CBS News: Israel Prodding U.S. To Attack Iran

[Purveyor]

Source: CBS NEWS

Bush Administration Weighs Striking Iran's Nuclear Complex, Which Could Trigger 3rd War In Region

June 24, 2008

(CBS) Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen leaves Tuesday night on an overseas trip that will take him to Israel, reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin. The trip has been scheduled for some time but U.S. officials say it comes just as the Israelis are mounting a full court press to get the Bush administration to strike Iran's nuclear complex.

CBS consultant Michael Oren says Israel doesn't want to wait for a new administration.

"The Israelis have been assured by the Bush administration that the Bush administration will not allow Iran to nuclearize," Oren said. "Israelis are uncertain about what would be the policies of the next administration vis-à-vis Iran."

Israel's message is simple: If you don't, we will. Israel held a dress rehearsal for a strike earlier this month, but military analysts say Israel can not do it alone.

"Keep in mind that Israel does not have strategic bombers," Oren said. "The Israeli Air Force is not the American Air Force. Israel can not eliminate Iran's nuclear program."

The U.S. with its stealth bombers and cruise missiles has a much greater capability. Vice President Cheney is said to favor a strike, but both Mullen and Defense Secretary Gates are opposed to an attack which could touch off a third war in the region.


Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/24/eveningnews/main4206201.shtml

---

Y'all 'ready for this'? :/

[saigon68]

1. Joementum is in the Lead on this--

He really wants WW 3

[Ajaye]

6. I thought the Israelis were smarter than that

[Joe Bacon]

60. Nope.

If they are stupid enough to nuke Iran, they will sign their own death warrant.

[LeftishBrit]

84. Quite so; and I am sure they would not be so stupid...

apart from retaliation, nuclear fallout knows no geographical boundaries, and is likely to affect everyone in the Middle East including Israel.

There is no danger of anyone nuking Iran. It's conventional war which is the danger; and that's bad enough.

[proud2BlibKansan]

132. Iran doesn't have any nukes anyway

But we DO have bombs aimed at Iran. Scott Ritter said all we have to do is push the button. :scared:

[LeftishBrit]

166. Frightening. Though I doubt that even Bush would nuke Iran...

because of the nuclear fallout affecting others in the Middle East, including American troops in Iraq.

But the world will be safer when that psycho is not next to the nuclear button!

[lark]

98. That's why they want us to do it

They want US young men to die in their stead, evil government that they are.

[mojowork_n]

139. Fmr. UN ambassador John Bolton 'predicts' Nov/Dec/Jan "surprise"

Here's the link:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/2182070/Israel-%27will-attack-Iran%27-before-new-US-president-sworn-in%2C-John-Bolton-predicts.html

And excerpt

Israel 'will attack Iran' before new US president sworn in, John Bolton predicts

By Toby Harnden in Washington
Last Updated: 9:50AM BST 24/06/2008

John Bolton, the former American ambassador to the United Nations, has predicted that Israel could attack Iran after the November presidential election but before George W Bush's successor is sworn in.

The Arab world would be "pleased" by Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, he said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph.

"It will be positive privately. I think there'll be public denunciations but no action," he said.

Mr Bolton, an unflinching hawk who proposes military action to stop Iran developing nuclear weapons, bemoaned what he sees as a lack of will by the Bush administration to itself contemplate military strikes.

"It's clear that the administration has essentially given up that possibility," he said. "I don't think it's serious any more. If you had asked me a year ago I would have said I thought it was a real possibility. I just don't think it's in the cards."

Israel, however, still had a determination to prevent a nuclear Iran, he argued. The "optimal window" for strikes would be between the November 4 election and the inauguration on January 20, 2009.

What decade -- or century -- do these people think they're living in? It's not just the Israeli hard-liners, we've got plenty of our own criminal masterminds:

High Noon for the Republican Party, Why the G.O.P. Must Die

(That link is to the cover article of the current (July) issue of Harper's magazine. The link's just a fragment/teaser but next time you're near a news stand, or if you want to subscribe, it's worth a look.)

[Raster]

145. The Israelis perhaps. The warmonger Likudniks...No.

They are the moral and ideological equivalent of our NeoCONS. It should be VERY EVIDENT that our national security policy is subject to much undue influence by these reactionary zionist theocraps.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

144. GHOULS

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS CRAP.


HOW DOES KRAUTHEIMER FEEL.

[gateley]

2. For the love of God --

Is Iran anywhere NEAR being close to nuclear capability? The bombs? The delivery systems?

EDIT -- from the article:

If you don't, we will. Israel held a dress rehearsal for a strike earlier this month, but military analysts say Israel can not do it alone.

"Keep in mind that Israel does not have strategic bombers," Oren said. "The Israeli Air Force is not the American Air Force. Israel can not eliminate Iran's nuclear program."

[babylonsister]

9. Who knows? No one's allowed to read the current NIE to

determine what the situation is. But last year's claimed Iran was no where near ready, so I'm thinking they might not have progressed too much. Apparently that just doesn't matter.

[gateley]

12. I know - I actually mentioned the SECRET NIE, but deleted it.

I remember way back during the first presidential debates when Biden was comparing the Iran nuclear threat (almost nonexistant at that time) to Pakistan's (big). I can't believe they've advanced so much in such a short period of time.

This whole thing stinks.

[Marie26]

28. If there were any progress, the Bush Ad. would've leaked it. nt

[bananas]

18. ElBaradei: "Iran, if it is not already making nuclear weapons, will launch a crash course"

You asked, "Is Iran anywhere NEAR being close to nuclear capability? The bombs? The delivery systems?"

They have the delivery systems, they have the ability to enrich weapons-grade uranium, and the head of the IAEA says they may already be making nuclear weapons:

"If you do a military strike, it will mean that Iran, if it is not already making nuclear weapons, will launch a crash course to build nuclear weapons with the blessing of all Iranians, even those in the West."
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L20498230.htm

This is a very dangerous situation. In the same interview he says, "A military strike, in my opinion, would be worse than anything possible. It would turn the region into a fireball"

The situation is going to continue to escalate over the next several years, whether or not Iran is attacked.

[truedelphi]

130. Playing devil's advocate, if you headed the military in Iran what would YOU do?

You have just seen your neighbor, Iraq, the same neighbor who attacked
YOU back in the eighties as an ally of the United States, now laid waste and driven into the Dark Ages by the United States. Schools, hospitals, sewage treatment plants, electricity, all barely enough to support a third of the populace.

