number of nations with the capability of making nuclear weapons, and how to persuade the world go join in a method for tracking all bomb grade material in the world, so as to prevent terrorists from obtaining any. We need to to emphasize that an administration serious about nuclear proliferation would have spent the past 6 years working with Russia and the other ex-USSR states to render harmless the vast stores of nuclear weapons and weapon grade materials the USSR left behind. This administration didn't do that.

I am no fan of Iran. Particularly, its anti-Israel policies. But fear-mongering by Bush is not the way to solve the problem. Diplomacy is. But either Bush's cabinet members are not up to the task, or Bush is determined to cause a "regime change" in Iran by getting us involved in another war.

There is no way that Iran can build a nuclear bomb in 16 days as a state department official claimed a few weeks ago. If you haven't yet read it, check out Seymour Hersh's The Iran Plan in the New Yorker. Bush is already planning for war with Iran.

Every time I hear Bush or the neo-cons on Iran, I think "elevated terror threat." It's too bad, because someday there really could be a threat, but Bush will be the little boy who cried wolf once too many times and no one will listen.

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    Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran | 35 comments (35 topical)
    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 04:53:43 PM EST
    Two peas in a pod. One waiting for the Mahdi, one waiting for the rapture. I recommend the full article.
    "O mighty Lord," Mr. Ahmadinejad intoned to his surprised audience, "I pray to you to hasten the emergence of your last repository, the promised one, that perfect and pure human being, the one that will fill this world with justice and peace." Later, at a private meeting with a cleric that was caught on video, Ahmadinejad shared his views of the moment. "I felt that all of a sudden the atmosphere changed, and for 27 to 28 minutes the leaders did not blink," he said. "They were astonished.... it had opened their eyes and ears for the message of the Islamic Republic."
    Full article here

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#2)
    by james on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 05:28:24 PM EST
    I am not certain that attacking Iran would help his poll numbers. Even so, the question is really if we would like a nuclear armed Iran. They have deceived the IAEA for the past 20 years about their actual activites. If you think Iran should have a nuke because Israel does, then there is no case at all for attacking Iran. If you don't think Iran should have a nuke then there are two possibilities. Do something about it now or do something later. Doing something later would allow the Iranians to gain the critical knowledge and disperse their facilities further with greater protection underground and aboveground (russians have been selling them advanced sams). They also would have an unknown quantity of weapons grade uranium and perhaps plutonium if they get the Russians to finish their reactor. I think a strike would kill his poll numbers, at least initially. People would be very, very worried and the president only gets so many screwups. In the resulting wave of suicide bombings I think that the preznit would recover some but that the opposition would become more powerful/find its voice. The fact that you can wait means nothing. They are engaging in a strategy that centers around an implied threat to attack Iran if they don't cooperate. The Europeans tried the peaceful route, ie, no force and lots of goodies but it didn't work. So you have the lovely strategy. Eh, it's a judgement call in the end in terms of whether they should or should not get a nuke.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 05:35:51 PM EST
    Eh, it's a judgement call in the end in terms of whether they should or should not get a nuke.
    Would that be one of their own, or one on the end of a missile?

