Title: Bomb Bomb Iran by Summer's End?
al001 - April 29, 2008 08:37 PM (GMT)
truthout issue
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042908J.shtml
Bomb Bomb Iran by Summer's End?
By Steve Weissman
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Tuesday 29 April 2008
When Senator John McCain serenaded reporters last April with his "Bomb Bomb Iran," I had to wonder. Was this a taste of his aging flyboy humor? Or was he telling us what to expect should he ever become president? We may never find out. If Vice President Dick Cheney has his way, he will beat McCain to the punch, possibly as soon as late May, after President George W. Bush returns from celebrating the 60th anniversary of Israel's creation.
The evidence is surprisingly public, though in several bits and pieces that fit together like a jigsaw. I hope that I'm wrong in how I've put the puzzle together, but here's how it looks to me.
On February 25 of this year, Cheney made a surprise visit to the Sultanate of Oman, a longtime military ally just across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran. He had come, an Omani official told The Associated Press, "to discuss regional security issues, including the US standoff with Iran over its nuclear program."
A little over three weeks later, Cheney returned to Oman as part of a ten-day visit to several countries in the region, including Israel, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. While in Oman, he gave an interview to Martha Raddatz of ABC News. "Can you foresee any point where military action would be taken?" Raddatz asked. Cheney tried to downplay the question, but Raddatz persisted, asking specifically about the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), which concluded that Iran had shut down its nuclear arms program five years ago.
Cheney read the NIE differently. The Iranians definitely had a program to develop a nuclear warhead, which they apparently stopped in 2003, he insisted. "We don't know whether or not they've restarted." Cheney emphasized that the Iranians were continuing with their uranium enrichment, which - he said - would give them the fissile material to make nuclear weapons. He offered no evidence that the Iranian program would or could produce the highly enriched uranium they would need to make a bomb.
"VP: Iran May Have Resumed Weapon Program," the headlines ran. "Cheney: Iran might be next US target." The Israeli web site DEBKA added that Cheney was specifically talking about possible US military action in the region to shut down Iran's nuclear program.
Punctuating Cheney's remarks, the US Navy continues to build up its forces in the region, which now include two nuclear aircraft carriers and strike groups capable of attacking Iran or defending against missile attacks from Iran. America's military brass are also chiming in. The Pentagon is considering "potential military courses of action" against Iran, warns the nation's top military officer - Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "It would be a mistake to think that we are out of combat capability."
Mullen presented his threat, he said, as a response to Iranian support for Iraqi militias fighting US forces, as well as their support for Hamas, Hezbollah and the Taliban in Afghanistan. He also repeated as fact Dick Cheney's belief that Iran was pursuing nuclear weapons. Mullen raised all this the day after the CIA reported to Congress that North Korea had supplied Syria with a nuclear reactor, which an Israeli air strike had destroyed last September. Mullen's timing added weight to his threat and raised the question of what role Israelis might play in an airstrike on Iran.
Cheney himself touched on the question when he returned from his ten-day trip. In an interview with neo-conservative journalist Hugh Hewitt, he mentioned the widely reported threats that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has made against Israel. "I know the Israelis well enough, and I was just there a couple of weeks ago, to know there isn't any way they're prepared to ignore those kinds of statements coming out of Tehran," said Cheney. "They have to take them seriously, given their history. And I think they perceive the possibility of an Iran armed with nuclear weapons as a fundamental threat to the very survival of the state of Israel."
What exactly would the Israelis do? Cheney refused to say. But an Israeli airstrike against Iran would prove far more difficult than the strike against Syria, and the Israelis would likely need American help in clearing the airspace over Iraq, guaranteeing non-interference from Saudi and other Arab air forces, sharing satellite intelligence, blinding Iranian radar, and possibly refueling the Israeli planes. The Israelis would, of course, use long-range F-15s and bunker-buster bombs that the US supplied, while the Iranians have announced that they will respond to any attack as coming from both Israel and the United States. With all this in mind, Cheney might well want the Israelis to make the first strike, and when the Iranians try to retaliate, American forces could intervene "in self-defense" and "defense of our ally Israel."
