It is absolutely critical that the United States, while already tied down in two wars, not attack Iran.

In light of the fact that the media are accused of not having sounded the alarm in 2002 when President Bush, with congressional acquiescence, began beating the drums for a war with Iraq, the Post-Gazette takes this occasion to counsel against an attack on yet another country.

The lack of wisdom in such an aggression is obvious. Iran has not done anything yet to justify invasion or bombardment. The wrangling over its nuclear weapons program -- like that over Iraq's, in the event, nonexistent nuclear program -- can be resolved through international negotiations and actions, correctly led by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran and Iraq are signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, unlike nuclear powers India, Israel and Pakistan.

Some Iranian politicians make threatening noises about Israel. It would be interesting to see if they continued to do so if American politicians, starting with Mr. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, stopped threatening Iran.

Another reason it would be foolish for the United States to attack is that U.S. armed forces are already stretched thin by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr. Bush knows quite well that if the draft were reintroduced to fill the ranks, even an ineffective, generally supine Congress would rise up and block the measure.

America's problems with its own infrastructure, the lack of health insurance for many of its people and the problems with its educational system make it clear that the country has other, higher priorities than the nearly $500 billion already spent on the Iraq war. How could the president possibly imagine that the United States should take on another major war in the Middle East at this time?

And another major war it would be. If America and/or Israel attacked, Iran would rain missiles on Israel, and Saudi Arabia and the other Persian Gulf oil producers would either sign on with Iran or become potential targets of Iran. There would be no advantage for any of those states to ally themselves with the United States and Israel against Iran. Oil prices would, of course, soar.

Nonetheless, Mr. Bush continues to make threats against Tehran, either from foolhardiness because he doesn't know how to do anything else, or because he thinks somehow such bluster will win him support and his party votes.

This reckless posture is unwise and dangerous for the United States. We counsel against it in the strongest terms.