Iran's missile launch has helped to renew a focus on foreign policy in the Presidential campaign diminished by economic issues. As a result, the competing policies of Senators John McCain and Barack Obama have been put into stark contrast. McCain responded to Iran's missile launch with the following statement:

Their behavior is obviously, has obviously, not changed, and their behavior is more and more threatening to the existence of the state of Israel, but far more as important as that, leading to a conflict in the Middle East which could draw the United States of America into that conflict and put brave young Americans' lives at risk.

Of course, it would be imprudent of McCain to point out the obvious: that Iran's increasing bellicosity is the natural and predictable outcome of the Bush administration's policies - which McCain wants to continue, despite the fact that they have hardly aided in avoiding "conflict" or taking "American soldiers abroad" out of harm's way. The Democrats should not assume that this will be a debate they can avoid, and they will have to counter the GOP's attempts to, as Matt Yglesias puts it, "spin the continuing failure of their approach to the region as evidence of their own correctness."

Serving that end today is Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow, who was shown McCain's statement by Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC this afternoon. Stabenow's response, defending Barack Obama's contention that only a change in policy will reverse the negative trend in Middle East tensions, managed to hit all the right notes:

Well, actually, I say, no. A very strong no. Because, first of all, we've seen the relationship with Iran only get worse in the last eight years under the Bush/McCain policies. Eight years ago there were zero centrifuges, today there are 3,000 centrifuges. What we have seen is Iran being the biggest beneficiary from the war in Iraq, and policies that have gotten us to this point over the last eight years. I don't know how John McCain can argue that more of the same is going to make us safer. So, I believe very strongly that Barack Obama's focus on aggressive diplomacy, a focus on Iran as well as ending the war in Iraq, combining those two things, turning our focus to Iran, that is very serious threat, is a much better approach than what we've seen the last eight years.

[As a side note, the media has, obviously, been all atwitter with alarm over these missile tests, but it sort of makes you wonder how seriously they take the story when an anchor shifts, after a single question on the matter, to that other tremendous threat to the Republic, the Clinton debt.]

Iran test-fires long range missile

The promoted long range Shahab-3 missile was successfully test-fired on Wednesday during a naval wargame in the Persian Gulf waters.

The 1,000-kg missile was test-fired on the third day of a war game launched by naval and missile sections of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) dubbed 'Payambar-e A'zam III' (the Great Prophet III).

The war game was aimed at improving the combat readiness of Iran's armed forces.

The 2,000-km-range Shahab-3 missiles were tested to demonstrate Iran's capability in hitting its enemies accurately at the early stages of their probable attacks against the Islamic Republic.

Domestic and foreign political and military analysts believe that Shahab-3 is able to reach targets in the occupied lands in case of the Zionist regime's probable attacks against Iran's nuclear sites.

Iran's state-run Arabic channel al-Alam reported that the country have many short, medium and long-range missiles
which are all produced by Iranian experts.

Noting that Iran has become the region's missile power, al-Alam added, the missile is very accurate in hitting its targets

Enemies will regret in case of possible attack on Iran

Iranian armed forces would make enemies regret if they dared to threaten Iran's security, an IRGC official said on Tuesday.

Deputy Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Brigadier General Mohammad Hejazi made the remarks while addressing more than 800 Basij (Volunteer forces) cadets.

He added that although Iran is not seeking to wage any war or create any tension in the region, it would make enemies regret their moves if they put Iranians national security and prosperity in danger.

Since the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, the country has faced several conspiracies and hostility by the enemies, Hejazi noted.

He urged the Iranian armed forces to maintain the spirit of fighting world arrogance and promoting revolutionary aspirations.