How Iran Won The American-Led War On Iraq

The Asia Times' formidable Pepe Escobar floats the theory, first raised by Iranian conservatives, that Iran has already proved itself to be the ultimate victor in the US/UK/Australian-led War On Iraq :

Hanif Ghaffari, writing in the Farsi-language, conservative Iranian daily Resalat, has pointed out how the recent, very successful Ahmadinejad trip to Iraq had to be considered in the context of "Iran after the Iraq war" and "Iraq after occupation by America". The message could not be more graphic. When Bush went to Iraq he saw an ultra-fortified military base, and that was it. Ahmadinejad went everywhere in broad daylight, welcomed like a brother.

This is how Tehran sees itself - as the ultimate victor of the US war on Iraq. And no "surge" or spin - not to mention Israeli paranoia - can or will make it go away.

The rest of Escobar's very interesting report can be read here.