Reading the Tea Leaves

Something I meant to blog last week: Gary Sick's argument that the neoconservatives are on the outs in Washington, war with Tehran is unlikely, and a general shift in U.S. foreign policy is underway. Here's the basic thesis:

Ever since the congressional elections of 2006, the US has been in the process of a fundamental change in its policy on a number of key issues: the Arab-Israel dispute, the North Korean nuclear issue, and Iran. Since the administration proclaims loudly that its policies have not changed, and since the tough rhetoric of the past dominates the discussion, it is easy to overlook what is actually going on.

Sick's comments were framed as a reaction to a Wall Street Journal article by John Bolton, who as you'd expect is livid at the changes. Now more evidence for Sick's storyline has surfaced: an equally aghast editorial in neocon central, The Weekly Standard, headlined "'Stunningly Shameful'" and subtitled "The Bush administration flip-flops on Iran." Throw in the frustrations of the McCain campaign, which lately seems unable to do anything but flail about powerlessly, and it's hard to avoid that thought that, for the time being at least, Sick is right.

[Standard story via Jim Lobe.]