MIDDLE EAST: Bothersome Intel on Iran, By Michael Hirsh, NEWSWEEK, Jan 21, 2008

ARTICLE: A President’s Defender Keeps His Distance, By NAZILA FATHI, New York Times, January 8, 2008

Bush has his reality, but Ahmadinejad's deepening fall from grace with the Supreme Leader shows that denying Tehran its favorite enemy puts the onus on its leaders to deal with the internal situation. As the second piece declares: "international pressures are supplanted by internal disagreements."

Containment? Yes.

Some sanctions to work the Revolutionary Guards? You bet (but expect them to act up).

But no carrots means we get no play on these internal disagreements, and that means Bush's policies stalemate themselves.

As I have long stated: all Bush's strategy gets us is a nuclear-capable Tehran down the road that's disconnected and angry and willing to f--k up our efforts throughout the region--that after we remove its two greatest and close enemies from power!

That's just stupid, in strategic terms, to do so much to Iran's benefit and get nada in return. Just plain dumb.