And YOU know that YOUR enemies, the United States, and Israel, both have nukes.

I bet YOU'd want them too.

[bananas]

163. That's my point - this is going to escalate. nt

[Kablooie]

73. They just want to have the American war president to back them up.

so they have to attack now or never.

Obama certainly won't support an unprovoked attack.

[paparush]

106. Isreal "can not do it alone." WTF? Isreal has NUKES for cryin out loud..

Goddamnit.
Goddamnit!

GODDAMNIT!

And SURELY we could sell them any and everything they need to defend themselves if they currently don't have it in their arsenal. I'm sure there's some fat-cat defense contractor who'd be willing to trade a few bunker busters and techs for a few hundred million / billion dollars.

[NightWatcher]

3. it shocked the shit out of me when I saw an actual story on the network news

consider this the admin's way of floating the "trial balloon". If there is no mainstream outcry the admin might see this as a GO.

McSame's not going to win so the repiggies have nothing to lose- hell maybe they can even get bush extended a few years more if we are in a third war

[ShockediSay]

82. Maybe MSM learned something from Iraq

Same situation

Same pushers

Different country

If they want Iran attacked, like they did Iraq,
let them do it themselves, and leave us TF out of it

[LakeSamish706]

4. Many here have known that this has been coming for some time now....

Obviously no one seems to have the power to stop these dip shits, so no other choice but to live with the consequences of a possible 3rd world war.

[bananas]

5. How can anyone be ready for this?

I picked a bad time to quit drinking.

[LakeSamish706]

8. I'm sure if this happens, you will reconsider that very quickly! n/t

[JPettus]

54. The Nice thing about that

is that you can always start again.

I plan to when I get the heck out of this Muslim country.

I'm sitting in Afghanistan right now. I'm watching the chance that Bush and his Rethug buddies may launch attacks against Iran and I'm watching the fact that the Pakistanis are trying to remove Musharref and I'm wondering what would replace Musharref.

If Bush attacks Iran they have options to launch missiles at both US sites in Iraq and in Afghanistan. They may not have nukes yet, but mustard gas and other chemical weapons are cheap and easy to make.

Pakistan is nuclear. If Musharref is deposed and replaced with a radical Islamic Republic, people who are sympathetic to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda might find their fingers on the button. Or, if they go with an elected government, I wonder how long that government can hold out against people with guns and bombs who are determined to take over and institute a radical Islamic Republic.

I figure I have perhaps six months to a year. Six months if Bush bombs Iran. Longer if he doesn't.

[freedomnorth]

61. Could Nawaz Sharif replace Musharraf?

He has returned from exile and is back in political life.

[closeupready]

101. He would be an improvement, as he is Western-oriented, and

not interested in entertaining Islamic fundamentalism.

The US must keep in mind that there are close historic and cultural ties between Pakistan/India and Iran/Persia and a big attack on Iran can only further inflame an already volatile region.

And also, I don't understand what is meant by "the Israel Air Force is not the US Air Force, and Israel can't take out Iran's reactor." Why not? They did in Iraq. They can do it in Iran if that's so important and urgent. No, what they really want is the imprimatur of the US, and no thanks, we've already got enough problems with our world image.

[paparush]

108. Didn't Isreal FLATTEN a Syrian project last year? Wiped it off the face of the earth..

as I recall.

[closeupready]

113. Right? So, no, they can do this on their own; we can not afford it,

either financially or more importantly in terms of risk to our soldiers. They can afford those risks (I guess), and they have the equipment and capability.

[paparush]

116. Exactly. If they choose this path of madness, they should walk it alone

We've got our own madness to deal with.

[grassfed]

7. Iraq war was for Israel

Before the Iraq war there was an interview in the main German Sunday paper (Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung) with Ruth Wedgewood, a member of the Pentagon's policy board, headed by Richard Perle at the time.

The interviewer asked Ruth Wedgewood: "What would you say to convince me to say 'yes' to the war against Iraq?"

Wedgewood replied: "I could be impolite and remind you of your history. Iraq is a threat to Israel. This is simply so."

[JPettus]

55. That's just a button to push

to get support.

The real reasons for the war, IMO, are:

Money: Bush and Cheney's energy buddies are making out like the bandits they are on oil profits.

Money: Cheney still receives money from a blind trust from Halliburton, which is bilking the government of billions in taxpayer funds.

Alliance: Like Orwell's 1984, you want the populace focused on external enemies so they don't focus on what YOU are doing. This worked until the last few years, and now Americans are tired of the war, which is why you see less and less of it on broadcast news. But you want them still afraid of that faceless enemy so you can keep them in control and they will let you do what you want. This translated to political capital for Bush to help him do what his daddy could not: get re-elected.

[LeftishBrit]

86. Good points.

Nothing like a Foreign Enemy to rally people round their Great Leader. One of the oldest RW tricks in the book!

[DesertFlower]

147. exactly. nt

[LeftishBrit]

85. Nonsense.

It just put Israel in greater danger and made Iran more powerful.

It was a war for oil, Halliburton et al, American (and to some degree British) RW imperialism, sheer stupidity, and Bush's sick revenge fantasies and desire to show Saddam that "I've got a bigger penis than my daddy!"

[grassfed]

90. Israel To U.S.: Don't Delay Iraq Attack

Sharon Government Urges Prompt Action Against Saddam

JERUSALEM, Aug. 16, 2002

(CBS) Israel is urging U.S. officials not to delay a military strike against Iraq's Saddam Hussein, an aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Friday.

Israeli intelligence officials have gathered evidence that Iraq is speeding up efforts to produce biological and chemical weapons, said Sharon aide Ranaan Gissin.

"Any postponement of an attack on Iraq at this stage will serve no purpose," Gissin said. "It will only give him (Saddam) more of an opportunity to accelerate his program of weapons of mass destruction."

The United States has been considering a military campaign against Iraq to remove Saddam from power, listing him as one of the world's main terrorist regimes. However, there is considerable world opposition to a U.S. strike.

As evidence of Iraq's weapons building activities, Israel points to an order Saddam gave to Iraq's Atomic Energy Commission last week to speed up its work, Gissin said.

"Saddam's going to be able to reach a point where these weapons will be operational," he said.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/08/18/world/main519037.shtml

.............
And we all well remember the endless parade of Likudnik Americans that flooded the media feverishly, relentlessly pressing the case for the Iraq war. To suggest otherwise is an insult. I was there. I saw it. Nonsense indeed.

