On to Iran

[Naturist Mark]

http://foxattacks.com/iran

[nacktman]

.

[Naturist Mark]

This is starting to get scary folks. Do you suppose 'W' is preparing for an American "9/11" surprise?

You've probably heard by now about the "B-52 Mistake (http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/09/05/staging-nukes-for-iran/)" last week. Where there was a big brouhaha in the Air Force because a B-52 bomber accidentally flew from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota to Barksdale AFB in Louisiana with a load of nuclear cruise missiles aboard.

Uh huh

The problem is, a 'mistake' of this sort is almost inconceivable. It has been policy since 1968 (http://www.nti.org/d_newswire/issues/2007_9_5.html#149D6ECF) that US aircraft are NEVER flown with nuclear weapons aboard. A certain number were kept loaded on the ground on alert until 1991 when George Bush Sr. ordered that even on alert nuclear weapons must be kept in nearby storage facilities separate from the aircraft.

How pray tell were the actual nuclear weapons 'accidentally' removed from storage, fitted to a B-52, and flown undetected across the country? A series of individual events that should NEVER happen without express orders from the highest authority?

We aren't done with this mystery ...

It seems that Barksdale AFB is the staging base for the Air Force's Middle Eastern operations. If the secret staging of nuclear weapons to Barksdale was not 'accidental', what purpose could it serve? Nuclear weapons would be of no use in Iraq, or Afghanistan. Where else? Where do you think?

http://www-scf.usc.edu/~majbouri/Tehran%203.jpg

Tehran

In April of last year, New Yorker investigative reporter Seymour Hersch wrote (http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/04/17/060417fa_fact) that the administration had the Pentagon planning a series of strikes against Iran in order to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons in 5 to 10 years. The plans include nuclear first strikes against Iran. When specifically asked about the report of plans for a nuclear strike against Iran, Bush replied "All options are on the table."

This story isn't about the discovery of an 'accident', this is about the leaking, very deliberate leaking, of the fact that we are staging nuclear weapons for use in the middle east. Probably someone who is horrified by the direction an irresponsible leadership is taking the military. Probably a high ranking officer. Someone who hopes that a little sunshine might stop a totally preventable nightmare.

I've been accused of wild flights of fantasy before on the subject of administration efforts to bring war to Iran. But the truth is that there is a war between the military and the White House, the military bitterly opposed (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1434540.ece) to an Iran adventure, and a White House that is determined to remove the obstacles to its ambitions. So far the military experts have been able to forestall an Iran debacle. But they are being retired, removed and reassigned to 'harmless' duties for several years now. Every officer knows his or her career is on the line if they act in the best interests of their troops and the nation. It is questionable whether our best military guardians can continue to belay a massive Iranian attack.

A report from the front lines, from a Naval officer about the preparations to hit Iran: <A HREF="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlasBabylon/message/33441" TARGET=_blank>
We Are Going To Hit Iran. Bigtime</A>
<UL TYPE=SQUARE> "Yes. We're gong to hit Iran, bigtime. Whatever political discussion that are going in is window dressing and perhaps even a red herring. I see what's going on below deck here in the hangars and weapons bays. And I have a sick feeling about how it's all going to turn out." [/list]
-Mark

[Naturist Mark]

Bump

On another thread it was noted that the 6th anniversary of 9/11 was coming up.

That is also the date of General Petraeus' congressional testimony to try to paint the dismal failure of the 'surge' as a success in progress.

It should be noted that if Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker are on Capital Hill on the 11th, it is unlikely that is the date Washington attacks Iran.

But if their visit is suddenly canceled or delayed ... watch out.

-Mark

[Naturist Mark]

http://wonkette.com/images/thumbs/b9efa378cc0a69a57d616153096f27e9.jpg

Last week The New Yorker (http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/georgepacker/2007/08/if-there-were-a.html) reported that the Vice President has ordered a Media blitz to drum up support for war against Iran. <UL TYPE=SQUARE>They [the source’s institution] have “instructions” (yes, that was the word used) from the Office of the Vice-President to roll out a campaign for war with Iran in the week after Labor Day; it will be coordinated with the American Enterprise Institute, the Wall Street Journal, the Weekly Standard, Commentary, Fox, and the usual suspects. It will be heavy sustained assault on the airwaves, designed to knock public sentiment into a position from which a war can be maintained. Evidently they don’t think they’ll ever get majority support for this—they want something like 35-40 percent support, which in their book is “plenty.” [/list]

UPI's David Isenberg details the media and neo-con brain trust response to the orders for a PR blitz: Outside View: A Sept. rollout for Iran war (http://www.upi.com/International_Security/Emerging_Threats/Analysis/2007/09/05/outside_view_a_sept_rollout_for_iran_war/3651/)

Meanwhile the (London) Sunday Times (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article2369001.ece) reported that the Pentagon has completed plans for a 3 day massive airstrike against 1200 targets in Iran. Plans which a Naval Officer (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlasBabylon/message/33441) in a carrier attack group in the Gulf of Hormuz confirms are already being implemented.

