U.N. sanctions.  Talk of military action.  Two aircraft carriers moved into the Persian Gulf.  F-16s deployed to bases in Turkey.  A public relations offensive to terrorize Americans into thinking a nuclear 9/11 is around the corner.

It's déjà vu all over again.

Is the Bush administration Iraq-ing Iran?  Are they so stupid, arrogant, and insane that they would start another unwinnable war in the Middle East midway through the first one?  Are they dusting off the pre-war script for Iraq, crossing out the Q's, and inserting N's instead?

So what is the politics of the increasing conflict between Washington and Tehran?  What are the Bush administration's political goals?  The goals become evident when we examine the means used to achieve them.