Spoiling for (another) fight

The rumours related to American intentions as regards Iran continue to swirl in the print media and across the internet(s). Perhaps I still retain my naïveté but I find it incredibly hard to imagine that Bush&Co would dare to pursue military conflict with the Islamic Republic. There are two very good reasons for this.

First they will have an extremely hard time finding any willing coalition partners unless one counts Israel. I believe that I can state fairly unequivocally that the UK will not join the US in any new adventure, no matter how exciting it might seem to the Prime Minister nor how clear the intelligence may seem.

Second the current "authorization to use military force" (which is not a declaration of war) clearly does not cover Iran and I can see no circumstance in which the current make up of the legislative branch would permit the passage of a new resolution. It is also extremely clear that the American people will not support expanded conflict in the Middle East.

Having said that it is still possible these inept idiots are capable of intentionally triggering an incident that would allow them to claim "self defence". Such an incident would have to be more convincing than the Gulf of Tonkin situation manufactured by the Johnson administration in Vietnam but it is still possible.

And as long as it is possible we all should be very worried indeed.