-Mark

[Sanslines]

Meanwhile the (London) Sunday Times reported that the Pentagon has completed plans for a 3 day massive airstrike against 1200 targets in Iran. Plans which a Naval Officer in a carrier attack group in the Gulf of Hormuz confirms are already being implemented.

Don't forget the reports that the Pentagon Brass is attempting to restart the cold war with Russia in order to justify and secure massive increases in defense spending.

[Sanslines]

You've probably heard by now about the "B-52 Mistake" last week.

Mistakes are never made in General Curtis LeMay's SAC Air Force. This must be some diabolical plan hatched at the highest levels of government that reeks of pure malfeasence.

[NudeAl]

You know I've heard this rumor before. It seems really far fetched to me. I mean we dont have the resouces to deal with the 2 wars we have already much less invading a country 3 times the size or Iraq. If you were to resurect ol' Custer and put him in command, well I guess it makes perfect sense however most military folks would look at it and go, Are you F***ing crazy?

[nacktman]

Originally posted by NudeAl:
You know I've heard this rumor before. It seems really far fetched to me. I mean we dont have the resouces to deal with the 2 wars we have already much less invading a country 3 times the size or Iraq. If you were to resurect ol' Custer and put him in command, well I guess it makes perfect sense however most military folks would look at it and go, Are you F***ing crazy?

That's what makes it so possible NudeAl, "ol' Custer" is in 'command' or at least his 'wannabe clone' is ...

You're right though but I have heard it phrased as 'Godda#m MotherFU@king Crazy' from the people still on active duty and you don't want to know what the veterans I know are saying about the possibility - there is not enough symbols to redact all the expletives they are using - the active duty people still have to remain circumspect to a degree you know.

[Naturist Mark]

Originally posted by Sanslines:

Don't forget the reports that the Pentagon Brass is attempting to restart the cold war with Russia in order to justify and secure massive increases in defense spending.

Mistakes are never made in General Curtis LeMay's SAC Air Force. This must be some diabolical plan hatched at the highest levels of government that reeks of pure malfeasence.

http://www.middleeast.org/pictures/Don'tDoIran-ACCover.jpg Ahhh ... I don't think you quite get the drift of what is happening. This administration has been rushing headlong into another War for at least 3 years. We've actually had covert troops on the ground in Iran. We've had battle groups ready to strike. But the highest levels of military leadership have resisted this idiocy as ferociously as they can while still obeying orders.

It is known that a number of top generals have indicated that they will resign rather than carry out orders to attack Iran. (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1434540.ece)

I don't think it is any accident that the moving of nukes was discovered. Someone in the military who is high enough up the chain to know exactly what is happening made damn sure that the secret staging of nukes did not stay secret. It might be insubordination ... or it might be a true patriot act .

-Mark

[blackbare6]

For the love of God, tell me he's not that stupid! I know that Bush's buddies have (literally) made a killing in Iraq. The rich have gotten richer, and the poor are dying as per the plan, but surely; no one in their right mind would START another war right now!
My God!
Nuclear weapons???? This is maddness! And this guy claims to be a Christian?
Who would Jesus nuke?
Henry

[Sanslines]

Ahhh ... I don't think you quite get the drift of what is happening. This administration has been rushing headlong into another War for at least 3 years.

We do not have the resources to keep the surge up indefinitely in Iraq, let alone start additional wars. The only war act that may occur would be the bombing and total destruction of the nuclear facilities within Iran. Sending in ground troops would be pure madness as Iran can not be occupied. However, in light of all of this, anything can happen, as the general civilian populace seems to always remain silent regardless of what does or does not happen within the executive branch of government.

[hm0504]

What's all the fuss about war resources?

