Max, are you familiar with Sam Gardiner? He teaches at the Army War College, and he's a former military man himself. He has opposed pretty much every American military action though for like the last 20 years. Anyway, I bring him up cuz he has done a couple of war game scenarios on Iran, and he did one with a class of mine. Scary stuff, particularly when you factor Israel into the whole thing. Anywho, thought you might like to look up his stuff. He's pretty credible, and pretty much shot down every pro-blow up Iran, devil's advocate argument I had.
So what if they were talking about Iran? They probably were. Presidents meet iwth interest groups and advocacy organizations all of the time. I too am worried that Bush will drag us into confrontation with Iran (who may be dragged in by Israel), but I doubt it'll be the Hoover institute that sways him.