A Phony Crisis -- and a Real One

A Phony Crisis -- and a Real One

Patrick J. Buchanan

Last week, the front pages of the world press blossomed with photos of four Iranian rockets, fired in salvo, heading skyward.

The image was powerful, and the message reinforced by the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Should Israel attack Iran, said Ali Shira, Tel Aviv will be "set on fire."

U.S. reaction was swift and bristling. "Rice Says U.S. Will Defend Gulf," declared the headline over the AP story that began:

"Condoleezza Rice flexed America's muscles in the Middle East Thursday, forcefully warning Iran the U.S. won't ignore threats and will take any action necessary to defend friends and interests in the Persian Gulf. ... Read More

 

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Why we need not fear Iran We need to keep our calm with Iran. Our government has an impulsive tendency to squash mosquitoes with TNT. Ahamadinejad is more of a figurehead in Iran than anything else. The real power belongs in the hands of Iran's religious leaders and many of them, as well as Iran's population, are sympathetic to the U.S. and the West. We have an U.S. administration that doesn't understand geo-social complexities. More...