I've seen this movie before

Eric Alterman brings to our attention this Newsweek column by Fareed Zakaria, who is alarmed at the war drums the administration is beating louder and louder. He tries to put the Iranian "threat" into perspective:

Here is the reality. Iran has an economy the size of Finland's and an annual defense budget of around $4.8 billion. It has not invaded a country since the late 18th century. The United States has a GDP that is 68 times larger and defense expenditures that are 110 times greater. Israel and every Arab country (except Syria and Iraq) are quietly or actively allied against Iran. And yet we are to believe that Tehran is about to overturn the international system and replace it with an Islamo-fascist order? What planet are we on?

It's George Bush's planet, Mr. Zakaria. We just live on it.