After promises to 'talk' to antagonistic foreign leaders, the Obama administration is acting in a way that concedes that the Bush approach was the correct one.

The administration is deploying two Patriot batteries, capable of shooting down incoming missiles, in each of the four Gulf countries. Kuwait already has an older version of the missile, deployed after Iraq's invasion. Saudi Arabia has long had the missiles, as has Israel.

An unnamed senior administration official told the New York Times: "Our first goal is to deter the Iranians. A second is to reassure the Arab states, so they don't feel they have to go nuclear themselves. But there is certainly an element of calming the Israelis as well."

The chief of the US central command, General David Petraeus, said in a speech 10 days ago that countries in the region are concerned about Tehran's military ambitions and the prospect of it becoming a dominant power in the Gulf: "Iran is clearly seen as a very serious threat by those on the other side of the Gulf front."

So sweet tea and a nice little chat didn't work? Now were posturing that the U.S. intends to get involved in a direct confrontation with Iran's regional ambitions?

The subtext is unmistakable. In terms of the regional diplomacy of the middle east, actions speak louder than words. I applaud the move, which for a reasonable person, should signal that confrontation isn't just the knee-jerk reaction of a war-mongering Republican administration seeking windfall profits from no-bid contracts. Obama's motivations have to be considered, particularly by the left, as pure as the driven snow. If his team thinks this is a good move, it strongly implies that the U.S. has vital national interests in the middle east, and that speaking softly and carrying a big stick is wisdom for the ages.