Iran is now assembling some 250,000 troops along the Afghan border and threatens military action unless its demands for amends are met. Such talks could help defuse the crisis over Iran's diplomats and ease tensions between Washington and Tehran. U.S. strategy and goals in the region are unclear Part of the problem, writes the Sueddeutsche Zeitung's Tomas Avenarius in a commentary today, is that the United States' policy trumpet is giving forth an uncertain sound. Anyone wanting to know the answer should take a look at the absurd scenes being played out between Iran and Afghanistan. Just like in a textbook dealing with the outbreak of World War I, diplomatic muscle flexing, military exhibitionism and the wailing for blood by the whipped-up fervor of the masses follow each other in turn.
Borders have to be protected, murdered nationals avenged, and threatened co-religionists protected.
But hostilities sometimes follow such threats. The Iranians could well feel encouraged. In the best scenario, they would heave a few bombs at Taliban bases in line with the U.S. example. In the worst scenario, they would march in. But an invasion would then include the nuclear power Pakistan in the plan.