James Carroll has a nutty column today in which he agrees with the psychoanalytical diagnoses of Iranian mullahs:

An Iranian official dismissed the talk of imminent US military action as mere psychological warfare, but then he made a telling observation. Instead of attributing the escalations of threat to strategic impulses, the official labeled them a manifestation of ''Americans' anger and despair."

The phrase leapt out of the news report, demanding to be taken seriously.

And amazingly (at least to me), he does just that.

I loved this:

"...anger and despair so precisely define the broad American mood that those emotions may be the only things that President Bush and his circle have in common with the surrounding legions of his antagonists."

Is this really the "broad American mood", or the overriding mood of the people Carroll hangs around with? You know, Bush's antagonists.

I ask, but I think I already know the answer.

I also like the "...surrounding legions of his antagonists..." bit.

Why so glum, you surrounding legions?

"Americans' anger and despair"

Sound like projection to me. (Wishful thinking comes in a distant second.)

From both Iran and the idiot writer.

Why so glum, you surrounding legions?

Morgan, get thee to a copyright office and secure your rights to that phrase, lest I steal it from you.

It's priceless.

[tugging at phrase]

No I want it! Gimmee gimmee gimmee!

Iran awaits idiots. By all means, prove Jim wrong.

It'sss mine, nassssty Epadorses!

Iran awaits idiots.

They already have all the idiots they need. (he said archly)