Because with Dick Cheney, you always must expect the worst, and then not be too surprised when he exceeds those expectations and finds a way to surpass "the worst."

So obviously all Hersh knows is that the meeting took place - if he had more info on it he'd certainly print it. But really - is ANYONE surprised at the notion that Dick Cheney's office is champing at the bit to bomb, bomb, bomb Iran? Especially before a pansy liberal Dem takes office? At this point it's a given, and such information only really serves as color instead of the subject of an investigation. "Cheney Looks To Provoke Iran! In other news, a dog chased a cat, the sun set in the West, and a Boston driver cut someone off. Back to you, Chet."

Please. I'm mildly surprised Cheney hasn't yet been tied to a plot to invade Iceland. I'm sure those plans are in the six-foot vault in his office, though.

Cheney should be impeached, there's a case, there has to be. Didn't the Senate just confirm that Bush "lied". And yet nothing, not a word. Thank god he didn't get a blow job though. That would have been the point of no return.

Obamarama watch:

Was at the Leinster semi between Dublin and Westmeath (not even a real county) - we just about beat the muck savages but Wexford will hockey us in the final - and saw two Westmeath fans weraring Obama caps. So, I reckon the unity of hope has the Westmeath vote in the bag.

Got a nice price on a Dublin win and Spain minus one. Come on the Spin...Spanish!

(No Euro final post lads? Poor form.)

Come on, that opening ceremony? That's the height of European kitsch (that's a cool Yiddish word btw), so fantastically, absurdley bad. Uniquely European.Surely culturally valid? Where is Chris Orr on this?

Come on Spain, for the empire, for the lost Armada, for Popery and the doctrine of law.  Come on!

Can you think of any other sitting president that was confirmed by the Senate as having "lied" the country into war! Do I have the Senate vote right?  

Would FDR have survived such a vote? Would LB...well, probably not good examples those.  

This just in from the latest issue of "The Tehraner":

"A few weeks later, a meeting took place in the Supreme Leader's office. 'The subject was ask the United States, you and what army?' a former senior intelligence official said."

The idea of a "war" with Iran is preposterous. Not because it's a bad idea, but because what we're talking about is American air raids with zero chance for the meaningful commitment of grounds troops, on account of the United States not having any ground troops available for the purpose. So we conduct an air campaign, but not a long one since Air Force and Navy munitions stockpiles are still recovering from their near-depletion in 2004. And without ground troops, we're not talking about regime change in Tehran; we'll just be blowing up a few buildings. Then Iran gets to decide whether to shut down the world economy by contesting control of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, or whether to conduct a more limited anti-American campaign on the ground in Iraq and possibly Afghanistan, and while their at it whether to collapse the Lebanese government and offer Israel a three-fronted ground and air war with its Hezbollah and various Palestinian proxies.

So. What we're talking about is we cut off Iran's hand, then Iran decides how badly to kick our ass and the asses of our most sensitive regional allies. That's not a "war." That's maybe a "police action," but in the sense of a "Police Academy" movie, not in the sense of Korea.

Westmeath -- the Delaware of Ireland?

:) Exactly Irony, exactly. Think of a Starbucks, in shopping mall, surrounded by round abouts, in the heart of Milton Keynes, and you're getting there.

  Before one can debate if attacking Iran is plausible I think one needs to agree that:

  1.) Cheney is both stupid and crazy, 2.) Bush is dumb & desperate (nothin' to lose). & 3.) The uniformed military and Gates have a few hundred thousand troops hidden somewhere. 4.) We have a bunch (and enough) new hardware and 5.) Iran is ready to cave.

  I do not doubt that people in authority speak of things that are too foolish for a bad film.  And yes, Iraq was sold because the above package was easier to buy. But won't it take more than Bush-Cheney to pull it off?  It seem points 3 - 5 fell into place in '02-'03 but aren't available now.  

  Rather, even if the US had a good reason and a serious need to pull the trigger?  We'd hope a third-party stepped in 'cause we may not match up all that well right now.

  A "a casus belli between Tehran and Washington" is one thing...doin' the job is more that tough talk.

None of the above Alex; there is a god. The Neitchezien, Teutoborg, Boa constrictor has been slain.

Thanks to Josh for his entertaining posts, it enriched by experience of one of the best Euro's in a long while.

Frank, where were you? I know you watched some games, wth the blinds closed, late at night.

Woody.. it's in his vault right next to the plans for his death-ray, the key to his secret satellite-swallowing space ship, and his specially designed helmet with embossed "dr. chaos" logo

perkowitz...you forgot to mention Darth's secret code ring, which allows him to secretly communicate with other NeoCons and warmongers the world over, and which self-destructs if touched by liberal hands!

Dumb populist: There were retarded conspiracy theorists after WWII that said FDR had early knowledge that Japan would bomb Pearl Harbor but ignored it because he wanted a reason to go to war.  People like you have existed since marijuana.

I heard SH on Terry Gross's "Fresh Air" today; he makes a much bigger point about looking for a "casus belli" with Iran than he did in the New Yorker article.

But the scariest point in the article is this:

A member of the House Appropriations Committee acknowledged that, even with a Democratic victory in November, “it will take another year before we get the intelligence activities under control.”

If this means what I think it does, it's that, even assuming Obama is elected, covert activities in Iran (or wherever) will continue  for a year after Obama is inaugurated, whatever Obama or the Congress desires.

Does anyone see a runaway train?