[mburbank]

Oh, I don't think Iran would change it's plans for Kerry, I just think he'd be way better positioned to deal with it.

In making a case he wouldn't be saddled with W's credability problems Vs. the rest of the world. Almost nobody wants a nuclear Iraq, but any leader that supported America would have to sell that idea to their constituency, many of whom are still sore at W. over the whole WMD, go it alone thing.

The only way to make Iran back down without the disaster of another invasion (which would basically convince most of the Muslim world that this was indeed a crusade) would be convincing pressure from an actual coalition, like the one W senior assembled. Jr. isn't interested in that sort of thing, has evidenced no talent for it beyond his lack of interest and is far less likely to be trusted in negotiation by potential allies, since on several critical issues he treated lap-dog Britain pretty poorly.

I think a Non Nuclear Iraq is in the worlds interest. But I think anoter middle eastern war would be beyond disasterous. I think Kerry would have a way better chance of achieving non nuclear Iraq and avoiding war than W, who I'm not even sure is intereted in avoiding another war.