[grassfed]

91. joe klein - neocons gone wild

http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/06/neocons_gone_wild.html

Neocons Gone Wild - Posted by Joe Klein

<snip>

Then, what can one say about Jennifer Rubin, who accuses me of antisemitism? I must say that's rather thrilling coming from the Commentary crowd. You want evidence of divided loyalties? How about the "benign domino theory" that so many Jewish neoconservatives talked to me about--off the record, of course--in the runup to the Iraq war, the idea that Israel's security could be won by taking out Saddam, which would set off a cascade of disaster for Israel's enemies in the region? As my grandmother would say, feh! Do you actually deny that the casus belli that dare not speak its name wasn't, as I wrote in February 2003, a desire to make the world safe for Israel? Why the rush now to bomb Iran, a country that poses some threat to Israel but none--for the moment--to the United States...unless we go ahead, attack it, and the mullahs unleash Hezbollah terrorists against us? Do you really believe the mullahs would stage a nuclear attack on Israel, destroying the third most holy site in Islam and killing untold numbers of Muslims? I am not ruling out the use of force against Iran--it may come to that--but you folks seem to embrace it gleefully.

Furthermore, as a Jew, I find it offensive that the American Jewish Committee would support such an ideologically unbalanced publication as Commentary, one that spouts a Likudnik bellicosity that is out of sync with the beliefs of the vast majority of American Jews. A question to all concerned: When was the last time you opposed a policy, any policy, of the Israeli government--other than one that attempted to move toward peace?

And finally, if the Iraqi government is so wonderful, why was I advised not to carry a passport without Israeli stamps in it when I applied for my Iraqi visa?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3517228

[ryanmuegge]

124. The illusion of dissent from a neocon.

[DesertFlower]

146. saddam hated israel, but

he wouldn't have attacked them. he knew what would happen if he did. actually it happened anyway, but it was because bush wanted to. he wanted to finish daddy's job and get cheap oil.

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

10. It's time

for the torches and pitchforks.

[Maureen1322]

17. Yes, it is!!

[MilesColtrane]

11. Mullen and Gates oppose a strike?

Look for them both to "retire" in the next month.

[Binka]

13. Mullen's Is Slated To be Replaced In Late August.......With Petrayus!

And no I am not kidding. I heard it on KPFA radio last night driving home from work. It was a real "oh shit" moment.

[MilesColtrane]

34. Sweet merciful fuck.

The loony's going to do it.

[indepat]

14. Imagine another war in the region if Iran were struck by stealth bombers and cruise missiles: who

would'a thunk it? :D

[Purveyor]

15. Flashback Aug. 2002: Israel To U.S.: Don't Delay Iraq Attack; Sharon Gov't Urges Promp Action...

Sharon Government Urges Prompt Action Against Saddam

JERUSALEM, Aug. 16, 2002

(CBS) Israel is urging U.S. officials not to delay a military strike against Iraq's Saddam Hussein, an aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Friday.

Israeli intelligence officials have gathered evidence that Iraq is speeding up efforts to produce biological and chemical weapons, said Sharon aide Ranaan Gissin.

"Any postponement of an attack on Iraq at this stage will serve no purpose," Gissin said. "It will only give him (Saddam) more of an opportunity to accelerate his program of weapons of mass destruction."

The United States has been considering a military campaign against Iraq to remove Saddam from power, listing him as one of the world's main terrorist regimes. However, there is considerable world opposition to a U.S. strike.

As evidence of Iraq's weapons building activities, Israel points to an order Saddam gave to Iraq's Atomic Energy Commission last week to speed up its work, Gissin said.

"Saddam's going to be able to reach a point where these weapons will be operational," he said.

---eoe---

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/08/18/world/main519037.shtml

[Maureen1322]

16. I'm getting sick of Israel and the influence they have in this country.

[a la izquierda]

21. Me too. And it's hard to vocalize...

lest someone think you're a leather-suit and red-arm-band wearing, card-carrying Nazi. My uncle, who was born in Israel, and I cannot even touch this topic in conversation lest we ruin another family dinner. I don't give a rat's arse what your religion is. I don't have any issues with Israel's right to exist; I do have a major problem with illegal settlements and Israel's tough guy despite a lack of solid evidence attitude.
You want to invade Iran? Do it your own damned self. But I guess our treaties with them don't work that way (honestly, I'm not a Middle East foreign policy buff-I pay more attention to Latin America and the multitude of trainwrecks down there).

[AngryOldDem]

77. They can easily defend themselves against any aggressor.

I wish they would stop hiding behind our skirts, only coming out long enough to stir shit and then race right back under the petticoats.

Done with that.

I've maintained for awhile that war with Iran will start under provocation from Israel, so this does not surprise me one iota.

[Dick Dastardly]

159. They actually dont hide behind our skirts

They have always faught their own wars with their own troops. They blew up the Osiris reactor in the 80s themselves, they did Entebbe themselves.

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Maureen1322]

40. WTF!!??

[Behind the Aegis]

41. That list is bullshit and orginates for an anti-Semitic hate site (Radio Free Islam).

Most on that list are simply Americans, they just also happen to be Jews. A few, aren't even Jews.

[Maureen1322]

155. Thanks, I didn't know what was up with that.

[Patchuli]

53. And tired of them leading our 'leaders'

around by the nose. If they want to destroy themselves, let them go ahead on their own. This country doesn't answer to Israel!

[darkmaestro019]

96. Me three

And my attempts to "vocalize" it have my roommate convinced I hate everyone from Shia LaBoeuf to Natalie Portman and wouldn't eat matzoh ball soup because "I don't like Jews"

Which is exactly why Israel keeps getting whatever they whine for--whether it's good for them or not--nobody is allowed to complain!

[islandmkl]

19. ahhh, the zionists...keeping the regular israelis under the same fear thumb...

that we see here...peace through war and violence...

the lessons of the past 70 years (to reference recent history) are forgotten easily once the taste of power and blood is acquired...

[rockymountaindem]

99. Israelis *are* Zionists

The only ones that aren't are the ones who live there and think it shouldn't exist. There is no Zionist clique within Israel: it is the Zionist state by definition.

[Taverner]

131. Likudniks, not Zionists

[Megahurtz]

20. Fuck Israel! Selfish Evil Warmongers!

I am so sick of this! They need to STFU because no one has attacked them and no one will!

