This has nothing to do with actual military preparedness or any rational analysis of what is to be gained/lost in the longer term. All that matters is what happens in November - after that the EU/UN can take over to clear up the mess. Do you think Bush cares about the long term consequences? "It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."
Patriotism in the US at the moment seems to be deep as a puddle. A bit of flag waving, a bit of posturing, a bit of shouting at liberals and - hey presto - you're a patriot.
When war means real sacrifice and real hardship - which a war with Iran would, in the form of even more body bags and even higher gas prices - the appetite for aggression is going fade quickly.
So it would take at least another 9/11 on US soil to make a difference. And so many people are so cynical about 9/11 already that they're just as likely to blame Bush for not protecting them as they are to vote for a militarist noob.
McCain is already taking a beating as a Bush surrogate, when his campaign has barely started. A few months from now it will be too late to break that association.
Even losing a city wouldn't do it. And I'm not sure that Bush is really all that interested in continuing for another few years after suspending the Constitution for security reasons.
I suppose Cheney might decide to nuke Washington and declare himself emperor in chief once the pesky government has been removed, but I don't think even Cheney is insane enough to do that.
you are the media you consume.
It doesn't have to be a full scale war - even the appearance of war will do to polarise opinion in the US enough to make Obama unelectable.
I give up.
