"There is little doubt that Iran has been the chief beneficiary of the war on terror in the Middle East."

I just love it when a plan comes together.

Article in the Guardian quotes from the Chatham House a think tank that bills itself as, "one of the world's leading organizations for the analysis of international issues."

To channel Chrissy snow, the article says the think tank says that when the US took out the Taliban the Saddam it created a power vacuum that Iran was ready willing and able to fill, giving them more power and influence in the region than previously possible. Maybe this changes if Afghanistan and Iraq stablize, but even then it will be awhile before either nation is able to check Iran on their own.

So to recap, years before either Afghanistan or Iran stablilize (best case scenario) and years after that before they are capable of countering Iran on their own. Thus, even under best case planning, Iran (a potential nuclear power, known sponsor of terrorism and all around good guy) has a potential run of decades to do their thing.

Ahhh, the sweet smell of success.