Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[niteowl]

America Plays Poker While Iran Plays Chess

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/001607.php

"...What worries me about Iran's perceptions of American weakness -- and America has become weaker in the region and globally -- is that superpowers with swagger and considerable ego don't usually acknowledge their failings. In desperation and attempting to show that their resolve is solid and military strength robust, big nations having a bad time strike out to prove a point.

George W. Bush may strike Iran not only because of a military rationale that his advisors assemble but because he wants to reassure the world that America still has the backbone and capacity to hit other countries -- ironically undermining the very perception of power he is trying to transmit.

The combination of a weakened U.S. and pretentious Iran is highly dangerous, despite many who think that rational calculators will prevail at the end of the day.

But bottom line is America better not only start playing chess but better get to mastering the three-dimensional version."