US spells out plan to bomb Iran

[UpInArms]

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/62043.html

THE US is updating contingency plans for a non-nuclear strike to cripple Iran's atomic weapon programme if international diplomacy fails, Pentagon sources have confirmed.

Strategists are understood to have presented two options for pinpoint strikes using B2 bombers flying directly from bases in Missouri, Guam in the Pacific and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

RAF Fairford in Gloucester also has facilities for B2s but this has been ruled out because of the UK's opposition to military action against Tehran.

The main plan calls for a rolling, five-day bombing campaign against 400 key targets in Iran, including 24 nuclear-related sites, 14 military airfields and radar installations, and Revolutionary Guard headquarters.

At least 75 targets in underground complexes would be attacked with waves of bunker-buster bombs.

...more...

I think I shall need to go throw up now :puke:

[sutz12]

1. Notice how shit is leaking out of the Pentagon now...

I think this shows that military support for this administration is sinking fast. Otherwise, they would toe the "patriotic" line.

It's bad news, but maybe the fact that we heard about it is good news.

[katinmn]

18. I think they are planned leaks

Who's to stop them?

[Bitter Cup]

29. I often wonder why so many of we West Wing fans

fail to realize how much of this "leaked" stuff is carefully managed. Except for the most explosive whistleblowing cases I always suspect a deliberate leak in order to test, gauge, or otherwise innoculate.

[EVDebs]

36. You're right, Op FirstFruits by now has any leakers shitting their pants

and whistleblowing against illegal acts of war in violation of international law...Sir, No Sir ! Those guys have been busted in rank or sent to the mental ward.

[IndianaGreen]

31. Many DOD people, civilian & military, are appalled at the prospect of war

against Iran. When it comes to assymetrical warfare, Iran nad her allies may get the better of us.

If Iraq was a fiasco, Iran will be a disaster of biblical proportions.

[cantstandbush]

2. So, Iran would be fully in their rights to pre-emptively attack US,

according to the standards which we ourselves employ. Do these fools realize that their arrogant macho threats are endangering us all? Do they even care?

[William Seger]

4. By the standards Bush*Co set...

... any country would have the "right" to attack the US if they felt the US might be a threat at some point in the future. Which is precisely why sane people should detest and reject the Bush*Co "standards."

[Media_Lies_Daily]

9. At what point will the entire world see the U. S. as a threat and...

...be willing to do something about it?

I wonder how close we are to that particular scenario?

[sadiesworld]

41. When will the democrats stand up?

[coalition_unwilling]

30. More to the point, endangering U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

Given the realities of BushCo's neo-Stalingrad there, I would say there's a possibility of a lot of U.S. POWs.

[fshrink]

42. With about 30,000 of them in Bahgdad,

within shell reach from Iran. Within a few hours by tank. Within reach of any missile. With supply lines exclusively by air. With unfriendly environment. Etc...

[Gregorian]

32. That is a great observation.

One that should make every American take to the streets in protest. I haven't thought of a better reason to protest this maladministration than that one.

[EVDebs]

37. US military intel already knows military action is counterproductive...

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/US_military_seen_ready_for_Iran_0511.html

"Congress bypassed" is the important phrase in the Rawstory article.

[progressivebydesign]

3. Naturally this is in the non-American press.. n/t

[Ghost Dog]

12. The Herald. The Glasgow Herald as was.

Pentagon sources confirm 'contingency plans' are being 'updated'. 'Understand' 2 main options: "rolling, five-day bombing campaign against 400 key targets" and "demonstration strike against one or two high-profile targets such as the Natanz uranium enrichment facility or the hexafluoride gas plant at Isfahan."

"UK sources say contingency plans have also been drawn up to cope with the inevitable backlash against the Basra garrison in neighbouring Iraq."

About the Herald: http://www.theherald.co.uk/aboutus/

Another little brick in the warm-up propaganda wall, is my take.

The 'contingency', of course, would not realistically be anything coming out of Iran, but rather what Dimson & Dick may be getting up to. Like a new USS Maine or something...

[Media_Lies_Daily]

5. This is very bad news. What's Congress doing about this?

[Drum]

10. Cowering, what else??? nt

[William Seger]

17. What is Congress doing about anything?

The Republican Congress has completely defaulted on its legislative responsibilities by ignoring the fact that Bush*Co routinely refuses to enforce laws it doesn't like, outright breaks other laws (including the Constitution), and undertakes whatever programs it wants without authorization. They've converted Congress' oversight responsibilities into a sham that serves no purpose whatsoever but to whitewash any and all Bush*Co actions and activities. And they've also defaulted on Congress' advice and consent responsibilities by becoming a rubber stamp for whomever Bush*Co nominates for any position.

They've made Congress nothing but a useless and pointless vestige of what was once a democratic republic. If they won't impeach King George, they may as well just go home and stop pretending to be relevant.

[leftchick]

19. congress is saying

"yes master, spank me more!"

[BrotherBuzz]

28. Same thing they did last time....

rubber stamp the operation (albeit with a smaller margin of support) based on bum intelligence cherry picked by the White House.

Meanwhile Joe Six-pack will unfurl and refasten his tattered American flag to his vehicle. Too bad his rig will just sit it the driveway because he can't afford to fuel the gas hog after the latest and largest gas price hike he's ever seen. Shit happens.

[heartofthesiskiyou]

6. This is so Rovian

to rally the base with fear and war.

WHAT ABOUT THE SECOND LETTER.

Forget Nov. Bush approval ratings 80%....end of story

[Endangered Specie]

11. Indeed, sort of like how the Chinese government...

every now and then threatens/'plans' to wipe Taiwan off the map, but never get around to doing it.

