The 22nd Amendment's Justification

Not every thread is credible, but that doesn't mean Bush is dumber than he looks. Discussing the late Iraq war with a friend this morning, he reminded me that that war's chief architect, Paul Wolfowitz, was confirmed as World Bank president. Whether, as my friend suggested, the position is something of a dumping grounds for those who have exceeded their freshness date is in the end immaterial, because it gets Wolfowitz out of the kitchen in which he has excelled in making trouble, i.e., in matters of U.S. policy.

So it is possible that reports of a June attack on Iran are less than likely, and contraindications are mere bluster. Just in case, the Ukranians have sold nuclear-capable cruise missiles to Iran. Meantime, Iranian exile groups and Iran's own government spin childishly bad tales in the international press, leaving us to wonder whether the wolf at the door is real. If Bush really is dumb enough to try and take out Iran in June when the US can barely keep the peace in Iraq, the likely effect upon already jittery oil markets -- and therefore Bush's political life -- is liable to be rather drastic. We can only be grateful for the 22^nd Amendment.