The administration believes that by focusing on the alleged ties between IEDs and Iran, they can link the Iranian government directly to attacks on US forces in Iraq.
"This is viewed by some in the Bush Administration as sufficient justification for taking military action against Iran."
Some in the administration have continued to make a case for limited or surgical strikes inside Iran, and that preparations are well underway for such an operation to occur before next year’s presidential election.
“If you were to report that a US surgical strike against key targets in Iran were to happen sooner rather than later, you would not be wrong."
Some officials speculate that the administration is trying to provoke the Iranians into an incident that will justify an air strike in response.
“They still need a trigger and I would not be surprised if we will see some event in Iraq which implicates the Iranians,” said this source. “They need a pretext.”
