Should Republicans go ahead and add Supreme Court Justices to head off Democrats

Regime change in Iran on the table

NY Times:

At a time when the violent insurgency in Iraq is vexing the Bush administration and stirring worries among Americans, events may be propelling the United States into yet another confrontation, this time with Iran. The issues have an almost eerie familiarity, evoking the warnings and threats that led to the war to overthrow Saddam Hussein, and stirring an equally passionate debate.

Like Iraq in its final years under Saddam Hussein, Iran is believed by experts to be on the verge of developing a nuclear bomb. In Iraq, that proved to be untrue, though this time the consensus is much stronger among Western experts.

In addition, as with Iraq, administration officials have said recently that Iran is supporting insurgencies and terrorism in other countries. Recently, top administration officials have accused the Tehran government of backing the rebels in Iraq, something that officials fear could increase if Iran is pressed too hard on its nuclear program.

A parallel concern in Washington is Iran's continued backing of Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite group that the administration and the Israeli government say is channeling aid to groups attacking Israeli civilians. Israel also warns that Iran's nuclear program will reach a "point of no return" next year, after which it will be able to make a bomb without any outside assistance.

Iran is Jimmy Carter's legacy. Since falling into the hands of the radicals, Iran has been the number one state sponsor of terrorism. Overthroughing the regime in Tehran would immediately starge insurgents in Iraq, Israel and elsewhere around the world. It would also deny the Norks one of their biggest customers. A case can be made that overthrowing the Tehran entity would make the job of pacifying Iraq easier. It is a very unpopular government in a country with a much less cowed population that hates it.