Beyond all the rhetoric, beyond all the "democracy building, beyond "national security" and "terrorism." Keep in mind that we're basically going to invade Iran because our True Masters want us to. Why would they want us to? Money. As Ian notes:

Brad Setser notes that Dubai is adding so much new office space in 2007 that it's equal to Minneapolis's entire office space in one year. In 2008 – as much office space as all of San Francisco is scheduled to come on-line. This is a direct result of high oil prices, and can only be partially explained by Dubai's continuing strength as a financial center. As long as oil prices remain high, this is sustainable, and it's also a version of welfare for the elites – most of whom are in the construction business. However, at the end of the day, this isn't productive investment unless the financial shift to Duba from New York continues to accelerate. Likewise it is driven by interest rates of 20% and nominal borrowing rates of 5% - which means that you make money by borrowing and investing in inflation – and inflation right now is in real estate. This is a common strategy and it's how the rich get richer. It amounts to a government subsidy for the wealth – entirely similar to what happened in the US when Greenspan dropped rates through the floor and kept them there, or what the Yen carry trade does today.

I'm no economist, but I can see the why rich people would want to make themselves richer on the blood and backs of the poor if they could.

Bombing Iran will mean even higher gas prices and thus even greater profits for the oil merchants and princes. More money for Cheney's buddies here, and abroad, the better for them to build their temples of greed and consuption in the desert (in Houston or Dubai).

Money. And while I don't have the time to research it right now, money is also the reason why Democrats can't agree to act as a unit and bring an end to the war. When your company is making record profits quarter after quarter, dropping a couple hundred thousand here and there is nothing. Nothing at all. And in our highly fucked system of "democracy," that's all it takes.