I am so angry at them that they want to put all American Citizens in harms way for their own selfishness, not to mention Iranian Citizens as well! :mad:

Tell them to go it on their own so they can reap the evil that they sow!:grr:

[Hotler]

30. They can go it on their own with the weapons...

we bought for them.

[Megahurtz]

158. With their biggest Nuclear Arsenal in the World

(that we bought for them :puke:) they can take out another Country for only being suspected of having the same thing!

Filthy Hypocrites! Give up your own Nuclear items then you have a leg to stand on!

[bonito]

22. Bolton: Israel Will Attack Iran After U.S. Election But Before Inauguration, Arab States Will Be ‘De

This morning on Fox News, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton continued his drumbeat for war against Iran. Adopting Bill Kristol’s argument, Bolton suggested that an attack on Iran depends on who Americans elect as the next President:

I think if they are to do anything, the most likely period is after our elections and before the inauguration of the next President. I don’t think they will do anything before our election because they don’t want to affect it. And they’d have to make a judgment whether to go during the remainder of President Bush’s term in office or wait for his successor.

Bolton gamed out the fallout from an attack on Iran. He claimed that Iran’s options to retaliate after being attacked are actually “less broad than people think.” He suggested that Iran would not want to escalate a conflict because 1) it still needs to export oil, 2) it would worry about “an even greater response” from Israel, 3) and it would worry about the U.S.’s response.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/22/bolton-arabs-delighted/

[Doctor_J]

26. Why are all the pitch men for the Iraq war given any attention at all?

They're proven liars and incompetents.

[bonito]

33. Like Emerson Lake And Palmer's - Come On See The Show

Not going to work.

[harun]

74. They shouldn't get any air time at all, but we know they will (n/t)

[Doctor_J]

23. Last night we had a debate about whether Israel "owns us"

I guess this will settle that one.

[shadowknows69]

24. Ready?

How the fuck do you get ready for WWIII?

[no_hypocrisy]

25. U.S. to Israel: You do it.

Israel to U.S.: No, you do it.

U.S. to Israel: No, YOU do it!

Israel to U.S.: No, YOU it!

Maybe they can keep it going until Obama is inaugurated.

[tblue37]

27. If we piss Iran off enough, they can devastate our Army in Iraq.

Our supply lines are not that sturdy. We really have 150,000 hostages over there.

The Dems in Congress need to pay more attention. Impeachment needs to be all over the damned table.

[shadowknows69]

70. Then Georgie and the Neocons get to play with their tactical nukes

Which is probably what they're hoping. One missle from Iran or the Iranian Army coming into Iraq and Bush will declare WWIII is on.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Scurrilous]

31. Syria planned to supply Iran with nuclear fuel, Israel says

<snip>

"Israel believes that Syria was planning to supply Iran with spent nuclear fuel for reprocessing into weapons-grade plutonium from the site it bombed last September, and which is currently being inspected by the UN's nuclear watchdog.

The claim from an adviser to Israel's national security council, came yesterday as speculation mounts about a possible Israeli attack on Iran. The Israeli government officially backs UN sanctions to force Tehran to halt its uranium enrichment but has little faith they will succeed.

Details about the alleged Syrian reactor and the Israeli raid remain shrouded in secrecy. Syria denies it has or had a covert nuclear weapons programme and insists the Israelis hit an ordinary military structure being built at al-Kibar, in the country's north-eastern desert.

The US claimed in April that Syria had almost completed the plant with the help of North Korea, which evaded the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) checks and tested a nuclear device in 2006. Officials in Damascus accused the US of fabricating evidence in collusion with Israel, which unlike Syria and Iran is not a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and is the Middle East's only nuclear power. Washington did not mention any link to Iran's nuclear ambitions.

The Israeli adviser told the Guardian: "The Iranians were involved in the Syrian programme. The idea was that the Syrians produce plutonium and the Iranians get their share. Syria had no reprocessing facility for the spent fuel. It's not deduction alone that brings almost everyone to think that the link exists."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/25/syria.iran

[brentspeak]

32. Then what's been the point of us supplying Israel with billions of dollars in weapons?

Apparently, all the $$$ have been wasted if Israel wants the U.S. to do it's military work for them.

[clspector]

36. Does anyone actually buy this?

I mean, I just don't believe Israel wants a war. I certainly think Big Oil does.

[grassfed]

37. see #7 and #15

the war for oil angle is a lie

[stillcool]

45. Something I found useful..

http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/irqindx.htm

[LeftishBrit]

83. I agree with you - Big Oil, and certain RW American hawks

There are doubtless some RW Israeli hawks who'd like a war too; but they don't represent a majority of the population. Most Israelis want economic sanctions on Iran, not war.

If a war starts there, everyone is at risk, including the Israelis. Even if America starts the war - Israel is there in the region, and cannot escape the consequences. And Israel has compulsory universal military service, so everyone has a stake in the issue.

I certainly hope no one is idiotic enough to start yet another war in the region!

[roamer65]

38. Israel could do this alone at first.

...but it would take the world right into WORLD WAR 3.

They just may pull out the nukes for the attack.

[oldskool]

39. I would comment, but tired of being called anti-semitic

Russia has warned US and Israel. Any attack on Iran would
result in significant retaliations from Russia and China. 

[Behind the Aegis]

42. Pre-emptive excuse.

:eyes:

[Name removed]

128. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. 
[link:www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules.html|Click
here] to review the message board rules.

[HEyHEY]

103. OOO the Russians... BFD

China? Sure, let's rock the boat. Then when the west puts trade sanctions on your economy and your people starve we'll ask if it was worth it.

That said I'm not in favour of a strike. I just hate it when Russia pretends this is 1976

[Wizard777]

126. I did the math on the battle of number with War between USA and China.

Every last man, woman, child, and even infant in the USA would have a Kill Quota of 8 Chinese. If your 6 month old infant cannot kill their quota of 8 Chinese. Your kill quota is now 16 Chinese. If your 3 year old daughter cannot kill her quota of 8 Chinese. Your kill quota is now 24 Chinese. If your elderly parents cannot kill their quota of 8 Chinese. Your kill quota is now 32 Chinese. Russian Chinese alliance is even more nightmarish. Russia actually has the nukes China doesn't. So you can't say we'll just nuke them end of problem. That would just be the beginning of an even bigger more nightmarish problem.

