Iran Warmongering: RIP?

The pro-war bleating from neocons (or just regular conservatives desperate for a new weapon of mass distraction) towards Iran has been a regular in our political dialogue for at least two years now. With the new NIE changing that equation to a degree yet to be determined (Time had a good article on the report and how it came to be), it's time for a trip down memory lane.

Highlight reel of aggressive Iran-related rhetoric-



Matthew Yglesias has a post on this issue that-- like the Andrew Sullivan piece last week I rambled on-- gives the administration more credit than they deserve. He states that the release of the NIE makes it more likely now for the White House to gain international support for sanctions against Iran for any ongoing nuclear activities, because now the insanity has seemingly been removed from our policy.

"The underlying principle is simple enough: the US secures more international cooperation when people see us as acting rationally and responding in a reasonable manner to events around the world," he writes. I don't disagree per se, but a) it's clear many in the administration enjoy(ed) that insanity, and b) it's also clear they have no plan whatsoever to capitalize on any of this. The crazy self-defeatist rhetoric is sure to remain us for now.