Based the Administration's view on war resources prior to the Iraq war, the war with Iran will barely last a few weeks, cost less than 2 billion dollars, American troops will be greeted as liberators and will be home again within 6 weeks (any idea that they would have to stay longer than 6 months is preposterous!).

[earthpassenger(Kevin)]

An article on Yahoo on more sanctions as a result of listing the Qods unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization still indicates that Condoleeza Rice's State Dept. is strongly behind negotiations over military confrontation with Iran--but this could come down to how much pull Cheney and the hard line neo-cons have ( can't for the life of me understand why he hasn't gone the way of Spiro Agnew long ago).
Senator James Webb has a bill in committee, S. 759, that would require the prior approval of Congress before "unprovoked" military activities in Iran (the companion legislation in the House is Walter Jones's HR. 14)
(news.yahoo.com/slnm/20070912/ts_nm/iran_usa_dc)
Peace
Kevin

[Naturist Mark]

Looks like a convergence of events over the next week or two, let's pray it doesn't amount to a manufactured cataclysm. Another one. Seriously, if you have a God, pray.

I was afraid that it might be focused on the symbolic date of 9/11, thankfully that has passed. Another dangerous day is Friday, Sept. 14.

Even though most of the media is asleep, there IS a strong pushback in the military - the 'field trip' of the 6 nuclear weapons to the base that stages middle eastern operations was leaked from within the military hierarchy. Someone didn't want the restaging of nuclear weapons to the middle eastern theater to go unnoticed.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0111/csmimg/p19a.jpg One of the consequences of that 'discovery' is that the Air Force will be conducting a standdown of all Air Combat Command forces (http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/09/airforce_aircombatcommand_standdown_070807/) - idling all their aircraft while over 100,000 airmen spend the day in the classroom to review operations and safety procedures and checklists. OK, an occasional safety day is not unprecedented, but it is quite unusual for it to be announced to the world on what day the skies of the entire nation will stand undefended. Let's hope that doesn't 'embolden' our enemies ...

Readers may recall that there were allegations of unusual market speculation just prior to 9/11, particularly with respect to American Airlines and United Airlines, where put calls were in some cases running 100 times higher than usual. In that case the 9/11 commission dismissed them as innocuous, to the consternation of skeptics. Well ... someone has bet One Billion Dollars (http://www.financialnews-us.com/?page=ushome&contentid=2448565379) that the stock market will crash by Sept. 21. The actual put option contracts were placed on the European DJ Eurostoxx 50 index, but clearly will only pay off in the case of a worldwide stock crash of 30 to 50 percent. The payoff should be about $4.5 Billion. Someone thinks they know something ...

Do I really believe that the balloon is about to go up? That there will be a major terrorist attack on the US, which will be designed to instigate the already prepared 3 day air assault on Iran.

No.

I do think it is possible ...

But I also think there are good people fighting like hell to prevent it. Military officers who cannot speak out publicly are attempting to move Heaven and Earth to short circuit this Iran idiocy. They have seen the fiasco in Iraq, and despite the continuing process of cleansing the officer ranks of dissenters, their ranks are continuously replenished by converts. Rumor has it that even General Patraeus' "boss" CENTCOM chief Admiral William Fallon has gone over to the skeptics side, and was quietly dropped from Congressional testimony even though he has appeared alongside Gen. Patraeus at least six times previously. Our military has an iron tradition of always following civilian authority, which makes it difficult, indeed nearly impossible to resist orders even from a poisoned regime, but there are strong elements of resistance both within the ranks, and especially among those recently retired (or fired). I think they are the only reason Bush hasn't expanded his war to Iran already.

We need to make the lapdog media shine some light on what is really happening. We need to make our Congressmen recognize it and speak out.

In particular you should contact your Senators and Representative this Thursday to express concern that it has been announced to the world that our air defenses will be on standdown this Friday September 14.

-Mark

[BinCo]

I would not put it past this neo-con right wing Christian moron in charge who thinks he speaks to God and, as a fundamentalist, is charged with bringing about the end of days to nuke Iran and open us up for an attack to justify it.

If anything bad happens in Wash DC it will be interesting to see if he is out of town reading to a bunch of school kids as he lets his sheep die. It would also make a great reason to temporarily abolish the Constitution in favor of a theocracy ruled by him since the balance of the branches have been wiped out. After all, we're in a war here folks. We'll need time to attend to moving the capital and then have elections. That shouldn't take more than 10-12 years or so. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/cry.gif

[usmc1]

Mark, absolutely outstanding work.