[HEyHEY]

135. Not nuke - trade sanctions

The West's desire for cheap goods is the reason they have an economy.

[whopis01]

140. You didn't do your math very well

China has just over 1.3 billion people. The US have just over 0.3 billion people. That's a ratio of 4.3 : 1, not 8 : 1.

And it isn't even as bad as you made it sound. Your 6 month old infant only have to kill 4.3 Chinese 6 month old infants. So as long as we start training them early, we ought to be in pretty good shape.

[Wizard777]

156. There are only 300 million people in the USA. The chinese military has 375,009,345

and that's just the men. Then you have another 354,314,328 women. With a combined annual replenishment rate of 20,470,412. Which is what I think you forgot to figure in. My mistake in calculation was actually a Type-o. Your Kill Quota for an elderly parent would be 32. For elderly parentS it's 40.

I don't know if you have ever seen a swarm of red army ants going across the African Plane devouring everything in it's path. But that's pretty much what a war with China would be like. They have the numbers to do something like that.

[whopis01]

164. You are off by a factor of about 100 in your figures for the Chinese military.

The PLA (Chinese military) has about 7 million people in it, not over 700 million as you claim.

Your numbers clearly come from the CIA World Factbook, but you are looking at the manpower available for military service numbers. Basically your numbers are the totals of all the men and women between the ages of 16 and 49.

Even if you assumed that it was possible that China would draft everyone between those ages, your ratio of 8:1 still does not make any sense. China has slightly over 4 times the population of the US. As I stated before if you assume every single person in China is involved in the fighting, that still just gives you a ratio of about 4.3 : 1.

[Name removed]

133. Deleted message

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[unkachuck]

43. man....

....these corporate fascists want a war with Iran before they're even booted out of office....there must be more money to be made being bellicose with Iran than being friendly....I would think the opposite to be true, but then I'm not a corporate fascist....

....will they ever let go of that election-fear-card? Scum, pure scum....

[razors edge]

50. Unka Dick

wants to see if the bunkers really work, he likes it down there.

[stillcool]

44. Shock & Awe like never before?

Estimated Number of Nuclear Warheads
BBC website, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4504737.stm, May 2, 2005
Source: Arms Control Association 2004

Russia 8,500 (plus 11,000 stockpiled)
United States 7,000 (plus 3,000 stockpiled)
China 420
France 350
UK 200
Israel 75-200
India 45-95
Pakistan 30-50

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Weapons/Nuclear_Warheads.html

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WilyWondr]

47. Anyone speak hebrew?

How would you say F U in hebrew?

I just want to be sure they understand that they will be fighting their own wars from now on.

[TBF]

79. Do you truly think Israel is behind this?

I'm not buying it. Right now we are negotiating our oil leases in Iraq. That is what the Iraq war was about. Israel knows perfectly well that if all the Arab states turn on it they will be toast. US is doing alot more to dictate policy in the region than Israel, and it is all about money (oil). Following the money usually leads to the answer, no matter what the question.

[lark]

110. Are top Israeli government folks

invested in Halliburton and/or Carlyle too? If so, there's your answer.

[rucognizant]

48. Think there is a connection here?

They say it was ONLY a suicide, not an assination attempt on Olmart!!!!!!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/24/french-president-sarkozy_n_108887.html

[Ghost Dog]

63. Assassination attempt on Sarkozy,

it's been suggested.

[bluesmail]

49. Israel: You first. (speaking to *.

[TaffyMoon]

51. I am so sick of the war drums.

8 years of it - enuf!

[razors edge]

52. What are the capabilities

of the subs Israel got from Germany and retrofitted at Diego Garcia?

Nuke is a given, but they may have cruise tech like we have never seen before.

With simple satellite GPS they can drop on target some hard shit. No need for refueling the bombers.

I think it is a given that the Israelis have capabilities we are not privy to.

That said, we will see a retaliation like never imagined. You don't need a thermonuclear bomb to make an American city panic and evacuate. I think the world is afloat in many things that would cause wide spread panic, and great loss of life in the ensuing FEMA mismanagement.

Surely our so called leaders know at least some poor slob relative in our country they give the smallest shit about to not kick this all off.

But maybe not.

:shrug:

[Name removed]

56. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[whathehell]

111. The :"Tampon of America"?

How about the "Rubber of America"..The "scumbag of America" or are we in a solid "women and their functions are just so gross" mindset?

No, offense..I'm a new poster (but a long time reader) and I'm with your basic point completely. I just think male biology should be granted equal opportunities as metaphors for "disgust".

[chill_wind]

57. Not. Good.

K & R

[Blue_In_AK]

58. I'm so tired of Israel controlling American foreign policy. n/t

[Behind the Aegis]

59. You shouldn't be tired of it since it is not even remotely true. n/t

[snooper2]

78. Not remotely true...

Sure...

[Behind the Aegis]

93. Compelling argument.

:eyes:

[snooper2]

95. okay, what's all this mean then...

Yeah, no influence, no control, no nothing...


Strongly backing Israel's right to defend itself in the face of daily rocket attacks by passing a House resolution in a near unanimous vote, 404 to 1.

Securing critical foreign aid to Israel, which totals $2.42 billion in 2008 and provides military aid and refugee assistance.
Strengthening U.S.-Israel energy cooperation by passing legislation that establishes a grant program that funds joint projects between U.S. and Israeli entities in the field of alternative energy.

Calling upon the administration in a letter signed by more than 180 members of the House to provide strict guarantees that the proposed sale of sophisticated technology to Saudi Arabia will not harm U.S. forces or undercut Israel’s qualitative military edge.

Strongly urging the administration to take its decision to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist group and weapons proliferator through an amendment supported by 76 senators and key legislation passed in the House of Representatives.

Strengthening U.S.-Israel homeland security cooperation by passing landmark legislation creating an office within the Department of Homeland Security to support joint research and development projects between the United States and key allies such as Israel.
Calling for the strengthening of UNIFIL’s mandate to stop arms shipments to Hizballah across the Syrian border by supporting a letter signed by 104 House members.

Highlighting the need to stop weapons smuggling in Gaza through a letter signed by 32 senators urging the United States to press Egypt to take action.