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#4)
    by soccerdad on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 05:36:55 PM EST
    They have deceived the IAEA for the past 20 years about their actual activites
    How so? They have signed the NPT, they have an additional agreement with the IAEA, and they have had constant inspections. Israel on the other hand has over 200 nukes, has not signed the NPT and has never been inspected. Then there's Pakistan who has been proven to spread nuclear technology, why dont we bomb them? Bush wants to bomb Iran simply as step 2 in the neocon plan to control the ME. This plan was laid out years ago. personally, i would like to see both give up nukes.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#5)
    by Sailor on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 05:39:00 PM EST
    If you don't think Iran should have a nuke then there are two possibilities. Do something about it now or do something later.
    Strawman alerts! 1) Having nukular weapons and nuclear energy are not the same thing. 2) The possible time frame for a possible bomb is possibly 10 years. I think we might have a wee bit o' leeway. But now that I think about it ... h'mm. Ahh, of course! Another preemptive strike against ANOTHER country that doesn't have the ability to harm us. Brilliant! It's turned out so well so far. All we have to do is find the soldiers, the bullets and the money to do it with.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#6)
    by squeaky on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 05:42:53 PM EST
    OW-Your link is to Jeff Goldstein's site which only quotes part of Scott Peterson's article in the CSM. Not only does Goldstein distort the article by quoting what he wants and commenting a war mongering appendage, his link to the CSM article is broken. Convenient. The actual article goes on to say the opposite of Goldstein' bedwetting commentary. From Goldstein:
    Ahmadinejad--and he is not alone among Iranian hardliners in his thinking--has in recent weeks called for the destruction of Israel and has denied the Holocaust.  Is there any doubt that, given the opportunity to martyr himself (and sacrifice for his own perceived glory those who will die in the retaliatory strikes), he won't take it? Where's Pat Robertson to say what needs saying here...? 
    From the part of the article Goldstein leaves out:
    And while rule by clerics might suggest joy over a leader who believes he is divinely guided, Shiite religious texts ban all claims of such revelations and warn against "false prophets." The punishment for "fooling" people is so great, notes one, that "hell's fire and its occupants are crying."..... "It's very dangerous, a person exploiting religion for political achievement, because everyone has their own relationship with God," says Mr. Ayazi, who estimates that focus on the Mahdi's imminent return appeals to 20 percent of Iranians. "It makes me sad that someone would endanger that." Ayazi says that Ahmadinejad uses religion to motivate the public because he lacks political legitimacy. "You don't expect such a thing from a leader, because it turns comic. You laugh, but you become sad, because it is not supposed to be funny."
    CSM I don't understand why Goldstein would stoop to such a low trick as distorting an article for warmongering purposes. There are plenty of pieces he could quote from that support his point that the Iranians seek to destroy us, unlike their American christian brethren who would never harbor such horrible thoughts. What a crock. Shame you Oscar Wilde for linking to such vile propaganda.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#7)
    by Sailor on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 05:52:16 PM EST
    soccerdad's right, and I'd like to add we just gave india carte blanche for nukes. And india
    has not signed the nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, has produced nuclear weapons outside international standards and refuses to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
    Yet another 'do as I command, not as I do' moment from the folks who claimed iraq had WMDs, and they knew exactly where they were.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 06:39:33 PM EST
    You don't see the difference between India and Iran having nukes? As to timing, recall that the acquisition by the USSR in 1948 came as a complete shock - I don't buy the long time estimates at all.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#9)
    by Al on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 07:37:16 PM EST
    The question is whether Bush can get away with an invasion a la Iraq a second time. His basic problem is that his credibility is completely shot. All the talk about mushroom clouds and bioweapons trailers was scary the first time. Now it's a joke. To pull off another Iraq Bush would need the support of the taxpayers who must be willing to bankroll another war, and the military, who must be willing to fight and die in another war. Does he have it? I doubt it.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#10)
    by squeaky on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 07:54:03 PM EST
    They are itching to blow up s*ht in Iran.....the only excuse would be a terriort attack. That would win popular support for nuking Iran. Just like the last time.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 08:01:56 PM EST
    Bush is under the assumption that "taxpayers" are gulliable to believe that WMD can be made by buying a do-it yourself kit but only the terrorist are qualified because they are too slick and smart for the average US Citizen but a step behind Rumsfeld and Himself. Bush has no problems with identity crisis since being re-elected so bombing Iran is not if but when.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#12)
    by glanton on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 09:49:37 PM EST
    TL puts it so well, and in only two sentences:
    Bush is elevating Iran into a crisis situation. But there is no crisis.
    Ole Dubya's kinda got a knack for that, doesn't he?

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#13)
    by Edger on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 10:33:27 PM EST
    It doesn't take much of a "knack" to sell snake oil to suckers. Especially since the suckers tell themselves that since dubya thinks they're so dumb then he must be right, after all he's the prez, and do most of the work of selling it to themselves for him.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#14)
    by BigTex on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 10:54:16 PM EST
    Then there's Pakistan who has been proven to spread nuclear technology, why dont we bomb them?
    Soc the problem with Iran is 1) They are a state sponsor of terror, and 2) they will have no remorse about using a dirty bomb. The threat isn't a nuke. That's years off. The threat is a dirty bomb going off in Tel Aviv or Jeruselum tomorrow, or DC or Houston in a month. If they had a different leader the situation would be more easily resolved. However, with their current hard line leader, the threat of a dirty bomb going off is high. That is the threat Iran poses.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#15)
    by jondee on Sun Apr 30, 2006 at 11:46:58 PM EST
    Big Tex - And how do you suppose Iran could risk expediting something like that and hope to get away with it under the present circumstances?

