A bully on the playground

I know I sound like a broken record concerning developments with Iran, just an endless rerun of a tedious show that's not getting much network promotion, what with Katrina and FEMA and Roberts and DeLay hogging all the best time-slots. Hell, even Iraq isn't scoring the numbers right now, and may be moved to a different hour in the line-up.

So I understand that you're bored. It is a really scary drama, but it's set in a recognizable location and familiar genre, and we're not all that tempted to TiVo each episode and watch regularly.

Nevertheless, here's our story thus far:

The Bush Administration turns some of its attention to an Oil-Rich Nation in the Middle East, one of those conveniently enrolled in a unique club called The Axis of Evil. Uncle Sam uses words like "nuclear weapons" and "military programs" and "threat to world stability".

Americans, conditioned by the relentless White House PR machine to see danger lurking around every corner, find it easy to distrust this Oil-Rich Nation, having tussled with it in the recent past.

The Oil-Rich Nation denies evil intentions, and has the backing of several global heavy-hitters to boot. World stability decreases.

IAEA inspections fail to provide any real evidence that secret military nuclear programs are underway or planned for the future.

Even if such plans were underway and had somehow escaped detection, the International Institute of Strategic Studies, London, states that said Oil-Rich Nation is at least "five to 10 years away from a weapons capability."

U.S. employs irrefutable "Liar, liar, pants on fire" rebuttal, and, along with old buddy England, strong-arms a scant majority of the nations on the IAEA Board into rushing this Oil-Rich Nation toward referral to the Security Council for sanctions.

Oil-Rich Nation, beginning to feel more and more like a cornered fox, responds with increasingly belligerent language, acting in its own national interest and self defense.

U.S. employs irrefutable "See, I told ya so" gambit, faxes talking points to Hannity/Limbaugh/Coulter triumvirate, and swaggers off to a fund-raiser.

There is a familiar ring to this plotline. And industry wags say that viewer ratings are in the cellar. Only this time we can't change the channel. In this reality show, we're all unwitting contestants.

I know it's "been there, done that", but that's precisely what makes it so frightening. And we have to do something to motivate all our elected officials in Washington to switch on their sets and pay careful attention. What better diversionary tactic to throw at the American public than a return to those good ol' "War President" days, when flags (and poll numbers) flew so much higher 'gainst a bright blue American sky...

Stay tuned. There's a bully on the playground. And he's trying to pick a deadly fight.


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(I'm too perturbed by this scenario to be clever with the links, but read these news items from around the globe. I find the Indian and Arab perspectives to be particularly interesting.)