All along I've been assuming the ISG was another excuse to buy time for staying the course.  I see each "phase" of this war as one attempt after another to buy another 6 months or so.

NB: The Saudis have always had a good Air Force but not much else, and has relied on US assurances for its security.  But now that Iran is moving toward a nuclear capacity, the Sauds want us to stop them - because doing it themselves would be far too costly and make for very bad press, and because the US is stupid enough to go ahead and do it.

Thanks for bringing this up.  Palast has been very sharp on a number of other topics, starting with the 2000 elections.  Glad he's still at it.