The Daily Mail reports on a group of British MPs who visited the Pentagon on September 11. There they met Debra Cagan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Coalition Affairs, who seems to have made a lasting impression.

The six MPs were taken aback by the hardline approach of the Pentagon and in particular Ms Cagan, one of Mr Bush’s foreign policy advisers.

She made it clear that although the US had no plans to attack Iran, it did not rule out doing so if the Iranians ignored warnings not to develop a nuclear bomb.

It was her tone when they met her on September 11 that shocked them most.

The MPs say that at one point she said: “In any case, I hate all Iranians.”

Although it was an aside, it was not out of keeping with her general demeanour.

“She seemed more keen on saying she didn’t like Iranians than that the US had no plans to attack Iran,” said one MP. “She did say there were no plans for an attack but the tone did not fit the words.”

Another MP said: “I formed the impression that some in America are looking for an excuse to attack Iran. It was very alarming.”

Hats off to Ms. Cagan! She did a lot with just seven words (five of which are just one syllable long).

And then that picture is worth a thousand words too, innit?

In case you were wondering whether the famous British sense of humor is still what it used to be:

Tory Stuart Graham, who was on the ten-day trip, would not discuss Ms Cagan but said: “It was very sobering to hear from the horse’s mouth how the US sees the situation.”