A Pony! A Pony!

Redstate's Jeff Emanuel awoke on Christmas to find just what every good little warblogger wants, not under the tree, but in the New York Times, of all places. It's a little like getting a pony from your old Aunt Sally who usually sends socks and underwear.

Mr. Emanuel hops gleefully from one foot to the other after unwrapping a report in the Times and finding shiny, new Proof! that Iran is up to no good in Iraq:

BAGHDAD, Dec. 24 — The American military is holding at least four Iranians in Iraq, including men the Bush administration called senior military officials, who were seized in a pair of raids late last week aimed at people suspected of conducting attacks on Iraqi security forces, according to senior Iraqi and American officials in Baghdad and Washington.

This means, Mr. Emanuel says, that "Iran is shown to be actively - and potentially provably - working to further destabilize Iraq." He further observes:

It is indeed an opportunity for the Iraqi government to decide, and demostrate, just what they are willing to tolerate. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani is reportedly "unhappy with the arrests," and his displeasure is understandable if looked at from the point of view of many who have been displeased - at best - with his inability (and apparent unwillingness) to stem the Iranian insurgence and domestic sectarian violence within the nation.

However, Mr. Emanuel forgets to untangle the puzzling complexities that arise from this story, for instance:

Why would Iran--a Shiite-dominated nation--want to destabilize the Shiite-dominated Iraqi government?

Why would Mr. Talibani--a Kurd--act in support of an insurgency driven by the remnants of Saddam's Sunni government that suppressed the Kurds?

Why are Iraqi government leaders asking the U.S. to release these villains if they pose such a threat to the Iraqi government itself?

These are, apparently, mere quibbles that don't merit Mr. Emanuel's attention. Such niggling details are dwarfed by the greater lesson to be gained:

For their sake, and for ours, the leadership of Iraq needs to fully recognize that Iran is no friend of theirs in the region, and to finally take a public - and private - stand for their allies (us), and against their enemy, Iran.

Never mind that this bit of information seems to have been conveniently leaked to the Times in advance of the Bush administration's response to the Baker commission report recommending stepped-up dialogue with Iran--a step every true-believing Redstater just loathes. The fact that a State Department spokesman has delivered, on thin evidence, his fondest wish is enough to make a believer of Mr. Emanuel.

Why, it's almost enough to make a fellow believe in Santa Claus too.