IS THIS IT?

Well, it's Novosti, and I don't really trust anything I read in the Russian press, but...

Russian military intelligence services are reporting a flurry of activity by U.S. Armed Forces near Iran's borders, a high-ranking security source said Tuesday.

"The latest military intelligence data point to heightened U.S. military preparations for both an air and ground operation against Iran," the official said, adding that the Pentagon has probably not yet made a final decision as to when an attack will be launched.

He said the Pentagon is looking for a way to deliver a strike against Iran "that would enable the Americans to bring the country to its knees at minimal cost." ...

Well, that sounds like the Bushies. War isn't supposed to be costly, bloody, and difficult -- war is supposed to be easy and fun!

We'll know for sure if we hear that Dick Cheney has lit a bunch of candles, drawn himself a bubble bath, poured a glass of wine and moved a TV next to the tub (tuned to Fox, of course). This is going to be exquisitely pleasurable for him.

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Over at Welcome to Pottersville, Jurassicpork puts this story together with other not-necessarily-reliable press reports and wonders if the fringe folks are right and we're headed toward an early April attack (April 6, perhaps). Scary.

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Also: Craig Murray, a former British diplomat, says the map the British are using to determine the Iran-Iraq maritime boundary has no basis in fact. Barry Lando at Alternet PEEK has the details.