Is this mike on?

[Pannonian]

There's more mileage to work with the Iranians once Ahmadinejad is toppled than with the dangerous terror harbour in Pakistan - which not only has nukes already but people in the security services that are actively supportive of al-Quaeda - and in case you forgot as President Bush has, they're the threat.

Pakistan doesn't threaten Israeli interests, only American interests. Therefore they're not a threat in the eyes of the neocons. There's a consistent thread running through these stories - people who strike at the US are sidelined, while people who threaten Israel are demonised and require urgent and extreme action. Sometimes I wonder if American "patriots" prefer the Israeli flag to the Stars and Stripes.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Pakistan doesn't threaten Israeli interests, only American interests. Therefore they're not a threat in the eyes of the neocons. There's a consistent thread running through these stories - people who strike at the US are sidelined, while people who threaten Israel are demonised and require urgent and extreme action. Sometimes I wonder if American "patriots" prefer the Israeli flag to the Stars and Stripes.

You hit the nail on the head. Support for Israel is important for US interests, but no more than a settled Middle East. It has become a sacred cow that is now directly hurting those interests. I can't understand how it has come to this pass - in the same way that your Mr Blair completely disregards British interests in favour of a facile US-centric policy.