A road already taken

With two US battle groups in position, another (or even two) possibly on the way, plus one expeditionary strike group standing ready and another getting ready, the US and Israel are increasing the pressure on Iran (see Paul Rogers, 8 February). It looks like a case of never mind the veracity or otherwise allegations regarding Iranian weapons and training in Iraq (see The New York Times returns to pre-war "journalism" - a contrast to that paper's thumping editorial The Build-a-war workshop); the struggle for strategic dominance across the whole region is edging into a new phase, with the rest of us, apparently, helpless bystanders.