It is always unclear whether William Kristol of The Weekly Standard(less) actually believes the incredibly stupid things he says or if he just says them in jest in order to justify otherwise unjustifiable policies to the weak-minded people who take his views seriously (e.g., our commander and thief).  This recent interview is a case in point.  Just as Kristol–like many of his war-mongering neo-con brethren–once suggested that we would be greeted with open arms once we ‘liberated’ Iraq, he now suggests that the same thing would happen in Iran.  Here is an excerpt:

QUESTION: You know, the down side, though, you know very well, to all of that being that we’re involved in Iraq and Afganistan. Also that Iran is much different than Iraq. It’s huge and more formidable.

KRISTOL: It is, but also the Iranian people dislike their regime. I think they would be – the right use of targeted military force — but especially if political pressure before we use military force – could cause them to reconsider whether they really want to have this regime in power. There are even moderates – they are not wonderful people — but people in the government itself who are probably nervous about Ahmadinejad’s recklessness.

This is why standing up to Iran right now is so important. They’re overreached. They and Hezbollah have recklessly overreached. They got cocky. This is the moment to set them back. I think a setback to Hezbollah could trigger changes in Iran. People can say, wait a second, what is Ahmadinejad doing to us. We’re alone. The Arab world is even against us. The Muslim world is against us. Let’s reconsider this reckless path that we’re on.

That Kristol would dismiss Iran as overreached and cocky is as ironic as it is frightening.  That he would suggest that the people of Iran should realize that the Arab and Muslim worlds are against them is laughable.  Perhaps psychological projection is at work here.  Or perhaps it’s just unthinking and uncaring greed supplemented by a large dose of testosterone-driven arrogance.