The Asia Times' columnist "Spengler," being even more provocative (as in "thought-provoking") than usual:

All-out Middle East war as good as it gets

This part of it is a new one on me and I am going to be watching for other stuff that also suggests it:

Europe and Japan have concluded that America has abandoned its long-standing commitment to the security of energy supplies in the Persian Gulf by throwing the Saudi monarchy under the bus, and have quietly shifted their energy planning towards Russia. Little of this line of thinking will appear in the news media, but the reorientation towards Moscow is underway nonetheless.

Last two paragraphs of the story maukonen cites:

One defence source told The Sunday Telegraph last night: “If it came to war, there would be carnage. The Iranian casualties would be huge but they would be able to inflict severe blows against the US and British.

“The Iranian Republican Guard are well versed in asymmetrical warfare and would use swarm attacks to sink or seriously damage ships. This is a conflict nobody wants, but the rhetoric from Israel is unrelenting.”

If nobody wants this conflict, WHY is the West signaling to the would-be aggressors, "Don't do this. But if you do, we've got your back."

The striking aircraft would have to violate Turkey, Iraq or Saudi airspace. Western leaders, if they really wanted to avoid a Mideast conflagration, could whisper in Bibi's ear that the assembled armada would treat any intruding aircraft as hostile, and interdict if necessary. Whisper the same undertaking in the ayatollah's ear but warn that if Israel is undeterred, Iran won't have a green light to set the region ablaze. No need; plenty of blazes will erupt spontaneously. Afterward, own up that Netanyahu had been warned, and join in the UN vote condemning Israel.

The blowback would still be massive and very, very ugly. I'm talking here about a way to mitigate the damage -- maybe even lure Bibi off his window ledge. And it might NOT cost Obama the election, once he has a frank talk with the American people. In any case, it's important enough to run that risk.

I know this is all crazy talk on my part. Not gonna happen; instead, the West will let the drift to Armageddon continue. But the alternative is near-unthinkable, so my "plan" should be considered. Ehud Barak's as much of a hawk as Netanyahu, but he's shown signs of wavering in the face of U.S. resistance. Whisper in his ear too; the Israeli cabinet apparently hasn't signed off on an attack, and he could lead the charge against it.

Desperate times. Desperate measures.