I can't say I agree with you on Iran asking for an attack. Many dictators spout crap (Hugo Chavez, Kim Jong Il) but they know they will be crushed if we actualy did something. We don't attack anyone just for the sheer joy of doing it. Iran is a joke of a country, much like every other country in the ME (Israel not included).
They can talk all day and night, but after witnessing what happened in Iraq, I can't see them being stupid enough to get involved.
Iran may have no choice but to attack.
Syria and Lebanon are about to be cleared from our rear to deal in turn with Iran. It is a move long anticipated and almost certainly planned.
The strong move against Judenrein Gaza was bound to excite other extremists. The move into Lebanon in response is virtually a move on Syria. Israel cannot get to the Bekaa Valley without an exposed right flank. Syria cannot lose Saddam's WMD there. So Syria will have to attack. They must be goaded to move prematurely. Then the US will move to neutralize terrorist camps in eastern Syria while Israel goes to Damascus.
Then it is Iran's turn and they will be alone. We probably won't occupy the whole country, just the southern oil fields, while initiating an ongoing bombing campaign against nuclear facilities and supporting civilian infrastructure probably for many years.
Radical Islam is crazy enough to do just about anything. That includes Ahmadinejad. I would not trust him with a nuke period. He feels he will be glorified by God if he gets rid of a shitload of infidels and if he dies doing it, that's even better!
These people have a cultic belief system that glorifies suicide and death as a vehicle to many accolades in the afterlife. It is illogical as far as we are concerned, but to them, it's perfectly logical to commit suicide and kill a huge group of innocent people in the process.
Keep in mind that the enemy has a belief system that is so off-the-wall that women with 4 or 5 little children are signing up to be suicide bombers. I don't put anything past them as they do not adhere to our type of "logic".