Secret deal.

An Iranian news agency close to top conservative military figures attributed the fall of Baghdad to a secret tripartite agreement between Saddam Hussain, Russia and the U.S.

Uh huh. Go and re-read that comment about Middle Eastern media a few days ago. But what's worrying is how the Iranian leadership still doesn't see the link between "cause" and "effect". They are back in the earliest stage of human development, somehow.

Some US "analysts" are no better though. Finally Michael Ledeen reveals the neo-con plan for Iran:

"We, and the Iranian people, want a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. There is even a suitable leader for the transition period: the late shah's son, Reza Pahlavi, widely admired inside Iran despite his refreshing lack of avidity for power or wealth."

My jaw just dropped. Who *IS* this guy talking to inside Iran? Did he read "Answering Only to God" by Abdo and Lyons, and did he listen to their press conference where they said this isn't going to work? He's playing and dancing to a completely different tune.