Are They Mad?

From MSNBC/Newsweek (via Atrios):

At least one former White House official contends that some Bush advisers secretly want an excuse to attack Iran. "They intend to be as provocative as possible and make the Iranians do something [America] would be forced to retaliate for," [he says].

How can they even think of doing such a thing after basically destroying another country? How could it happen in a country that is a vibrant democracy with a free press, 24 hour TV, ubiquitous radio, a big military-industrial complex, legalised lobbying (by, for instance, the Israel lobby), an oil industry hungry for foreign oil, and free markets?

I just can't figure it out.