Condoleeza Rice's "Groundhog Day"

She has been in this movie before, only now she has a starring role. As National Security Advisor in 2003, Condoleeza Rice was only a supporting player in the farce scripted by the Neo-Cons to invade Iraq.

Now as Secretary of State, her job is to head off a re-run in Iran of the train wreck Colin Powell could not derail back then.

Scooter Libby is headed for jail and Paul Wolfowitz for oblivion, but the Vice President has replaced them with what the head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency calls “new crazies” foaming at the mouth about bombing Teheran, part of an endless supply of Neo-Con morons who mistake every Middle East tinhorn for Darth Vader.

As Powell did five years ago, Secretary Rice is publicly reassuring the world that the U.S. is on “a diplomatic course...backed up by disincentives for Iran to continue its activities."

But she serves at the pleasure of George Bush who, as we all know, serves at the pleasure of Dick Cheney. If a battle-tested soldier like Powell was steamrolled back then, what can we expect of someone whose stepmother has said of Rice, referring to Bush, “She just can’t say no to that man.”

Congress and the people they represent had better start saying no to all of them loud and clear. Otherwise we will be going through “Groundhog Day” again, heading toward Ground Zero.