Same Script, Different Oil Rich Nation

Paul Krugman, writing behind the insurmountable wall that is TimesSelect, weighs in on the latest revelations regarding our impending war with Iran.

Why might Mr. Bush want another war? For one thing, Mr. Bush, whose presidency is increasingly defined by the quagmire in Iraq, may believe that he can redeem himself with a new Mission Accomplished moment.

And it's not just Mr. Bush's legacy that's at risk. Current polls suggest that the Democrats could take one or both houses of Congress this November, acquiring the ability to launch investigations backed by subpoena power. This could blow the lid off multiple Bush administration scandals. Political analysts openly suggest that an attack on Iran offers Mr. Bush a way to head off this danger, that an appropriately timed military strike could change the domestic political dynamics.

Does this sound far-fetched? It shouldn't. Given the combination of recklessness and dishonesty Mr. Bush displayed in launching the Iraq war, why should we assume that he wouldn't do it again?

Politics (and probably a little bit of oil envy), is what the Iran drumbeat boils down to. Losing the Congress, especially the House, would be devastating for the criminals in the White House. I have no doubt that they will pull out all the stops in order to prevent a subpoena avalanche from crushing the White House. Personally, I'm not sure they have the time, though the certainly have the balls, to pull off an ad campaign and subsequent air strike against Iran before November. The bombing of Iran would be geared more toward legacy than votes. However, I would not be surprised if something big goes terrorist boom leading up to November. BushCo needs a new rallying cry, and he'll fabricate one to get it.

Pay-per-view Krugman can be found here. I promise to update when a free Krugman link is found.

Update: Our favorite Tennessee Guerilla Women have more Krugman.