[heartofthesiskiyou]

22. the problem is

"never get around to doing it" isn't what chimpy has in mind. JUNE, JULY, AUGUST......... or game over the dems take back the house and they know it. That's no small issue once subpoena power is available they all go down with hardly an exception they are all guilty on multiple crimes. They got to head off Nov. or go to jail.

While everyone is running around thinking 'Oh they can't do that it'll cause to much disruption in oil' they do it just for that reason. They like high priced oil. Chavez, sitting on more oil then Saudi Arabia has offered oil to US at $50/barrel. Chimpy turned him down.

Hide and watch. Iran is no Iraq. They'll hit us not in merely oil and closing the straight of Hormuz, they're going to hit us here and enter another terrorist nation joins in against the US. If you were Iran would you have cells active in place when US is shaking the sword at you then the way we are?

The attack on Iran is about Nov.

[peacebird]

7. they list just over 1/4 of the 400 sites

So what else are"we" going to hit?

My bets - the power plants and water supplies are right up there....

I think I shall now join the original poster and :puke:

[Ghost Dog]

16. that "just over 1/4 " being

"24 nuclear-related sites, 14 military airfields and radar installations, and Revolutionary Guard headquarters"?

..There are just over 62 Revolutionary Guard headquarters, then, is that what you're saying? First wipe out the Guard, huh?

ed. :puke: indeed.

[daleo]

8. How reputable is this source?

Maybe one of our U.K. members can give an opinion.

[muriel_volestrangler]

13. Fairly reputable, I'd say

As the "Glasgow Herald" (and a couple of earlier names), it's been going since 1783. It's now owned by Gannett, which may count against it these days. It's certainly a serious newspaper, though I wonder if sometimes it tries for exclusives that aren't as soundly sourced as you'd wish - being smaller than the English London-based papers, it has to try harder.

[Ghost Dog]

15. A little O.T. Please allow me to ask, muriel_volestrangler, and others:

Do you think many people your way will have had an oportunity to read Iran President Ahmadinejad's Letter to George W. Bush - Full Text, and/or comment such as this in the The Hindu last friday?

[muriel_volestrangler]

25. It was published here, and there was some comment

eg in The Guardian:
Reports:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1770118,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1770485,00.html
Comment:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,1770656,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,1771372,00.html
The letter itself:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1772198,00.html (the print version was edited)

It wasn't a huge news item, however - I think it was covered, not prominently, on TV and radio news the day it was sent, and probably not again after that. I haven't read the whole thing myself - I saw that Ahmadinejad and his advisers had cleverly posed some rhetorical questions about what a Christian leader would be doing,and were setting out their grievances against the USA, and their justifications for nuclear research, but didn't think the details of a piece of political maneuvering against Bush was worth reading in detail.

[daleo]

35. Thanks for the info

It certainly sounds like one shouldn't reject the article out of hand.

[Ghost Dog]

14. See #12 above.

As to the rag's current reputability, I couldn't really say, being a non-reader and a long-time exile from that place myself.

[UpInArms]

20. iirc, the Herald was the paper that broke the story regarding

the US spying on the UN members prior to the invasion of Iraq.

I can find the original link now - but that is my memory.

[slackmaster]

23. There is no source

Only unnamed "Penatgon sources", and "Strategists", who are "understood" (by whom we do not know) to have presented (to whom we do not know) a couple of tactical proposals.

Yeah, really reliable sources there.

[slackmaster]

21. Classic trial balloon - Note use of unnamed sources, passive voice

Not one verifiable fact or source of information in the piece.

[leftchick]

24. Excuse me? Aren't Bunker busters Nukes?

<snip>

At least 75 targets in underground complexes would be attacked with waves of bunker-buster bombs.

:scared:

[tom_paine]

26. There are non-nuclear bunker busters

[leftchick]

27. what a relief

I think. :(

[Ghost Dog]

39. Problem is, that looks exactly like the plan:

You're being prepared, conditioned. When they attack only with (at first) airborne very high explosive weapons, you'll all breathe a sigh of relief: "Well they didn't use nukes, so that's all right, then." :wtf:

They're not going to 'use' the UN either. Think it over: I shouldn't need to go on and on...

[lala_rawraw]

33. this jives with what I wrote:(

[sweetheart]

34. cambodia n/t

[lovuian]

38. 666 and we know what that means

:nuke: true evil!!!

[One Honest Guy]

40. "400 key targets in Iran, including 24 nuclear-related sites"

So they want to hit 376 non-nuclear-related sites? And this all about Iran's atomic programme? Sure. Pretty fucking transparent if you ask me.

[noel adamson]

43. Terror works

Terrorizing Iran and everyone else in the world is a win win situation for the Neocons...in the short run. They currently need a lot more "terrorists" to "protect us from" in order to justify their phony, and counter productive, "war on terror". And if they succeed in creating enough fear at home they will even be able to declare martial law, cancel elections and drop the pretense of freedom of speech by simply commandeering all of the media. Don't think it can't happen. So far the formula they have used in the provinces of the American empire for a hundred years is being followed here under this regime. Now Negroponte and former NSA wiretapping spy are in position to do what Negroponte does so well; organize and deploy death squads to disappear, torture, execute and publicly display the bodies of "suspected leftists". "Suspected" equals "if you associate with someone who associates with"...etc. Now they have that detailed information on who you call, where you go on the internet and God knows what else.

Negroponte may well be overseeing the establishment of a "Battalion 316" here right now. Battalion 316 was the main death squad in Honduras under Negroponte during the Reagan administration. It was named after the bible passage John 3:16.

It can happen here. Even with their massive propaganda machine and almost all of the money the neocons are rapidly losing credibility and support. Control of the world's most powerful military may appear to them to be all they have left and that is wearing thin too...