Iran is the Key to Peace in the Middle East

Thomas P.M. Barnett quotes himself to remind us that there will be no peace in the world's oil tank unless the Iranian mullahs approve it.

"Iran is the one country standing between Bush and peace in the Middle East. Bush can't solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without its say-so, because the mullahs are the biggest potential spoilers in the region. They fund the terrorist groups that can effectively veto peace efforts in both Jerusalem and Baghdad. Iran is the one regional power that can still menace the Gulf militarily. Everyone else there operates in Tehran's shadows."