Passing a House resolution congratulating Israel on the 40th anniversary of the Six-Day War, praising the Jewish state for reunifying Jerusalem and protecting religious freedom in the city, and calling on the president to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Reiterating standards for the Palestinian government through letters signed by 259 House members and 79 senators urging the EU and United States not to provide aid or grant recognition to any Palestinian government until it fulfills internationally backed requirements.

Prohibiting U.S. aid and contacts with the Hamas-led PA until its leaders recognize Israel’s right to exist, renounce violence and ratify previous Israeli-Palestinian peace agreements.

Extending U.S.-backed loan guarantees to Israel until 2011 and renewing the authority to transfer U.S. military equipment to be stored in Israel for use in a potential crisis.

Ratifying an agreement that led to the Israeli medical service Magen David Adom’s admission to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (IRC).

Condemning Iran for holding a conference casting doubt on whether the Holocaust happened. The resolutions reproached the anti-Semitic statements made by Iranian leaders and asserted the United States’ commitment to preventing a nuclear Iran.

Passing the Iran Freedom Support Act, which renews and strengthens sanctions aimed at curtailing funds and international cooperation necessary for Iran to pursue nuclear weapons.

Passing the Iran Libya Sanctions Act, which seeks to reduce funds for Iran's nuclear weapons program by allowing sanctions against foreign companies investing in Iran's energy sector.

Reauthorizing the Iran Nonproliferation Act to include sanctions against entities providing technology to the missile and weapons of mass destruction programs of both Iran and Syria.

Fostering U.S.-Israel homeland security cooperation by supporting the countries' efforts to sign a landmark Memorandum of Understanding and taking U.S. homeland security professionals on trips to Israel to meet with their Israeli counterparts.

Passing congressional resolutions that demonstrate overwhelming support for Israel's right to self-defense in the face of attacks by Hizballah and Hamas.

Designating Hizballah's TV station as a terrorist entity through legislative language as well as support of a letter to President Bush signed by 51 senators.

Passing the Syrian Accountability Act, which allows the president to sanction Syria for its continued involvement in Lebanon and support of terrorism.

Increasing military aid to Israel during the height of the Palestinian intifada by working for $1 billion in government grants that help cover the escalating costs of the war on terrorism.

Keeping world pressure on Hamas, by working to pass a House Resolution before PA elections that warned of serious policy implications for U.S.-Palestinian relations should Hamas be part of the Palestinian government.

[rockymountaindem]

102. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe our leaders support those things

because they've made up their own minds (for better or for worse) that they are good ideas, and not because they are "controlled" or "owned" by Israel?

[snooper2]

118. Well....

I am stating that Isreal has undo access and influence over our policymakers. What again is Isreal providing in return for all the "favors" our tax dollars do?

A beacon for Democracy in the ME? Helping to do everything they can to ensure peace between neighboring states? Or are we just using Isreal as they are us so we have a dramatic long term presence in the ME?

[ima_sinnic]

120. yes, that is a good question--how do we American taxpaying grunts benefit

from the dollars we bestow on Israel?

I do not begrudge charitable programs in places like Africa and the Caribbean (in fact, I wish we did a LOT more for the poor countries of the world), but this insane weaponry, and the virtual blackmailing that is going on seem to serve no purpose other than to reward some warmongers who now, despite our BILLIONS in aid--more, far more, than to any other country on the planet--now act all wussy and helpless. It's time for Israel to be more self-sufficient. Either that or just fucking become the 51st state and make it official. :grr:

[Dick Dastardly]

160. Israel is not the biggest recipient of aid in reality. Not by a long shot

What we give Israel is a drop in the ocean compared to the cost of defending Europe which was as high as 150 billion/year during the cold war, of Japan and S Korea which were as high as 50 billion each a year. This is besides the fact that American blood was put on the line and spilled for defending and fighting for Europe, Japan and S Korea but Israel fought and fights its own wars and never had American troops fighting for it. The money we give it is spent in the US.

We have received many benefits from our relationship with Israel. Israel sent a commando team and captured the latest Soviet air defense system technology and sent it to us.They arranged for a Arab pilot to defect an fly the latest Soviet MIG to Israel. This MIG was a guarded Soviet secret that no one in the west had seen up close let alone posses one to study. There were many such ops.
We also use their Port in Haifa for our Naval ships to base out of. We have various bases to store weapons for quick logistics when and if needed. We use them to test and report on the effectiveness of various weapons. We develop a wide variety of weapons with them. We also have used them to do things we didn't want our fingerprints on. There are many other benefits too numerous to list and contrary to the usual anti Israel propaganda full of omissions and double standards, they have been a great value and comparatively cheap.

[rockymountaindem]

149. What is Israel providing?

Peace with Egypt, which brought what was (in 1979) the most prominent Arab state out of Soviet orbit and into ours. That's what. That's the essence of the Camp David Accords, from which our aid to Israel stems. It's all there in the history books.

[ima_sinnic]

112. thank you for your work in assembling that list, which indicates that congress

spends more time and effort working for Israel's benefit than it does for Americans.

[snooper2]

119. Oh, it's not my list...

I pulled it right off AIPAC's website :grr:

[fascisthunter]

121. Oh the irony

good ole AIPAC.

Yeah... ya... Israel has no influence on policy makers in the US. :sarcasm:

[Behind the Aegis]

137. And yet it still doesn't prove Israel CONTROLS the US.

(which was the original remark)

Of course, with all this information other now see this as undue pressure (I see you admit you took it from the AIPAC site) yet it is not even remotely a comprehensive list of what has been done in Congress in the area of national defense and foreign policy, but then again, when it comes to Israel, so many are willing to forgo truth and use "truthiness" instead.

[LeftishBrit]

162. Represents the hawkishness of the American government...

and a wee bit of wishful thinking and arrogance on the part of some AIPAC members.

[LeftishBrit]

87. It never did.

As a citizen of another allied country: America's allies do *not* control its government! America is the big boy, but the allied governments do have a choice as to whether to collaborate with it or not. This goes for both Britain and Israel.

As for the current Israeli government, it is *very* weak at the moment, and can barely control ISRAELI foreign and domestic policy, let alone that of any other country!

[NoodleyAppendage]

62. FIGHT YOUR OWN FRIGGIN' WARS...tough guys. Or, are you just wanting the USA to foot the bill?

If the Israelis want war, then THEY SHOULD SPILL THEIR BLOOD AND SPEND THEIR TREASURE. Not a single drop of American blood should be sacrificed for the territorial aspirations of Israel.