To be sure, others have previously predicted American and Israeli airstrikes against Iran, and those strikes never happened. Hopefully, my parsing of the tea leaves will fail as well, either because of intervening events or a decision by Bush not to press ahead. But Cheney has clearly started the war drums beating, and unless Congress shows far more gumption than it has on Iraq, I would not plan a late spring or summer trip to Iran or anywhere else in the Middle East or Persian Gulf.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042908J.shtml
Bomb Bomb Iran by Summer's End?
By Steve Weissman
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Tuesday 29 April 2008
When Senator John McCain serenaded reporters last April with his "Bomb Bomb Iran," I had to wonder. Was this a taste of his aging flyboy humor? Or was he telling us what to expect should he ever become president? We may never find out. If Vice President Dick Cheney has his way, he will beat McCain to the punch, possibly as soon as late May, after President George W. Bush returns from celebrating the 60th anniversary of Israel's creation.
The evidence is surprisingly public, though in several bits and pieces that fit together like a jigsaw. I hope that I'm wrong in how I've put the puzzle together, but here's how it looks to me.
On February 25 of this year, Cheney made a surprise visit to the Sultanate of Oman, a longtime military ally just across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran. He had come, an Omani official told The Associated Press, "to discuss regional security issues, including the US standoff with Iran over its nuclear program."
A little over three weeks later, Cheney returned to Oman as part of a ten-day visit to several countries in the region, including Israel, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. While in Oman, he gave an interview to Martha Raddatz of ABC News. "Can you foresee any point where military action would be taken?" Raddatz asked. Cheney tried to downplay the question, but Raddatz persisted, asking specifically about the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), which concluded that Iran had shut down its nuclear arms program five years ago.
Cheney read the NIE differently. The Iranians definitely had a program to develop a nuclear warhead, which they apparently stopped in 2003, he insisted. "We don't know whether or not they've restarted." Cheney emphasized that the Iranians were continuing with their uranium enrichment, which - he said - would give them the fissile material to make nuclear weapons. He offered no evidence that the Iranian program would or could produce the highly enriched uranium they would need to make a bomb.
"VP: Iran May Have Resumed Weapon Program," the headlines ran. "Cheney: Iran might be next US target." The Israeli web site DEBKA added that Cheney was specifically talking about possible US military action in the region to shut down Iran's nuclear program.
Punctuating Cheney's remarks, the US Navy continues to build up its forces in the region, which now include two nuclear aircraft carriers and strike groups capable of attacking Iran or defending against missile attacks from Iran. America's military brass are also chiming in. The Pentagon is considering "potential military courses of action" against Iran, warns the nation's top military officer - Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "It would be a mistake to think that we are out of combat capability."
Mullen presented his threat, he said, as a response to Iranian support for Iraqi militias fighting US forces, as well as their support for Hamas, Hezbollah and the Taliban in Afghanistan. He also repeated as fact Dick Cheney's belief that Iran was pursuing nuclear weapons. Mullen raised all this the day after the CIA reported to Congress that North Korea had supplied Syria with a nuclear reactor, which an Israeli air strike had destroyed last September. Mullen's timing added weight to his threat and raised the question of what role Israelis might play in an airstrike on Iran.
Cheney himself touched on the question when he returned from his ten-day trip. In an interview with neo-conservative journalist Hugh Hewitt, he mentioned the widely reported threats that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has made against Israel. "I know the Israelis well enough, and I was just there a couple of weeks ago, to know there isn't any way they're prepared to ignore those kinds of statements coming out of Tehran," said Cheney. "They have to take them seriously, given their history. And I think they perceive the possibility of an Iran armed with nuclear weapons as a fundamental threat to the very survival of the state of Israel."
What exactly would the Israelis do? Cheney refused to say. But an Israeli airstrike against Iran would prove far more difficult than the strike against Syria, and the Israelis would likely need American help in clearing the airspace over Iraq, guaranteeing non-interference from Saudi and other Arab air forces, sharing satellite intelligence, blinding Iranian radar, and possibly refueling the Israeli planes. The Israelis would, of course, use long-range F-15s and bunker-buster bombs that the US supplied, while the Iranians have announced that they will respond to any attack as coming from both Israel and the United States. With all this in mind, Cheney might well want the Israelis to make the first strike, and when the Iranians try to retaliate, American forces could intervene "in self-defense" and "defense of our ally Israel."