If you blog, and "ahem" I read that you do, please put your work up on your blog and see if you can't get KOS or Smirking Chimp to pick it up.

Your audience here is small, and I sincerely think that taken as whole what you posted in this thread deserves much wider dissemination.

I'd also like to suggest that anyone reading this who has a blog, or MySpace or Facebook or some similar messaging, networking, blogging site contact Mark for permission to repost on your sites. Unless he wants to post a blanket permission with instructions for attribution.

[Naturist Mark]

As expected, we safely made it through Friday's Air Force "Stand Down". Although not announced to the world like the stand down was, it was later revealed that National Guard and Reserve forces - about 70% of NORAD, did not participate in the stand down - which may have been a policy decision made subsequent to congressional inquiries. Our skies were not left as unprotected as the world was led to believe. One has to wonder if there was any purpose in announcing the stand down to the world, but omitting that little exception.

Meanwhile the tin-foil cap crowd is abuzz with speculation that the "B-52 Mistake" was cover for the theft of a nuclear weapon. They note (http://geronimomanifesto.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html) that some reports stated that 6 nukes left Minot AFB and that 5 were found at Barksdale AFB, and that the nukes were left without the level of protection required by nuclear protocols for 10 hours after arriving at Barksdale.

Meanwhile, Israel has bombed (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article2461421.ece) a suspected Syrian nuclear site. Rumored to contain nuclear weapons or materials transferred from North Korea, perhaps with assistance from the Pakistani AQ Kahn network. American officials are eager to imply an Iranian connection, even though there is no evidence of such. Don't be surprised if it pops up in the pro-iran-war talking points soon.

[hm0504]

"France warning of war with Iran":
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6997935.stm

[hm0504]

Britain's Telegraph (who apparently get their copy from Naturist Mark or read his his posts here, ;-) ) has this article...

" Bush setting America up for war with Iran":
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=S...7/09/16/wiran116.xml (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=S22LAVNU0X3BHQFIQMFCFFWAVCBQ YIV0?xml=/news/2007/09/16/wiran116.xml)

[walter05]

Mark;

Israeli sources are reporting that the site was close to the Euphrates River. There were Israeli special ground forces used as spotters to paint targets for the F-15 jets to attack.

It would be very difficult for those Israeli forces to get in via Israel. They probably got in via Turkey, Jordan, or Iraq. One Israeli source says that Turkish security and intelligence were informed of the raid.

If the ground forces came in via Iraq, there may have been co-ordination between U.S. and Israeli Special Forces.

P.S. One Israeli source, the Haaretz daily newspaper says this was a dry run for Iran.

[earthpassenger(Kevin)]

I saw an associated Press article on Yahoo yesterday in which Defense Sec. Robert Gates said that they are still planning to use diplomacy and economic sanctions.

On Sept. 21, the U.S. is supposed to be making the case for more sanctions at the U. N. (but Germany is said to be opposed--which could however lead to a more hardline position from the hardliners in Washington D. C.(in the Bush administration. In Iran, some people have said recent political developments indicate the possibility of some degree of pragmatism--municipal elections last year which were viewed as a rejection of Ahmadinejad's policies, the re-election of Tehran's Mayor, Mohammad Baqer Qali-Baf{opposed by the hardliners}, and last week's election of former president Hashemi Rafsanjani, described as the leader of the "pragmatic conservatives" to the leadership of the Assembly of Experts, which has some authority over the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei)

The Bush Administration had an opportunity for detente years ago when Iran's reformist president Khatami offered the concept of a "Dialogue of Civilizations" as a form of olive branch. But Bush gave his own "Axis of Evil" speech instead.

Peace,
Kevin

[usmc1]

Senate Republicans Nix Bill For Limits And Downtime For Troop Combat Redeployments!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20877306/

Pentagon Confirms Yet Another Delay In Putting Iraqis In Charge: Now July ‘08

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20883940/

Meanwhile, a third carrier task force has been stationed to target Iran, and our Sociopath president addresses the nation at 10:45 today!

[earthpassenger(Kevin)]

ON THE EVE of WAR WITH IRAN--Or not?

Iran is now insisting it will attack Israel or even Americans in neighboring countries (i.e. Iraq) if it is attacked as the alleged Syrian nuclear site was attacked.

