Formerly a right-wing nut case, Pat Buchanan now seems very reasonable

In comparison with the maniacs in the White House, at least.

I know I'm supposed to hate Pat Buchanan, but I'd gladly take his isolationist foreign policy in a minute over Bush's--or Kerry's for that matter. Here's Buchanan on the confrontation with Iran:

Having seen how America dealt summarily with Iraq, but proceeds gingerly with North Korea, Tehran has likely concluded that when a superpower is threatening preemptive strikes and preventive war, only nuclear weapons can deter it. Those who do not have such deterrents get the Saddam and Taliban treatment.
...
We could find ourselves in a third war with no allies save Israel. Another consequence could be the disruption of oil shipments from Iran, Iraq and the Gulf, a run-up in prices to $60 or $70 a barrel, and recessions in Japan, Europe and the United States.

Presently, America and her European allies appear to be moving toward Security Council sanctions if Iran does not render hard assurances it is not going nuclear. But if the mullahs have concluded their only defense against U.S. or Israeli preemptive strikes is a deterrent of their own – a not unreasonable assumption given what happened next door – we are headed for a showdown that will change our world forever.

Buchanan doesn't mention the assault on Najaf, but as I've said, the whole point of that would seem to be provoking Iran into giving Bush a reason to bomb the crap out of them.