In the days after Alito: Iran (The Rebellion of the Real World)

Well, the hearings are over. The democrats have decided to postpone any comitee action for the next week, as that is as long as they are allowed to do so being the dissatisfied party that they are over the answers they recieved from Judge Alito (answers, not a lack of them).

Meanwhile Iran looms large. as Michelle Malkin said "we're on the brink". (Be sure to read everything posted there, as chilling as it is.) In addition, the master of all things Middle East, Joel Rosenberg has posted on the latest from both Bush and Cheney, as well as a article by Bill Kristol, of the Weekly Standard, that's worth a read . Powerline has a satilite photo that is needs a look.

Bush, Cheney, and Rice are all serious about the threat that Iran is. Eroupe is weak and lacks the spine for this kind of work. Iran's president is an irrational wacko who would go to great lengths. I get the feeling this is reminiscent of the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis maybe (even if I wasn't around for that). The big question is what is the United States going to do? Can we afford another military operation, espically in that region? I want to say yes, but I cannot do so. Does Bush have the political capital to expend on such an endeavor in an effort to get enough support in Congress to call for such an action? Would he be able to effectivly "sell" the idea to the American people so that a majority would be ok with it? (Wait, he's not motivated by polls and people's opnions like Pollmaster Clinton was.) I can't answer these questions effectivly yet, but at first glance I would say no. I don't know what to say that has not already been said, and much that could be said, cannot be said, yet. I do know that there will be negitive fallout to some degreee no matter what so the question is, how does the US instigate effective damage control? None of the options are stellar. Israel would sure face some massive backlash if they were to act, espically unilaterally, and that is something that is not needed at this point, as Sharon very well may have reached the end of his political career and elections for a new PM are on the horizon. Can the USA fight on another front, a front where massive airstrikes are requried and ALL of the locations would need to be leveled? (If they weren't Iran would be all the more motivated to try and nuke the West.) These questions and issues need to be weighed and answered. Sadly, it is well known that the media will not give this it's correct and deserved attention; the attention it does give will be negitive (Fox News not withstanding). Amidst all this, these chilling words come to mind:

"The course is chosen, it cannot be turned, the way has been prepared...all the world is a stage, in the eyes of the sotrm" - Saviour Machine