Condoleeza Rice lashed out at the IAEA's head Mohammed el-Baradei, after his attack on the talk of war with Iran coming from FRance and the U.S. saying diplomacy is none of the IAEA's business.

Ahmadinejad and Bush are scheduled to speak at the U.N. next week on the same day. and there are conflicting reports on Ahmadinejad's plans to lay a wreath somewhere at the World Trade Center site--an associated press story says the request was denied by the NYPD while an AFP story quotes NY Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, who says the request is being examined.

Spokespeople for the Bush Administration are opposed to the wreath laying--and I guess it would be a little awkward to attack a country at the same time that the President of that country is laying a wreath in your own country.

Peace,
Kevin

[Qikdraw]

Originally posted by Naturist Mark:
You've probably heard by now about the "B-52 Mistake (http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/09/05/staging-nukes-for-iran/)" last week.

Six people involved in the loading of nukes on the b-52 are dead, in a week. (http://www.legitgov.org/minot_afb_nukes_oddities.html?links)

Qikdraw

[usmc1]

Were Those Cruise Missiles Targeted? Did Anybody Check?

<!-- begin content --><!-- node: "Were Those Cruise Missiles Targeted? Did Anybody Check?" -->by Dave Lindorff (http://www.smirkingchimp.com/user/dave_lindorff) | Oct 25 2007 - 8:11am |
<SCRIPT>reddit_title=Were Those Cruise Missiles Targeted? Did Anybody Check?</SCRIPT>
Philip Coyle, an analyst with the Center for Defense Information and a former assistant secretary of defense from the Clinton administration period, has a troubling question about the recent nuclear weapon incident in the US.

He wants to know if the six nuclear-tipped Advanced Cruise Missiles that were improperly removed from a guarded bunker at the Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and flown in launch position on a wing pod of a B-52H Stratofortress bomber on Aug. 29-30 to Barksdale AFB were programmed with targeting information.

He also wants to know if the Air Force and Pentagon, which last Friday concluded an investigation into that shocking incident (no nuclear weapons have been flown on a bomber over US territory for 40 years on presidential orders, and since 1991 no nuclear weapons are even supposed to be loaded for practice on a parked plane), ever checked the missiles' computer guidance systems.

No mention of target programming on the missiles, which were originally designed to fly low and fast to their targets to evade Soviet radar and interceptors, was made at the Pentagon press conference, at which the whole incident was explained away as a big "mistake." which It was announced that five officers and 65 enlisted people were "fired" from their positions as a result of the incident, but no specific information was given about what they had done, or not done, that led to their firings.
As Coyle observes, it might have been a good idea to check those computers.

Noting that the six missiles with their nuclear warheads had been pre-loaded into launching racks on a wing pylon, and stored that way in the weapons bunker for faster loading, Coyle says, "they may well have had them programmed for certain targets."

Coyle says that it's true that following the end of the Cold War, the military claims it no longer targets ICBMs at targets, but rather aims them at spots in the middle of oceans. This is to prevent an accidental launch, he says, and can be done because the modern intercontinental missiles have computers that can be reprogrammed with real target information very fast.

The older 1970s-era cruise missiles have older, smaller computers on board, though, and Coyle says because they are harder to program, he "wouldn't be surprised" if they were pre-programmed with terrain-mapping information "to get them to their eventual targets."

Certainly it would seem like the investigators who looked into this "mistake" should have checked out those onboard computers to see where these cruise missiles were programmed to deliver their errant 150-kiloton warheads. That information might have gone a long way towards establishing whether the missiles were moved to Barksdale AFB (a staging area for B-52s intended for use in the Middle East theater) by accident, or with some dark plan in mind.

The Air Force, as of this filing, has not provided an answer to this question.

[usmc1]

Well, now that it has been revealed that Iran's nuclear weapons program is not a threat, and virtually non-existent, one wonders what our pathological little dark princeling in Washington will use to justify a summer attack on Iran:Toppling a harsh dictator, bringing more Democracy to the region, building them some schools and roads, or what?

[usmc1]

Sometimes I seriously wonder if we haven't slipped off into some sort of alternate universe. You got Irani speedboats pinging USA Warships and (gnats buzzing elephants) and the US Navy saying we were seconds from shooting them out of the water, then we find out the mysterious threatening message was from a prankster known as the Filipino Monkey!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,2240533,00.html

At some point, don't we just have to ask, "What in the hell is all that about children..just knock off the silliness"? Don't we? Before some trigger-happy jerk in a speedboat or warship gets us all blown to hell.

[Journeyman]

usmc1 - What do you think of this video? Is it extreme paranoia from some (unknown) left winger filmmaker, or do you think there is some semblance of a correct conclusion to the nine minutes?

I wish I knew who created the vid, as it is becoming more and more popular on YouTube. (You may have to cut & paste the link.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuBo4E77ZXo

cheers,
J.


Sometimes I seriously wonder if we haven't slipped off into some sort of alternate universe. You got Irani speedboats pinging USA Warships and (gnats buzzing elephants) and the US Navy saying we were seconds from shooting them out of the water, then we find out the mysterious threatening message was from a prankster known as the Filipino Monkey!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,2240533,00.html

At some point, don't we just have to ask, "What in the hell is all that about children..just knock off the silliness"? Don't we? Before some trigger-happy jerk in a speedboat or warship gets us all blown to hell.

[Naturist Mark]

The media is barely covering this, since it doesn't involve any black ministers, but things are heating up on the Iran front again, even though the National Intelligence Estimate that laid to rest concerns that Iran was developing nuclear arms or was anywhere close to having the capability supposedly took an Iran attack off the table.

A number of recent events has administration watchers on edge ...

* The retirement (dismissal) of Admiral Fallon from Centcom - the leading opponent to action against Iran. After Fallon announced his retirement, the New York Times reported a senior administration official as saying Fallon's comments about U.S. Iran policy "left the perception he had a different foreign policy than the president." If Fallon wants to talk to Iran rather than attack it, then his policy differs from Bush's. We've discussed before how Bush's Iranian ambitions have been frustrated by the opposition of top Pentagon brass (The Revolt of the Generals (http://www.clothesfreeforum.com/showpost.php?p=69834&postcount=64)). The question is, with Fallon out of the way, have enough of the nay sayers been removed?

* Continued messages from the administration that they don't believe their own intelligence agency's NIE assessment about Iran's nuclear capabilities. In spite of the unanimous conclusion of the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies that Iran is not developing nukes, Bush immediately declared, "I have said Iran is dangerous, and the NIE estimate doesn't do anything to change my opinion about the danger Iran poses to the world - quite the contrary."

* Continued attempts to link al-Qaeda to Iran - a nonsensical assertion equivalent to accusing the English government of training and arming the IRA. When candidate John McCain mistakenly linked Iran to al-Qaeda - FOUR TIMES - he corrected himself on one occasion after Senator Joe Lieberman pointed out the error, but later his campaign took the correction back and now claims it as fact.

* Dick Cheney's tour of mid-east capitals last week was widely viewed as including the preparation of area allies for an Iranian attack. Subsequent to the visit Saudi Arabia initiated procedures to deal with radioactive fallout (http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=96940/).

-Mark

[Qikdraw]

Doubting the Evidence Against Iran (http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19876.htm)

06/05/08 "Time" -- -- American circles in Baghdad and Washington are probably not pleased with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's plan for a special panel to investigate allegations of Iranian interference in Iraq. Many U.S. officials are already convinced of the worst and, for years, U.S. officials have aired accusations against Iran, insisting that Tehran is stoking Iraq's violence by keeping up a flow of money, weapons and trained fighters into the country. The Iraqi government, however, remains unconvinced — with good reason.

Qikdraw

[SpiderThug]

I am not convinced that we need to invade Iran. More so with the military and its allies being used elsewhere. An invasion into Iran would pull in Syria, possibly Russia and who knows who else.

WWIII anyone?:eek:

[Qikdraw]

I am not convinced that we need to invade Iran. More so with the military and its allies being used elsewhere. An invasion into Iran would pull in Syria, possibly Russia and who knows who else.

WWIII anyone?:eek:

Well the problem is is that this administration is pushing for war with Iran. They are doing the exact same thing they did to Iraq. Remember how WMDs for Iraq were a 'slam dunk'? They are doing the same thing with Iran. They have no proof, only conjecture.

Qikdraw

[Eric6420]

Everybody here seems to be against this war. I am also very against it. Do you think the medias can convince the population that this war could be in the interest of Americans? Are they trying to persuade the us population that a war against Iran could be good? Is there polls on the subject?

[Qikdraw]

Everybody here seems to be against this war. I am also very against it. Do you think the medias can convince the population that this war could be in the interest of Americans? Are they trying to persuade the us population that a war against Iran could be good? Is there polls on the subject?

