AYATOLLAHS FOR BUSH

Just thinking that if you're an Iranian cleric, Bush is by far the better choice as next president of the U.S. He has permanently alienated the international community, making it virtually impossible for him to extract himself from Iraq and go after Iran. Kerry, by contrast, might actually put together a functioning coalition that would manage the occupation reasonably well.

This article (and several others I've seen) says we aren't even close to the manpower we need to occupy Iraq effectively. Even drafting 150,000 human targets would barely fill the gap.

Iran would also prefer Bush to Kerry because Kerry would probably be able to work more effectively with Blair. With Bush and Blair there's enough political difference that maybe you could drive a wedge if you worked it right.

Finally, Iran likes Bush because he's such an easy symbol. His Dad fought a war for oil, he fought a war for oil, he's a Texan cowboy etc. etc.

But Kerry would be a fairly easy target too, given that his paternal granparents were Jewish. One way or another I suppose they'll be able to keep the hate machine running.