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon May 01, 2006 at 03:03:39 AM EST
    Oh dear, in trouble again. Squeaky good morning. I watched the video mentioned in the article many months ago on main stream TV, What was memorable was, content apart, the glazed faraway look in Ahmadinejad's eyes when he talked about his session before the UN, the look that one usualy associates with an excess of psychotropics. A few weeks ago, with little sucsess, I spent the day trying to find the clip on the web. I pulled and saved the article for reference more than for political content. It was at hand, it did make a few germane points, it got posted. So having woken up and been met by your disaproval, consider me suitable chastised for the points you mention. I fear if I carry on in such a vain your heart shall never be mine, pray forgive dear lady. Might I suggest that should you wish to use your undoubted skills and sucsessfuly find said video, your efforts would be rewarded with an interesting if not quite a scary insight into the man from Tehran. I remain in all humility, your servant.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#18)
    by Edger on Mon May 01, 2006 at 05:51:01 AM EST
    Tex - The threat isn't a nuke. That's years off. The threat is a dirty bomb going off in Tel Aviv or Jeruselum tomorrow, or DC or Houston in a month. If they had a different leader the situation would be more easily resolved. However, with their current hard line leader, the threat of a dirty bomb going off is high... That is the threat Iran poses. Bush must have lost quite a few nights sleep trying to make a decision between choosing Tony Snow, or you.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon May 01, 2006 at 06:35:04 AM EST
    Here's a hint: it is black, it is smelly, and it ain't Bush's soul.
    I like that - it ain't Bush's soul. Tex - the use of a dirty bomb will not come from a government or their leaders. It will come from rogue groups - ya know terrorist. The best way to fight against a dirty bomb - is not invade countries and kill innocent people. This tends to produce people that are mad at us and want to fight back. Bin Laden did not really attack us on 9/11 because he "hates our freedom". That is Bushies LIE. Bin Laden attacked us because we had troops still in Saudi Arabia. Apparently, Bin Laden thinks Saudi land is "holy". Bin wanted to drive Saddam out of Kuwait, but we did it instead and left some troops in Saudi. He did not heart Saddam. That is another Bushie lie.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#20)
    by Jlvngstn on Mon May 01, 2006 at 07:42:07 AM EST
    If this is a war on terror, and our allies are all part of the coalition of the willing, and Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism, why the cowardice? After all, Bush didn't need UN approval for Iraq, and "don't forget Poland" should serve as a firm reminder that our allies can be bought for a few billion. Look at the long list of democrats that supported the war before they voted against it against a country that had zero ability to launch any sort of defense yet alone build a nuclear weapon. 10 years is at the far end of the estimation for building a nuke, and 3-5 may be more likely. We attacked the wrong country and are paying the price for doing so, not only because Iran has nuclear ambitions (let's not forget N Korea) but because all of our allies don't want to be associated with the hate that is emanating from the ME towards America. Failed foreign policy, lack of vision, arrogance and cowardice can best describe this administration, irrespective of the immediacy of the Iranian threat.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#17)
    by Johnny on Mon May 01, 2006 at 08:23:33 AM EST
    blah blah blah... I predict the first elevated terror alert in the next three months, with increasing frequecy up until election day 2006. I predict that within weeks post-election, should the wrong-wingers retain control of the house, a violent assault on Iran, with huge devastation on their infra-structure with thousands of dead children. bleeding in the streets. Wrong-wingers-youa re being had. This is almost fricken' verbatim the strategy used by bushco in the "March to War" 3 years ago. And you are rolling out, verbatim, the exact BS you used to defend it last time. 320 Billion dollars spent on Iraq so far. 320 Billion dollars. Israel, Pakistan, India, China, Russia (and how many of the former USSR republics?), and maybe North Korea are all nations armed with nuclear weapons that pose an imminent or long-term threat to world stability. But here we go again.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#21)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon May 01, 2006 at 09:03:09 AM EST
    Charlie- "as a Jew" how do you feel about this: TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran's new president has repeated a remark from a former ayatollah that Israel should be "wiped out from the map," insisting that a new series of attacks will destroy the Jewish state, and lashing out at Muslim countries and leaders that acknowledge Israel. I know Charlie won't give a coherent response so I would love to hear any other comments.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#22)
    by jondee on Mon May 01, 2006 at 09:26:26 AM EST
    JRT - What would be your strategy for "wiping a country off the map" that has hundreds of nuclear weapons? Or, should countries be attacked now because thier leaders make bellicose, idiotic statements? Like, for instance, that Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, Atheists etc will all burn in Hell on judgement day?

