Get out of Iraq/n now!

We may not be able to stop Bush as he blunders about in Iraq, but we sure can stop him from taking on Iran.

Three former high-ranking American military officers have warned against any military attack on Iran.

They said such action would have "disastrous consequences" for security in the Middle East and also for coalition forces in Iraq.

They said the crisis over Tehran's nuclear programme must be resolved through diplomacy, urging Washington to start direct talks with Iran.

The letter was published in Britain's Sunday Times newspaper.

It was signed by:

Lt Gen Robert Gard, a former military assistant to the US defence secretary

Gen Joseph Hoar, a former commander-in-chief, US Central Command

Vice Adm Jack Shanahan, a former director of the Center for Defense Information

"As former US military leaders, we strongly caution against the use of military force against Iran," the authors said.

Talking Points Memo James Fallow:

By comparison, Iran is easy: on the merits, in the politics. War with Iran would be a catastrophe that would make us look back fondly on the minor inconvenience of being bogged down in Iraq. While the Congress flounders about what, exactly, it can do about Iraq, it can do something useful, while it still matters, in making clear that it will authorize no money and provide no endorsement for military action against Iran.

But Spencer Ackerman of TPM Muckraker reminds us:

Perhaps the administration isn't planning a war -- but, as we learned in Iraq, just because there's no planning doesn't mean there won't be war.

And Spencer lists the reasons to be cynical and suspicious:

Let's review. The president has authorized military action against Iranian assets in Iraq. There's a new Special Operations task force, known as Task Force 16, devoted to rooting out Iranian influence. A few weeks ago, U.S. forces raided an Iranian diplomatic office in Iraqi Kurdistan and detained several Iranian nationals. Just the other day, President Bush told NPR that he will "respond firmly" to Iranian attacks on U.S. forces, and the administration is non-denial-denying that the Iranians may have been involved in last week's attack in Karbala. For good measure, the U.S. is beefing up naval assets in the Persian Gulf, and the incoming head of Central Command warned at his confirmation hearing on Tuesday of Iranian desires to restrict U.S. access to one of the world's most economically vital shipping lane.