Excellent article by Barnes and right on the money.
Iran is the key. Iran's government must be changed. Do that, and the tension in Iraq will go away. And we need not occupy Iran. We simply need to displace their government, destroy their nuclear capacity the old fashioned way (brick by brick), and then depart. Leave with the message that we'll be back again is they aggravate us again.
If Iran were not so involved in the Iraqi intrique, and if Iran were not for decades now the world's leading exporter of terrorism, then it might be different. But both of the above are true.
Take out Iran and ALL of the other pieces will fall in place.
This is the same error that has led to the status quo in Iraq.
Yes, there are some Westernized Persians who, if they were in power would be better for us.
But Amanutjob was popularly elected, his nuclearization policy is very popular, and the majority of young males of military age are fanatics, with more on the way in the 12-16 age range.
Shia Iran = Shinto Japan.
If we aren't prepared for conquest and occupation, we should pursue a policy of appeasement.
Maybe so, but I don't see Iran as the key to getting more people to vote Republican. Show me a poll that says the reason the GOP's numbers are low is because we haven't slapped sanctions on Iran. I honestly think Iran is low on most voters' priority list - if you have a poll that says otherwise, I'd like to see it. The polls I've seen say that people are upset by 1) Iraq war; and 2) gasoline prices. Among the base, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION is big. But Barnes doesn't even mention it, does he?