Carrots and Sticks On 'Roids

I'm trying to square this. Tim Russert goes on Meet The Press today and basically tells Barack Obama that we're about to bomb Iran with airstrikes. At the same time, America has joined all major powers in offering an INCENTIVE program to Iran in exchange for them halting their nuclear program.

LONDON, May 2 -- Six world powers agreed Friday to offer Iran a new mix of incentives to curtail its nuclear program, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband announced here.

After meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and top foreign policy figures from Russia, China, France and Germany to discuss Iran's disputed program, Miliband said the group "reviewed and updated" an offer made to Iran in June 2006.

He declined to disclose details of the package, but said it is aimed at showing Tehran "the benefits of cooperating with the international community."

Is this the ultimate "good cop/bad cop" scenario? Or did Rice and the Administration sign on to the incentive plan knowing it would fail, giving them no choice but the military option?

Expect the worst with these people is my motto.

...Also, Obama was very good on the gas tax pander, while Clinton tried to paint people who study economics for a living as the elite. One audience member shot her down on that:

"I do feel pandered to when you talk about suspending the gas tax," the woman said, adding: "Call me crazy but I actually listen to economists because I think they know what they've studied."