But, what will happen in actuality is APAIC will put the thumbscrews on Congress and pressure the WH to start and pay for a war. Typical.

J

[DFW]

64. To repeat an earlier post.......

The Bushies would love for Israel to attack Iran, so that they wouldn't be seen
to have initiated the fight that Dick Cheney so desperately wants to start before
he leaves for Dubai. Maybe he wants his house on Kish to be free from repossession
risk, who knows?

But Israel isn't going to attack Iran just to satisfy some macho whim on the part
of Cheneybush. They live there, and they know full well the consequences of such
an action. Israel only attacks if they perceive an immediate threat, which Iran is
not. If they have solid reasons to believe that Iran is about to nuke Tel Aviv, they
will not wait to consult us about what they are going to do about it. They'll tell us
ten seconds before their bomb hits if we're lucky. If not, then they'll make noises
about how dangerous Iran is, how nuts Ahmadi Nejad is, etc etc. They'll then let us
decide if we want to fuck up our foreign relations further and hope we do the job
for them.

Knowing how guys like Karl Rove think, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to
hear that this whole hysteria is part of a propaganda plan to keep "national security"
in the headlines to help out an otherwise floundering McCain campaign. How's THAT for
a conspiracy theory?

[bronxiteforever]

66. excellent points

[martymar64]

65. Buncha warmongering bastards

I say we cut off relations with israel completely. This has gone on way too long.

[TBF]

81. Personally I vote for cutting off relations with Bush/Cheney completely; starting with Impeachment

now. I agree that this has gone on way too long.

[sofa king]

67. Trying to send the Golem out on one more hit before it returns to dust.

[shadowknows69]

71. .

:thumbsup:

[Crowman1979]

88. Olmert must be trying to save his pathetic legacy.

By starting another disasterous war like he did with Lebanon. Am I wrong in noting some similarities between Bush, Blair and Olmert?

[martymar64]

150. Nice reference

Shows you know your folklore.

Well met, sir!


:toast:

[sendero]

68. Israel can do it's own dirty work..

... I'm tired of being Tom Sawyered by Israel and their neocon agents.

[closeupready]

105. They did it in Iraq; they can do it in Iran. Iran is not an imminent threat.

n/t

[Marrah_G]

69. It will be world war 3 on a very large scale. n/t

[Kablooie]

72. Boy, I've supported Israel before but I might begin to have second thoughts.

If they get Bush to attack Iran and screw up our election
I might be willing to join the anti-Israel forces.

[harun]

76. I think not attacking Iran is supporting Israel. There will be war all over the

place if that happens and it won't be good for Israel if it does.

[LeftishBrit]

89. I agree, and so I suspect do most Israelis!

[LynnTheDem]

75. Let's see...one nation publicly urging another nation to attack a third nation which has done

absolutely nothing whatsofuckingever to either naiton.

Which nation(s) are the "evil doers", I wonder.

[Cronopio]

125. "Which nation(s) are the "evil doers", I wonder."

That's the problem - evil is not an axis, it's a highly-connected network.

[TBF]

80. Cheney is having CBS doing his dirty work this time. I'm surprised he didn't

drag bin Laden out of his Pakistani cave for this one, but perhaps he realizes people are on to him. Fucking warmonger.

[paparush]

92. Gods, please spare me from hearing Bush try to pronounce "nuclearize".

[TBF]

104. ...

:rofl:

[paparush]

117. Glad you like that, TBF! :-)

If i ever lose my sense of humor, I'm really screwed.

[Flatulo]

94. The Iranians have a vast capability to strike back asymetrically...

They were able to bomb an Israeli embassy in S. America in retaliation for the Israeli assassination of a Hezbollah leader.

They cannot stand against a full American air assault, but the fallout from this will last for decades.

And in the end, they will still get the Bomb.

This is insanity.

[Cronopio]

97. Aren't these the bold and tough Israelis that raided Entebbe International?

No, *those kind of Israelis* must have kicked off some time ago, or retired. The ones running the country now are needy, whiny little wusses that come running to Daddy U.S. whenever they see a monster under the bed.

I'm giving the Israeli government too much credit here. They see American soldiers dying for the oil companies, and naturually they think "Why can't Americans die to save our asses as well?"

"Keep in mind that Israel does not have strategic bombers," Oren said.

Neither do the Iranians, so it should be a fair fight - if the U.S. stays out of it, for once.

[HEyHEY]

100. Then attack it your fucking self, Israel.

[closeupready]

107. The article dishonestly says Israel doesn't have the capability.

And we know that's untrue because they did it in Iraq. What I believe they really want from us is cover, and if they can get us to participate with them, then they can say, "well, it was a mutual decision."

[HEyHEY]

114. They know if they DO attack it

There's alot more trouble coming their way than if it was the USA and them.

[Mark D.]

109. Reading Above

About John Bolten's opinion. He holds no position now but chief war-monger. His hatred of the UN and his NRA membership is a ruse, he comes off as protectionist and populist and against the system in a good way with those, when he's nothing of the sort. He's a wolf in wolf's clothing. I have had far enough of him. The pretend anti-interventionist facade' is sad because it works and that bastard's getting air-time he doesn't deserve.

He'll be the first to support intervention in Iran for Israel and the first to support taking away guns when the protest about our next invasion reaches a level that the Rove/Cheney/Murdoch administration (with their spokesmonkey George) can use to declare it an emergency, and suspend the constitution/congressional oversight, and elections or results of an election. This is serious. We see the wheels in motion but can't stop it.

[Rudyabdul]

115. Israel needs to start fighting their own battles

and stop expecting the U. S. to do their dirty work for them. If they want to attack Iran they should go ahead and do it themselves.

There is no good reason for the U. S. to sacrifice more of our troops to invade another country, I don't care whose behalf it's on.

Our government needs to start standing up to Israel.

[Wizard777]

122. Let's you and them fight.

[Evoman]

123. Hey, stupid fucking idiots. The world is not a fucking game of Risk.

You fuck it up, you can't just put the board away. We need to do something about dominating, macho politicians, dominating macho soldiers, and their little authoritarian followers before they ruin the world worse then they have.

Or fuck it all....maybe it's too fucking late. The world is fucked. Hopefully the species that arise from our ashes will do a better job.

[Wizard777]

129. No it's not. It's actually USA Inc.

We The People are the subdivision that assumes all the risk and liability. Bush and Cheney are the headquarters that assumes all the profit.