To be sure, others have previously predicted American and Israeli airstrikes against Iran, and those strikes never happened. Hopefully, my parsing of the tea leaves will fail as well, either because of intervening events or a decision by Bush not to press ahead. But Cheney has clearly started the war drums beating, and unless Congress shows far more gumption than it has on Iraq, I would not plan a late spring or summer trip to Iran or anywhere else in the Middle East or Persian Gulf.
earthmother - April 30, 2008 02:48 AM (GMT)
With the U.S. headed into a free-fall of a recession, I can't believe these bozos would be stupid enough to put further strain on our economy by going into another war. Even middle-class Americans are suddenly struggling to buy gas for the car, pay their rent or mortgage, put food on the table, pay their medical bills, and put their kids through college, and these idiots are going to take us into another war?
Texan for Gore - April 30, 2008 03:55 AM (GMT)
Isn't is mind-boggling, Earthmother? Is there no END to their insanity?? It seems they are destroying America, one war at a time. I will be SO glad when Bush is out of office and I pray we get a Democrat this time, preferably Al Gore!!
ALGOREismylife - April 30, 2008 10:04 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (earthmother @ Apr 29 2008, 08:48 PM) |
| With the U.S. headed into a free-fall of a recession, I can't believe these bozos would be stupid enough to put further strain on our economy by going into another war. Even middle-class Americans are suddenly struggling to buy gas for the car, pay their rent or mortgage, put food on the table, pay their medical bills, and put their kids through college, and these idiots are going to take us into another war? |
Do you think Bush gives a damn??? :angry:
Wayne in WA State - May 1, 2008 06:26 AM (GMT)
It is so ghastly to think about what this Bush-Cheney gang may do. Because something is absolutely insane and horrible doesn't give me confidence that they won't do it. When you're not 'reality-based', you can disregard any sane warnings. They've done it many times before. Hopefully someone, perhaps our real military, will tell these criminals no more -- it's time for them to go.
:mad:
:mad:
The Paraclete - May 1, 2008 07:58 PM (GMT)
Oh yes! EM...They are MORE than 'stupid' enough to do it...only THIS time...when gasoline & diesel top $6 to $8 dollars a gallon and this entire nation STOPS moving then maybe the people will have finally HAD ENOUGH!
THAT is why Rove and his "Operation Chaos" is working so well! I won't even GIVE Limbaugh credit for this...it's tooooo perfect a plan...and Operation Chaos envelopes MORE than just keeping Clinton and Obama going at it by 'rigging' elections...it is a MASTER plan to get Warmonger McCain in office to sustain the OIL WARS for another 4 YEARS!
But what BU$H and the GOP do not count on is that the SAME thing that happened in Czarist Russia in 1917 CAN and WILL happen here if they allow fuel prices to continue to skyrocket, and our economy to TANK in the process...
The media is tooooo busy listening to Hannity, Limbaugh, Rove & Company 'racebaiting' Obama Hussein Bin-Laden
...you know...that Black Panther Extremist running for president? THEY are literally THROWING the SMEARY MUD right into his face!
AND THE FUNNY THING IS OBAMA IS BLAMING CLINTON?
I got NEWS for YOU...Senator Obama...if McCain WINS then YOUR political career will be technically OVER!...so you better start shooting at the 'enemy' instead of members of you OWN PARTY!
:mad:
THAT is why Rove and his "Operation Chaos" is working so well! I won't even GIVE Limbaugh credit for this...it's tooooo perfect a plan...and Operation Chaos envelopes MORE than just keeping Clinton and Obama going at it by 'rigging' elections...it is a MASTER plan to get Warmonger McCain in office to sustain the OIL WARS for another 4 YEARS!
But what BU$H and the GOP do not count on is that the SAME thing that happened in Czarist Russia in 1917 CAN and WILL happen here if they allow fuel prices to continue to skyrocket, and our economy to TANK in the process...
The media is tooooo busy listening to Hannity, Limbaugh, Rove & Company 'racebaiting' Obama Hussein Bin-Laden
...you know...that Black Panther Extremist running for president? THEY are literally THROWING the SMEARY MUD right into his face!
AND THE FUNNY THING IS OBAMA IS BLAMING CLINTON?
I got NEWS for YOU...Senator Obama...if McCain WINS then YOUR political career will be technically OVER!...so you better start shooting at the 'enemy' instead of members of you OWN PARTY!
:mad: