That's the best way to describe the Islamic Republic's latest move against the United States and its Iraqi ally.  The Iranians came across the border (which they contest) and claimed an oil well.  Nothing new, you might say.  And you'd be right.  The U.S. government is downplaying its significance:.

"There has been no violence related to this incident and we trust this will be resolved through peaceful diplomacy between the governments of Iraq and Iran," a US military spokesman told AFP at Contingency Operating Base Adder, just outside the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah.

"The oil field is in disputed territory in between Iranian and Iraqi border forts," he said, adding that such incidents occur quite frequently.

Indeed, we've downplayed far more serious Iranian incursions into Iraq, including joint Iranian/Turkish invasions and bombing runs in Kurdistan which have killed dozens of Kurds.  And you may recall that an American Special Forces unit was surrounded by Iranian troops a couple of years ago--again on the Iraqi side of the border--and had to kill a dozen or so of the would-be hostage takers.  Sometimes they succeed in taking American hostages--there are now five in Iranian claws--and we quietly make deals for their release.  Sometimes our citizens are murdered, and we do nothing.

So today's event is part of a well established pattern:  Iran attacks us and our friends and allies, and we look away.  This is the theme of Accomplice to Evil.  Just as we dithered and "negotiated," as the Nazis prepared the Second World War, and then as the Soviets prepared the Cold War,  so we have dithered for thirty years as the Islamic Republic has waged war against us.  Do not think for a minute that this sort of appeasement is unique to Obama;  the unique thing about the current phase is that we are so open about it.