Writing on wall

The decision to attack was made some time ago. It will be in two stages. If a smoking gun is found in terms of Iranian interference in Iraq, the US will retaliate on a tactical level, and they will strike against military targets. The second part of this is: Bush has made the decision to launch a strategic attack against Iranian nuclear facilities, although not before next year. He has been lining up some Sunni countries for tacit support for his actions.

-- Vincent Cannistraro, former head of counter-terrorism at the CIA, quoted by Julian Borger and Ian Black in Proxy war could soon turn to direct conflict, analysts warn.