There He Goes Again

George Bush, in reaction to the terrorist plot uncovered in London:
this nation is at war with Islamic fascists.

Can we imagine language much more shaped to convince every Muslim in the World that they are in Bush's gunsights? Bush, like bin Laden, seems determined to push for a so-called war of civilizations.

If, as seems likely, this turns out to be an al Quaeda plot, it will be more evidence of Bush's folly in deciding to let bin Laden escape while he plotted his folly in Iraq.

Having calamitously failed almost every challenge of his Presidency, Bush now seems bent on pursuing some sort of wider war, perhaps hoping this will allow him to cling longer to impunity. Don't be surprised if he tries to trump up this plot into some kind of excuse for war with Iran. Evidence of an Iranian connection, no matter how implausible, is likely to be conjured up.

I would be extremely surprised if there turns out to be any real Iranian involvement, though we should have no doubts about its capability to carry out considerably more sophisticated attacks.

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