Well, the recent nativist pandering has been bad enough, but this makes it even clearer that the stupid party is getting stupider by the second.

Anyone with even a remote awareness of Iran should know that barring Iran from playing in the world cup plays into the hands of the mullahs. They'd be able to exploit it to show that its them against the world.

In recent years, however, when the Iranian football team does well it creates all sorts of problems for the regime.

It's an excuse for tens of thousands of people to gather, and the regime has a hard time controlling these sorts of things. If we actually had a competent CIA they'd be organizing a putsch centered on Iran winning a big match.

Hmm. Iran plays in the group with Mexico, Angola, and Portugal. One could easily see them beating Angola handily, drawing with Mexico, and going through to the 2nd round, even with a loss to Portugal. That would get a lot of young anti-mullah types into the streets to celebrate.

Hehe, this gives me an idea that OJ would like... instead of the triple-fence across the US/Mexico border, how about a double-fence with fully-equipped soccer fields in between? Some illegals will be stymied by the fence, of course, but those who make it through will have a choice to make. Every hour the Border Patrol zips through; anyone who's playing soccer gets busted!