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon May 01, 2006 at 09:26:55 AM EST
    The market response to the Iranian situation driven gas prices 60 cents north in a single month. Since high gas prices have hurt the republicans more than any other issue in the past 6 years, I find it hard to believe they would engineer this conflict for political reasons. It would be a really stupid move, and at least when it comes to politics, the republicans aren't that stupid. I think they genuinely believe the threat is serious. On this issue, I agree. If Iran gets nuclear weapons I think we'll see a nuclear war in our life time, which is VERY scary. I don't agree with the administration's antagonistic style of diplomacy, but the threat is very real. The idea that Iran is pursuing nuclear technology for energy is ridiculous. With Iran's oil reserves, it doesn't make financial sense for them to invest incredible sums of money in nuclear power solely for energy reasons.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#24)
    by Edger on Mon May 01, 2006 at 09:29:02 AM EST
    President Ahmadinejad is not the real power in Iran and has the support of only about 35% of the population. Real power in Iran resides with the Mullahs, under Ayatollah Khamenei, Supreme Leader, who did not hesitate to use that power to ensure that whoever is the next president of Iran, it will not be someone who attempts to challenge them.

    Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is Iran's spiritual leader and highest authority. His voice overrides all others in the hierarchy.

    Ahmadinejad will be very visible but not very powerful in the presidency, which has grown considerably weaker as an institution in the past eight years.

    With Khamenei rather than Ahmadinejad firmly in control, Iran's domestic and foreign policies are likely to be less extreme than many have predicted.

    Khamenei will want to avoid triggering US interference in Iran's domestic affairs. He also will want to maintain or expand Iran's economic relations with EU countries and avoid a US-EU united front against Iran.

    --Mark Gasiorowski, Professor of political science and director of international studies at Louisiana State University


    The country's highest-ranking religious leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has already warned his protégé that he was "elected to solve the country's social problems, not to go to war with Israel." At the same time, Khamenei upgraded the powers of the Expediency Council, which is charged with oversight over the government.

    Even the conservative majority in the parliament is making life difficult for Ahmadinejad, forcing him to submit four candidates for the post of oil minister before providing their stamp of approval -- clearly in a reflection of their aversion to turning over control of the country's oil revenues to a loyal follower of Ahmadinejad.

    There are even rumors floating around in Tehran that Ahmadinejad's days could be numbered, and that pragmatic forces within the regime are preparing for a coup. Apparently, Iran's political elite wants to prevent this president from turning the country into even more of a pariah on the international stage.

