Iraq Dances With Iran, While America Seethes

This was yet another bad call by many of the Iraq war's boosters.
Iraq Dances With Iran, While America Seethes - New York Times: "Before American forces invaded, some analysts in Washington predicted that Iran would hold little appeal for Iraq's 17 million Shiites because they are Arabs while most of Iran's Shiites are Persians, historical enemies of the Arabs. That view failed to anticipate the depth of tension and violence that have now divided Iraq's Arabs, largely along lines of the two main branches of Islam, Sunni and Shiite. Still, American officials hold to the belief that, in the end, Iraqi nationalism, which Shiites here share, will keep Iraq from being pulled into Iran's orbit.
The reality, however, is that Iraqi leaders, with the encouragement of their Iranian counterparts, are trying to forge stronger bonds with Iran in many spheres, from reconstruction to the writing of the constitution. "

For some suggestions about engaging Iran, as well the U.S. dilemma in Iraq, see this article in Current History.