Everybody's talking about Iran

Regardless of the accuracy of the Bush administration's efforts to pin Iraq failures on Iran, the effort is bringing them sweet fruit. Bush presented his Iraq policy, escalation, and it was roundly criticized, panned in the press, and rejected by the American people.

So, the administration has gone with a two stage response. 1) Deny any possibility that the Iraq plan can be changed, making any discussion of it moot, and 2) Tossing the media the shiny ball of Iran for them to get excited about instead.

It is a classic manipulation of the media's tendency to "cover the controversy" and puts the conversation on a topic where the administration has better footing.

They want Iran to be the conversation right now rather than Iraq, and it's working.

Sam Gardiner on bits of the Iran media operation.

US Military Spokesman Caldwell will present evidence against Iran next week. (That's a clever way to use the military's authority to get around the administration's intel credibility problem.

Wouldn't you expect that a case against Iran would be made from the national security structure?)