[Nickster]

127. Good thing impeachment is off the table. /sarcasm

[Poll_Blind]

134. Blackmail.

  If America doesn't attack Iran for Israel, Israel might have to attack Iran. And if Israel has to attack Iran, wittle hewpless Israel may have to resort to nuclear weapons.

PB

[closeupready]

136. If they do use nukes, then they isolate themselves, and in their neighborhood,

that would not be something they would be able to survive, I don't think, and also, that would be the end of the billions we give them every year, in addition to the military hardware. No, they aren't going to nuke Iran.

[LeftishBrit]

152. Exactly - not to mention the risk of nuclear fallout ultimately affecting Israel itself

An Israeli nuclear first-strike on Iran is just not going to happen.

For very similar reasons, I doubt very much that Iran would nuke Israel, even if it got nukes.

Conventional war may happen and is QUITE bad enough (cf Iraq). But the main dangers of nukes in the region are IMO of terrorists getting hold of them, or of an accident happening - both of these are quite risky enough.

[happygoluckytoyou]

138. like our AHOLE-in-chief needs any prodding.... like you have to twist his arm to have a beer

[Name removed]

141. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MaryEllen71]

142. I'm VERY nervous about this

we need an emergency prepardness forum...:scared: :nuke:

[Overseas]

143. Just Say No ! /eom

[Poll_Blind]

148. When 77% DISAPPROVE of Bush and 93% are AGAINST war with Iran- WHO IS calling the shots if...

...we start dropping bombs? And who is calling the shots if the Congress goes along with it? It's probably worth asking the question if that comes to pass- and I believe it could.

  The only government who has been calling for the bombing of Iran is Israel. The prime minister of Israel, Ehud Olmert, has been calling Ahmadinejad "The New Hitler" and saying that "It is 1939", stating in every possible way that Iran is Nazi Germany and Ahmadinejad is Adolf Hitler. Iran does not even possess nuclear weapons

  What are the other explanations if it comes to pass, other than Israel has so much influence within the U.S. government and Congress that they can pressure us to bring war on their enemies?

  What are those other explanations? Will it bring down the price of oil? Will it help liberate the Iranian people from their...uh, democratically-elected government?

  C'mon...please.

PB

[LeftishBrit]

153. What are the other explanations if it comes to pass?

Perhaps that Bush and Cheney just love war; and feel that they and their cronies can profit from it. They're not up for re-election and don't care what the people think!

They are SERIOUSLY evil people; and their actions are not the fault of any other country - though other countries can be blamed if they collaborate with these psychos.

[kitty1]

151. A good percentage of Iran's nuclear facilities are underground...

protected by tons of earth and reinforced concrete and steel. If they are attacked, this will not be the end of their ability to develop nuclear weapons. There will be insurmountable casualties on all sides, and a very good chance of at least one carrier being destroyed in the gulf.
This will not be a cake walk like Iraq.
If Israel makes a strike Hezbollah will be on them like fire ants on a cricket.

[Hardrada]

157. That's why they want to push and prod the U.S. into doing

their dirty work since they know such a huge number of Americans are pro-Zionist and love everything about Israel.
:sarcasm:

[cascadiance]

154. Remember the U.S.S. Liberty Israel? We might just make the same "mistake" with you!!!

[LeftishBrit]

161. Like you already did with quite a few British soldiers in the Iraq War!

'Friendly fire' seems to happen in every war these days. One more reason for not having one.

[Palladin]

165. As long as Admiral Mullen

and the US Navy are against this, it won't happen. In Gulf War I, Israel wanted to fly retaliatory missions against Saddam Hussein after a few Scuds plunked down in Israel. Cheney, then Secretary of Defense, would not release the "friend-or-foe" aircraft identification codes to the IAF, despite their raucous appeal. This meant that if the IAF tried to penetrate Iraqi airspace, they would be blown up in the air by "over the horizon" American antiaircraft missiles.

These days Israel would similarly have to secure US technological permission, in advance, to do any flying anywhere near Iraq and the Gulf. And, with an orderly chain of command, and Admiral Mullen and the US Navy in control of the military decision, the Israelis will be appropriately restrained. That's probably what the Admiral is telling them right now, on his visit to Israel and the MidEast.

Too bad these Israelis and neocon soi-disant americans have such big brazen mouths. Not cunning or intelligent in the slightest. With this kind of float story, they have gone over the edge and really blown a hole in the foot. Everybody, most especially the craven and corrupt politicians of both parties, will know exactly who to blame if disaster comes. A commentator in the Forward recognized this back in December 2007 when the NIE came out.

I don't think it will, because even Bush and Cheney and the neocon chorus do not have the actual power to order Admiral Mullen to start Armageddon. The Admiral and the rest of the sane military are against it, and they hold the cards. Ray McGovern recently stated that a handful of senior US military commanders are all that's holding back an aggressive preemptive attack on Iran, an actual treasonous betrayal of our own interests on behalf of an alien state. When the danger is past, we should all be grateful for these remaining honorable and loyal US senior commanders, and somebody should write their chronicle. Go Navy!

[yellowwood]

167. Scott Ritter Says That We Will

"Now Ritter, who was a Marine Corps intelligence officer for 12 years, is speaking out about what he sees as history repeating itself regarding U.S. policy toward Iran and the inevitability of a U.S.-led attack on the country, which he believes will happen prior to a new president being sworn into office in January 2009."
http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_3427.shtml
I have a lot of respect for Ritter's opinion.

When John Bolton and William Kristol say that we might attack Iran, I beieve them. We've been down this road before.

What will we, as a community, do to stop this?

[ohio2007]

169. invade Iran in June 2005 ? That the same Great Scottt Ritter ?

Scott Ritter Says U.S. Plans June Attack On Iran

By Mark Jensen

02/19/05 --United for Peace of Pierce County (WA) - - Scott Ritter, appearing with journalist Dahr Jamail yesterday in Washington State, dropped two shocking bombshells in a talk delivered to a packed house in Olympia’s Capitol Theater. The ex-Marine turned UNSCOM weapons inspector said that George W. Bush has "signed off" on plans to bomb Iran in June 2005, and claimed the U.S. manipulated the results of the recent Jan. 30 elections in Iraq.


http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8130.htm

No accountability in the cry wolf credibility gap with his predictions
http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/2295/

jmo

[Zorra]

168. Custer. Little Big Horn. Bad idea for Israel.

And the US too.