What's The Endgame Here?

Needless to say, this news is making those of who've been paying attention nervous-

The Pentagon is considering a buildup of Navy forces in the Persian Gulf as a show of force against Iran, a senior defense official said Tuesday...

NBC News has more-

The U.S. Central Command is aggressively planning a naval buildup in the Persian Gulf, including the addition of a second aircraft carrier, in response to a series of aggressive actions by Iran, U.S. military officials told NBC News on Tuesday...

...The attempt at "gunboat diplomacy" is in its final planning stages. Although it has not been approved yet, it appears likely the increase in U.S. warships into the Gulf could come as early as January, the officials said...

'Gunboat diplomacy'. Yea, umm, that'll be taken real seriously from a nation in as weak a position as us. Like I ask in the title: What's the endgame here? We all know what the White House wants it to be, but what's really going on?

Tony Blair is also now (coincidentally?) taking Iran to task-

British Prime Minister Tony Blair will call on Wednesday for Middle East states to rein in what he calls the threat from Iran and to help advance peacemaking between Israelis and Palestinians...

..."Our response should be to expose what they are doing, build the alliances to prevent it and pin them back across the whole of the region."

He says to do this "we need the open and clear backing of the countries in this region that know better than me what is happening and why."...

In fairness, I don't believe he shares the neocons' bloodlust. He seems sincere in diplomacy.

A Time article further adds that Syria is also in the Bush administration's 'crosshairs'.

Note to Bush: This isn't what the Iraq Study Group meant by negotiating with Iran and Syria.

Matt Drudge is loving this, of course. He always does.