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We don’t hear from Condi in what seems like MONTHS and this is what we get?

Her motto is "Speak softly and walk in big black boots." Just a couple of days ago she (uncharacteristically) very publicly and highly visibly slapped Vladimir Putin about Cold War mentality and put him in his place in the new World Order ("new" as in with Soviet Union gone). Day later he made a U-turn and joined UN sanctions against North Korea.
Russia makes U-turn, joins UN sanctions against N.Korea

There is no reason for us to say that we're preparing for WAR with Iran. We may bomb Iran's nuclear and military targets without calling it a WAR at an appropriate time, if UN or EUro-troika (Britain, Germany, France with their new and, on average, slightly improved leadership) declare that they are at impasse, or if we gradually and publicly document more evidence of hostile actions by Iran in Iraq to establish casus belli for military actions against Iran, but until that time comes, saying that WE are not preparing for WAR is simply good politics for "crazies' like el-Baradei.

Think Kosovo (atrocity, I know). But WAR is quite different from bombing or other [para-]military actions designed to advance a regime change or change of direction (which in this case would have to go hand in hand).

And, as another benefit, saying that we are not getting ready for "war" might spur a little more anxiety among the Iranian students' movement, leading them to think that their inaction may not be productive.

Agree 100%. The coming war with Iran will be an Air and Naval war not a ground war. I expect to start it with a surprise attack on the Iranian terrorist regime nuclear facilities and some other military infrastructures. This 1st phase will take 5 to 7 days of intensive bombing. If Iranian terrorist regime responds with attacking oil tankers, or attacking oil facilities in the Gulf region, or attacking our Navy ships in the Gulf, or our bases in Iraq and other places sin the Gulf, then the Air and Naval war will expend dramatically and our Air Force and Navy will go into destroying the major military infrastructure of the terrorists mullahs, their command and control centers, and very possibly a lot of their refinery infrastrastrcures but not their oil production facilities.