WORLD VIEW: "What Makes Ahmadinejad Smile?" by Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek, 19 January 2009.

Zakaria quotes my favorite analyst on Iran, Vali Nasr:

Iran does not have tangible assets in Gaza or the Palestinian territories. It's a misunderstanding to think of its strength in that way. Its real influence in the Arab world comes from its soft power, the reputation it has built as the defender of the great Arab cause of Palestine.

Ironic, of course, since Iran isn't Arab but Persian.

But all that shows is that Tehran is smart enough to exploit an underserved ideological market, as it's long been clear that Arab regimes don't give a rat's ass for the Palestinians and never have. They consider them their loser, dumbass cousins--complete fodder. That hypocrisy deserves the irony of having Persian Iran stand as their ultimate champion.

But Zakaria's bigger point is dead-on: while Hamas isn't simply some on-off switch for Tehran, hardliners in Iran clearly win when Hamas is encouraged and supported in efforts to trigger a very public beat-down by the Israelis. Is this dynamic enough to keep Ahmadinejad in power?

Mebbe, mebbe not. But it sure helps.

In microcosm, this is how Iran plays everybody--Israel, Sunni dictators, the West--as fools. Ring the bell and everybody barks on cue.