A Sea Change In The U.S.'s Iraq Policy?

SIGN AT 2004 TEHRAN RALLY READS "DEATH TO AMERICA"

I have been gathering string for some time for a big and oh so serioso post on the drumbeats from the right for attacking Iran or at least imposing a naval blockade before that pussy Barack Obama becomes commander in chief.

That might yet happen, but I have colored myself skeptical of an attack/blockade for several reasons:

* What it would do to the already volatile world oil market.

* What it would do to the already fragile Middle East.

* Whether it might provoke a mutiny of sorts in the Pentagon.

Besides which, there are literally no U.S. ground troops to back up air strikes.

Well, I'm glad I waited because it looks like the White House is pulling back from its ridiculously dangerous bomb-first-talk-later approach in sending an envoy to talks in Geneva regarding Iran's nuclear program, and now Ewan MacAskill reports in The Guardian that it plans to establish a diplomatic presence in Tehran for the first time in 30 years.

More here, and let's hope it's true.