[JasonC]

You gone from backpeddling to rear-covering to I'm not sure waht, but it isn't remotely convincing. You said it was a "tantrum". It isn't a tantrum, it's a plan. A perfectly workable one predicated on widespread hatred of the US, that is working just fine. You might have simply acknowledged the point, instead of trying to defend the silly comment that Iran is just throwing a tantrum to get attention.

[capt. norm]

My apologies for not making myself clear in my first comment.

I failed to point out the fact that their "tantrums" are a means toward the very goal you mention. (recruiting more into their cause...stirring up the rebels, etc.)

They have to win with the media first, and in combat, second (if necessary). By "attention" I refer to the media battle into which they fire shots on a daily basis. They know the media defeated us in Vietnam and they seem to be defeaing us in Iraq so why not play that card?.

They have to make sure they make the news every day if possible. That's what I meant by getting attention. It is vital to their cause. So far the MSM is giving them exactly what they need.

I mistakenly made it sound like this "attention" was their end goal, not the means to that goal, like it really is.

My apologies for expressing myself poorly.