Qommi responded to Bush. Now Bush responds again, in an interview with NPR. "If Iran escalates its military action in Iraq to the detriment of our troops — and/or innocent Iraqi people — we will respond firmly." Simultaneously this puts the bar for Firmness rather high and rather low. Apparently we're to Respond Firmly if the Iranians attack U.S. forces and if they kill some random Iraqi. If I'm an Iranian, the message I receive is that Bush is on the warpath.

At the National Security Council, Gordon Johndroe tries to pick up the pieces, commenting, "If Iran wants to quit playing a destructive role in the affairs of Iraq and wants to play a constructive role, we would certainly welcome that." Question: what would a constructive Iranian role in Iraq look like to the Bush administration? Presumably it would mean non-intervention, which isn't going to happen. Destructive Role it is.