I'm getting paranoid, I know I am

I'm really not much for conspiracy theories, I'm really not, I swear. But I just can't help wondering, just like I did on Monday. From Haaretz for February 8:

Despite the Gaza separation plan, Israel will continue its "selective assassination" policy. It will target Palestinian operatives who are involved in planning terror attacks, particularly those Islamic Jihad members who take orders from Iran and Damascus.

Again the focus on Iran and Syria. Is there something going on here, groundwork being laid?

As Information Clearinghouse reminds us, the idea of moving on from Iraq is not new.

"A Clean Break, A New Strategy for Securing the Realm" is an ambitious 1996 Middle East policy paper. A Clean Break recommended toppling the government of Iraq, "rolling back" Syria and Iran, and "electrifying" support for Israel in the US Congress in exchange for new missile defense contract opportunities. Three of the eight authors have since become prominent policymakers in the U.S. government. The study leader, Richard Perle, is the former chair and a current member of the Defense Policy Board of the Pentagon. Douglas Feith is Undersecretary of Defense and David Wurmser is Vice President Richard Cheney's recently hired Middle East advisor.

A link to a video of a critical panel discussion on the topic is here and the text of the document is here.