…While disappointing, the run-up to a confrontation with Iran hardly feels like a surprise. The current march to war has included Hollywood as well, as witnessed by the excitement and pomp over this year’s Oscar win for best picture, given to “Argo,” a blatantly xenophobic film directed by Hollywood darling Ben Affleck. In on the action was first lady Michelle Obama, who presented the prestigious award to the director himself. Coincidence, perhaps. Or maybe just some coy disingenuousness in having the first lady on hand to — surprise!! — salute the CIA present the award for best picture during a year when “Zero Dark Thirty” was also a strong contender.
So let’s sum up. Despite ample evidence of the devastating effects of the gratuitous invasion of Iraq that began a decade ago, the president and his buddies are now drumbeating for an attack on Iran. The search for elusive WMD is falsely alleged to have been stymied by Iran. There is a repeated insistence that there’s no telling what those crazy Muslims (or Muslim dictators) will do. Yet we have repeated confirmations that there are no plausible destructive weapons or development capabilities in the country that is the intended target. Does any of this sound familiar? Andrew Sullivan, Peter Beinart and Ezra Klein have recognized the rumblings, although they did so prior to the 2012 reelection of President Obama. Will others sound the alarm before it’s too late? Or will we only be treated to silence or continued fear-mongering in the face of this bellicose posturing by the Nobel Peace laureate?
Will it be, in the apt words of Yogi Berra, “Déjà vu all over again”?
http://www.salon.com/2013/03/31/obama_is_channeling_bush_fever_in_iran/
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