Escalating Against Iran and Syria?

Besides Bush's mention of the "bipartisan" mewlings of scabby Joe Lieberman (who will head up a working group that will meet regularly with the prez about "winning the war on terror"), I think the lines shown in this video were the most alarming in Bush's speech last night.  Seek out and destroy networks? Patriot air defense systems? Condi Rice has also upped her verbal attacks on Iran of late. Apparently nothing is beyond the pale for the Bushies now. Nothing. Cornered varmints are always the most dangerous of creatures.

Full audio and text of Bush speech, Sen. Durbin's response and other coverage is available at NPR.

Most outrageous press release on the escalation push? Try "Lieberman Applauds President for Pursuing New Course in Iraq."

Scariest article? Read Senators warn Bush against wider war at the Financial Times. Excerpt:

“When you set in motion the kind of policy that the president is talking about here, it’s very, very dangerous,” declared Senator Chuck Hagel, a Republican, drawing applause during the foreign relations committee hearing as a stoney faced Ms Rice looked on.

“As a matter of fact, I have to say, Madam Secretary, that I think this speech given last night by this president represents the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam – if it’s carried out.”

He cast doubt on assurances she had given moments earlier to Joseph Biden, the Democratic committee president, that the US did not intend to mount cross-border raids into Iran. Mr Hagel recalled that the government had “lied to the American people” in 1970 when it denied taking the Vietnam war into Cambodia.

The president did not have the necessary congressional authority to invade Iran or Syria in pursuit of anti-US “networks”, Mr Biden said. “I just want to set that marker.”

Uh oh. Maybe they're reacting to this, reported by The Washington Note. Excerpt:

Did the President Declare "Secret War" Against Syria and Iran?

Washington intelligence, military and foreign policy circles are abuzz today with speculation that the President, yesterday or in recent days, sent a secret Executive Order to the Secretary of Defense and to the Director of the CIA to launch military operations against Syria and Iran.

The President may have started a new secret, informal war against Syria and Iran without the consent of Congress or any broad discussion with the country.

...Adding fuel to the speculation is that U.S. forces today raided an Iranian Consulate in Arbil, Iraq and detained five Iranian staff members. Given that Iran showed little deference to the political sanctity of the US Embassy in Tehran 29 years ago, it would be ironic for Iran to hyperventilate much about the raid.

But what is disconcerting is that some are speculating that Bush has decided to heat up military engagement with Iran and Syria -- taking possible action within their borders, not just within Iraq.

Some are suggesting that the Consulate raid may have been designed to try and prompt a military response from Iran -- to generate a casus belli for further American action.