    DER SPIEGEL, December 19/05

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#25)
    by Sailor on Mon May 01, 2006 at 09:33:17 AM EST
    Israel does not = jews.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#26)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon May 01, 2006 at 09:43:15 AM EST
    Posted by Jondee May 1, 2006 10:26 AM JRT - What would be your strategy for "wiping a country off the map" that has hundreds of nuclear weapons? Or, should countries be attacked now because thier leaders make bellicose, idiotic statements? Like, for instance, that Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, Atheists etc will all burn in Hell on judgement day?
    I never said they should be attacked-I am just trying to understand the Jewish left's defense of radical Islam. Charlie- nothing in your post even came close to an answer.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#27)
    by jondee on Mon May 01, 2006 at 10:09:07 AM EST
    JRT - Do you really think they're "defending" them? Whats got alot of people on the defense is Bush's manipulative fear mongering, sabre rattling, and the fact that its pretty much out in the open that the PNAC grand scheme involving a hyper-aggresive foreign policy in the M.E will involve the U.S in a bloody, trillion dollar endless quagmire potentially costing many more thousands of lives, diversion of resources, and the strong possibility of terrorist retaliation.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#28)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon May 01, 2006 at 10:17:52 AM EST
    Jondee- I do think that the left as a whole is blind to the very serious threat from radical Islam. I am not talking about the war in Iraq directly, but I speak of the left's call for all terrorists to be tried in American courts with American lawyers. That is not reasonable when we are faced with a fanatical enemy sworn to our destruction.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#29)
    by Dadler on Mon May 01, 2006 at 11:05:16 AM EST
    JRT, "Radical Islam" is not an army, cannot invade and take over our country. NEVER. You know this, I know this. It can cause trouble, like many things can. But elevating it to the status you seek to only serves its purposes, not ours. Our president is a religous extremist who believes in the literal existence of heaven and hell. The administration was NEVER capable of starting the dialogue about religion and spirituality, and the CHILDISH literal belief in obvious metaphors, that the world needed to genuinely address "Radical Islam" and such. Certainly, crimes are committed and criminals much be caught. But exponentially making the problem worse by granting criminals higher status, hysterically saying they're a threat to the "country", and treating them as something much greater than they are, is, in a word...RUBBISH. Where's the brains, where's one sentence of genuine creativity in the worlds' crises right now? Not coming from American leadership, that's for sure. Monitor Iran, treat them like other nations, and let them earn respect. And, by the way, we've supported plenty of terroristic practices around the world, not in the service of religion, but for money and politics, hardly better rationales from a nation claiming itself as the most free and enlightened on the planet. Peace.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#30)
    by Dadler on Mon May 01, 2006 at 11:06:36 AM EST
    In other words, Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#31)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon May 01, 2006 at 11:36:45 AM EST
    Dadler- I hope that you are right, but I truly believe that this is a problem that will not be addressed until they are the majority in many countries. Look at France as an example-the young Muslims are a permanent underclass ripe for the brainwashing of racical clerics. This situation will repeat itself and multiply as the years go by. They will (and are) be taught that the West and Christianity and Judaism are to blame for their troubles and terrorism will increase. The left is very fond of the Bush/Hitler comparisons, but try it out on radical Islam and see how it fits. Hitler was at least a little bit sneaky about it. How can you ignore the call from so many corners of Islam for the destruction of Israel and the U.S.? They are much more than a nuisance.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#32)
    by Sailor on Mon May 01, 2006 at 12:51:44 PM EST
    I am not talking about the war in Iraq
    Well that's good because iraq had nothing to do with muslim extremists until we invaded. They were a secular state that OBL was against. Now, as OBL wished, they are the breeding & training ground for terrorists. I'm sure it's just a coincidence that iran was target #2 in the PNAC guide to world domination.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#33)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon May 01, 2006 at 02:05:33 PM EST
    Show yourself out.
    Get some new lines Charlie. I never mentioned any of those people. You take every comment made here as a call to spew about "shrub". It is very old.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#34)
    by Dadler on Mon May 01, 2006 at 02:28:01 PM EST
    JRT, You got the wrong "liberal", my friend. I don't throw around Hitler comparisons, and I'm certainly not going to here, because the shoe doesn't fit. Humility, generosity, self-criticism and imagination go much further than the bull-in-a-china-shop route we've taken so far. Dialogue, monitor, influence change. The alternative is death and destruction. Because armies aren't invading here except ours. And those in the nations invaded will NOT monolithically see us as liberators, which I'd hope Iraq would've taught us. When DID it result in being viewed as "liberators"? In Kuwait, when they were INVADED. Even though our cultural and historical and political ignorance on the diplomatic level allowed that invasion happen.

    Re: Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran (none / 0) (#35)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue May 02, 2006 at 03:08:45 PM EST
    Posted by JRT May 1, 2006 11:17 AM Jondee- I do think that the left as a whole is blind to the very serious threat from radical Islam. I am not talking about the war in Iraq directly, but I speak of the left's call for all terrorists to be tried in American courts with American lawyers. That is not reasonable when we are faced with a fanatical enemy sworn to our destruction.
    Try responding to what I said Charlie instead of rambling on with some inane basketball analogy.

    Beware Bush's Phony Crisis on Iran | 35 comments (35 topical)