afx: I would also draw a parallel to another point in time: 1979. US economy in a slump, double digit interest rates, military humiliated by Vietnam, Soviets in Afghanistan, America retreating from the world stage, Iranian hostage crisis, people mistrusting the government after Vietnam and Watergate and a general sense of overall malaise (remember Jimmy Carter’s speech to us about hard work?).

While I don’t think attacking Iran is the right thing to do, I also don’t agree that the European solution of tough talk and threatened sanctions is sufficient, either. I think the US needs to engage the people of Iraq and show moderacy in our approach, while remaining resolutely committed to military options if Iraq proves intransigent. And this isn’t similar to the “does he or doesn’t he” WMD question with Saddam. The IAEA has confirmed Iraq’s capabilities in this respect and it isn’t based on a ginned up NIE or CIA analysis.

We also need to keep a leash on the Israelis. I don’t doubt for a second that Israel will take out the reactor at Natanya (a la their recent Syrian strike and the 1981 Osirak strike) about 15 minutes after Obama’s inaugural speech. I don’t blame them, either. Iran is deadly serious about removing Israel from the map and they are rapidly gaining the capability to do so.