The media joined the Bush administration in pushing for the Iraq war. I am not hopeful that they will not do so with Iran.

Qikdraw

[Eric6420]

The media joined the Bush administration in pushing for the Iraq war. I am not hopeful that they will not do so with Iran.

Qikdraw

Yes, but this time, the Bush administration is not very popular, the situation in Irak is very bad and I wonder what other country could support such a war...

[Naturist Mark]

Yes, but this time, the Bush administration is not very popular, the situation in Irak is very bad and I wonder what other country could support such a war...

Bush doesn't need any allied partners to launch an air war against Iran. The only real opposition to that is our own military, there was even a 'revolt of the generals' (http://www.clothesfreeforum.com/showpost.php?p=69834&postcount=64) a a few years ago when Bush tried to advance plans for an Iran attack back then. Over the last two years the Bush administration has pushed out a lot of generals, there might not be enough backbone left to stop him from one last war before the end of his term.

Such a war might even 'postpone' (http://www.clothesfreeforum.com/showpost.php?p=15729&postcount=1575) the election.

-Mark

[Qikdraw]

A plan to show some alleged Iranian-supplied explosives to journalists last week in Karbala and then destroy them was canceled after the United States realized none of them was from Iran. (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2008/05/iraq-the-elusiv.html)

Iraqi officials also have accused Iran of meddling in violence and had echoed the U.S. accusations of new Iranian-made arms being found in Basra. But neither the United States nor Iraq has displayed any of the alleged arms to the public or press, and lately it is looking less likely they will. U.S. military officials said it was up to the Iraqis to show the items; Iraqi officials lately have backed off the accusations against Iran.

A plan to show some alleged Iranian-supplied explosives to journalists last week in Karbala and then destroy them was canceled after the United States realized none of them was from Iran. A U.S. military spokesman attributed the confusion to a misunderstanding that emerged after an Iraqi Army general in Karbala erroneously reported the items were of Iranian origin.

When U.S. explosives experts went to investigate, they discovered they were not Iranian after all.

Qikdraw

[usmc1]

The dry-drunk little sociopath has his hand hovering over the button and is about to push...

From Debka, Isreali Mossad's front site.
Exclusive: Limited US attack on Iranian Revolutionary Guards bases in sight

June 2, 2008, 11:31 AM (GMT+02:00)
Our Washington sources report that president George W. Bush is closer than ever before to ordering a limited missile-air bombardment of the IRGC-al Qods Brigade’s installations in Iran. It is planned to target training camps and the munitions factories pumping fighters, missiles and roadside bombs to the Iraqi insurgency, Lebanese Hizballah and Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza.

Iran is geared up for counteraction.

US intelligence estimates that Tehran’s counteraction will likewise be on a limited scale and therefore any US-Iranian military encounter will not be allowed to explode into a major confrontation. Because this US assault is not planned to extend to Iran’s nuclear installations, Tehran is not expected to hit back at distant American targets in the Persian Gulf or at Israel.

DEBKAfile’s Iranian sources report, however, that Iran’s military preparations for countering an American attack are far broader than envisaged in Washington. Tehran would view a US attack on the IRGC bases as a casus belli and might react in ways and on a scale unanticipated in Washington.

Two days ago, Iran’s defense minister Gen. Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar warned: “Iran’s Armed Forces are fully prepared to counter any military attack with any intensity and to make the enemy regret initiating any such incursions.”

According to DEBKAfile’s Iranian and military sources, the IRGC had by mid-May completed their preparations for a US missile, air or commando assault on their command centers and bases in reprisal for Iranian intervention in Iraq.

These preparations encompass al Qods’ arms, most of them undercover, in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Sudan. At home, the Revolutionary Guards have evacuated their key bases together with manpower and equipment to regular army sites or temporary quarters in villages located in remote corners of eastern and northern Iran. Their main headquarters and central training center at the Imam Ali University in northern Tehran are deserted except for sentries on the gates.

Indoctrination seminaries and dormitories hosting fighting strength in the holy town of Qom are empty, as is the Manzariyah training center east of the capital.

Deserted too is the main training camp near Isfahan for insurgents and terrorists from Iraq, Afghanistan, Baluchistan, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. It is here that they take courses from friendly al Qods training staff on how to sabotage strategic targets such as routes, bridges and military installations, and the activation of the extra-powerful roadside bombs (EFPs) which have had such a deadly effect on American troops in Iraq.