In an interview last Friday, President Bush dismissed rumours of a US-planned attack on Iran as "baseless gossip" and "empty propaganda".

Two days later, his top military commander, General David Petraeus, publicly accused Iran's ambassador to Iraq of being a member of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which the administration is considering labelling a terrorist organisation. Gen Petraeus also announced to reporters the arrest of three Iranian agents it contends are engaged in Iraq weapons-smuggling operations.

In the Friday interview, Bush went on to say, "I understand the images of my country have been distorted and I understand people say things about me personally that simply aren't true ... my country is a country of peace."

Bush and company gave no evidence to support this latest accusation against Iran. Petraeus added that there is "no debate" needed about the matter and asked that we take the administration at its word. That's the same word that dragged the US into a "baseless" war of choice, predicated on phantom weapons of mass destruction.

The Rhetoric Of War