The you need to "set me straight" your statements are not backed up by anything more than your opinion.
The Perle/Newt crowd are standeasys for Cheney and Rumsfeld, who, apparently, aren't too pleased with Condi right now. They misunderstood Rice's offer to the Iranians as appeasement, and began this campaign against her.
When Hezboallah began the missile barrage against Israel, Condi understood immediately that she had her answer to the May 30th initiative. What is not being said is what became immediately apparent to Rice and Bush: Ahmadhi-Nejad, secure at home, had decided on war. He had made Hitler's mistake in underestimating the West. Spengler, in his excellent article in the Asia Times Online, points out that war with Iran is now inevitable, probably by the end of the year.
Lincoln is said to have responded to Seward's eagerness to take on Britain during the Civil War, "One war at a time." Rice has always understood the Roman admonition that martial impulses must be ruthlessly be subordinated to political aims. She has always understood that the fanaticism of Dinner Jacket would lead him towards war as a solution to Iran's encirclement. The problem of Germany repeats itself.
Ahmadhi-Nejad truly is a fool. He doesn't understand that the finest, most experienced fighting army in human history is on his doorstep. No one realizes this, apparently, except Bush and Condi. No one ever seems to mention the five divisions we have in the center of the Middle East. When the time comes, they will come into play-filled as they are with men who have done two to three tours in Al Anbar Province. When the Revolutionary Guards face these men, you will see history repeat itself. The Gauls, when they finally confronted Caesar's Tenth Legion, found the immovable force.
People who want to get rid of Rice are people who are too damn eager to go into Iran. Condi understands what people like Jed Babbin do; that the Iranians are fascists who will do anything to break out of their encirclement. Condi stood against European Appeasement today in Rome because she understands that Nasrallah is Ahmadhi-Nejad's client, no more, no less. As she stands against appeasement, the logic of her arguments will begin to carry the day, as did Churchill's sixty years before.
The next phase of the War has begun. Conservatives need to fight the enemy overseas, not phantom enemies at home. Condi is the best thing we have going right now.
Be Seeing You,
Chris