Iran: Bluster and Thought

Welcome back.

The outrageous, narrow, contradictory, self-serving position of those on the Right--such as Robert Kagan, who makes at least some attempt at casting a veil of intellectual coherence, or the bloviating Mike Pence, who only goes as far as enjoying the familiar sound of his words--is another example of the continuing simple-minded viciousness that lies at the heart of a large sector of those who identify as conservative.

The logic here is simple. They are itching for a fight. They want to draw Obama into "confronting" Iran, prodded by rhetoric that really comes down to no more than opportunism hiding behind the usual protective shield of patriotic boilerplate, so that Iran will then accuse the U.S. of meddling.

Obama can then be accused of "failing" in foreign policy--because of the conflict that they conveniently and typically encouraged. And Iran can be placed in the role which they find more comfortable and exciting, and which they are more accustomed to--the place that they can and should fight.

That this permits the Iranian government to have a critical distraction from the battle for freedom, focusing attention on an external enemy--that is, that it will serve to undercut the "freedom" that they declare is their purpose--is not mentioned.

Sad, hypocritical, tiresome...ah! A return to the feelings of the Bush Administration!