Iran looks like the winner of the Iraq war

The Islamic Republic's clout in the region, confirmed by the Iraq Study Group, could cost the United States.

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"The report told the Iranians, You are mighty now in the region and in Iraq. The Iranians feel now they are untouchable," said Mustafa Alani, director of security and terrorism studies at the Gulf Research Center, an independent think tank in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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Israel views the situation with alarm. "The idea was to make Iraq a partner in the moderate Arab camp. Instead, it has come under the influence of Iran, a state that calls for Israel's destruction," said Ephraim Sneh, Israel's deputy defense minister.

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"Iran won the first round," said a senior Western diplomat in an Arab state. "But there is a long way to go, and if the U.S. leaves Iraq and other countries in the region come in — Saudi, Syria — Iran's position could weaken."

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In what has been described as a battle between nuclear haves and have-nots, Iran has altered the debate terms to the point that a number of countries that hadn't previously expressed interested in nuclear technology are now considering it — among them Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria and Indonesia.

LA Times

...why? what better way to win...get 2 enemies to fight each other is classic.

At the least, it must be said that not much convincing was needed, and I doubt the Iranians were feeling as chipper about prospects back then as they do now. I'm reluctant to give them that much credit, although the idea has a certain plausibility.

Bush guys don wanna admit they got snookered...I guess its Pride...

And they had political unrest at home to deal with. But with the Bushites, it was like giving dope to a junky, back then. "Yellow cake! Yellowcake!"

was looking for "evidence" and somehow ...it was provided....