Iran Watch, Continued

UPDATE: Diplomacy is apparently being considered by less-hawkish administration officials.

Matthew Yglesias has another great entry on the administration's flawed policy toward dealing with the Iran issue-

I'm in some ways not an objective source, but the new issue of The American Prospect has a fantastic story about Iran 2003 diplomatic initiative toward the United States in which they made a very favorable offer and expressed willingness to at least talk about anything in exchange, basically, for the United States agreeing to halt various efforts to overthrow the Iranian government or impoverish the country. Needless to say, the administration rejected the opening.

As Jim Henley observes, "If the United States goes to war with Iran, it will be because the White House really wants a war with Iran."

Yep. As I noted on Thursday, there is no absolutely no reason we should be dismissing any diplomatic solution that is available to us. I am not suggesting we approach the issue naively, but caution does not equal weakness. The Iranians know we have the upper hand, that is why they are making historically unique overtures. And yet, if you listed to the neocons like Charles Krauthammer or John Podhoretz, you would think our backs were up against the wall here. It's like deja vu all over again.

Meanwhile, the much-discussed 'badge' story continues to be debunked.

And hey, here's more proof of how well that neoconservative foreign policy is working for us!...

NY Times: Iraqi Minister Backs Iran on Nuclear Research

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari of Iraq today endorsed the right of Iran to pursue the "technological and scientific capabilities" needed to create nuclear power for peaceful purposes, in the first high-level meeting between officials from the new Iraqi government and its eastern neighbor.

But Mr. Zebari's statement, made at a news conference after a meeting with the Iranian foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, appeared deliberately ambiguous and reflected the complex position of Iraq between the United States, which wants Iran to abandon efforts to enrich uranium, and Iran, which says it needs enrichment to create fuel for nuclear reactors...

Ooooops. Yeeps, that's awkward, that is.

Finally, something for the White House to keep in mind-
Iran says ready to retaliate against any US strike (AFP)