Bush Ordered Iranian Takedown

What was that I was saying about leadership the other day?

Bush personally ordered the military to take out Iranian operatives in Iraq.

Ironically, here is a U.S. president at longlast doing what Jimmy Carter refused to do, take tough action on Iranian Islamists, against the advice of his National Security Advisor, Zbigniew Brzezinski, a failure that kicked off our 28-year-war with Iran and Islamic extremism. But who is Zbig criticizing today?

They laugh at him because he doesn't speak well. Makes funny faces and looks like a chimp. Made mistakes in the execution of this war, a war his short-sighted critics say never should have happened. But he gets it and finally, he's acting on it.

Bill Kristol on the "Boneless Wonders" of Congress:

Say you're an average congressman. How do you react to President Bush's Iraq speech? You suspect, deep down, that he's probably doing more or less what he needs to do. We can't just click our heels and get out of Iraq--the consequences would be disastrous. And the current strategy isn't working. You have said so yourself. Last fall you called for replacing Rumsfeld. You've complained that there weren't enough troops. What's more, you've heard good things about General David Petraeus from colleagues with military expertise. So now Bush has fired Rumsfeld, put Petraeus in command, and sent in more troops. Maybe this new approach deserves a chance to work?

But, hey . . . look at those polls! And those op-ed pages! You didn't come to Washington to support an unpopular president conducting an unpopular war.

AP: No Plan to Attack Iran.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that while U.S. forces are trying to prevent Iran and Syria from disrupting U.S. forces in Iraq, there were no immediate plans for an attack.

"We believe that we can interrupt these networks that are providing support through actions inside the territory of Iraq, that there is no need to attack targets in Iran itself," Gates told the panel, adding that he continues to believe that "any kind of military action inside Iran itself, that would be a very last resort."

Pace said special operations forces are continually battling insurgents who are getting aid from Iran.

"I think one of the reasons you keep hearing about Iran is because we keep finding their stuff in Iraq," Pace said.

Take note that in the NYT link that tops this post, Sen. Biden comes down firmly on Iran's side. The vote to authorize action in Iraq doesn't cover attacks or pursuit into Iran.

"I just want the record to show — and I would like to have a legal response from the State Department if they think they have authority to pursue networks or anything else across the border into Iran and Iraq — that will generate a constitutional confrontation here in the Senate, I predict to you," Mr. Biden said.

I believe that goes somewhat beyond simple spinelessness.

Eye Raki has some inside soccer on the Shiites. Al-Sistani still behind al-Sadr.

Hammorabi's thoughts on bolstering Iraq's ability to help Iraq, and the common interests of the Dem Cong and al-Qaeda.

Back to the future: MEMRI on Russia's interest in Syria and Iran, and Syria and Iran's interest in Russia. As a counterbalance to us. Remeber when Bush looked into Putin's soul? Time for another look.