US 'poised to strike Iran'

[spotbird]

Source: The Australian

Baer, in an interview with The Weekend Australian, says his contacts in the administration suggest a strategic airstrike on Iran is a real possibility in the months ahead.

"What I'm getting is a sense that their sentiment is they are going to hit the Iranians and not just because of Israel, but due to the fact that Iran is the predominant power in the Gulf and it is hostile and its power is creeping into the Gulf at every level," Baer says.

.....

Washington's intelligence community is abuzz about possible military action against Iran, which is being weighed at the highest levels of the Bush administration. While the guessing game has become "will they or won't they?", at least some experienced and trusted intelligence sources have told The Weekend Australian that the possibility of a strike in the next 12 months remains remote.


.....

Read more: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,22303955-31477,00.html?from=public_rss

---

Thank God for the courageous Democratic leadership in congress who will put a stop to this madness. .

[TwilightGardener]

1. I am assuming the sarcasm tag, even though it's invisible...

[spotbird]

2. Sadly, it seemed unnecessary. nt

[tom_paine]

21. No sarcasm tag necessary. The obvious is implied by it's existence.

No one could possibly mistake your sracsm for a straight declarative statement.

No one.

[valerief]

3. The US has no poise. nt

[bemildred]

4. More toothless gums flapping.

I must have read this same "story" more than 100 times in the last 5 years.

[seemslikeadream]

5. Prelude to an Attack on Iran "There will be an attack on Iran." ROBERT BAER

Prelude to an Attack on Iran "There will be an attack on Iran." ROBERT BAER
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1625957

The Long String of “Coincidences” on Our Road to War and its Cover-up
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1634369

Reply #33: Beating Louder on Iran Bush's War Drums
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=125&topic_id=165702&mesg_id=170402

Bolton: I ‘Absolutely’ Hope The U.S. Will Attack Iran In The Next ‘Six Months’
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1640855

Former CIA Officer: US to Attack Iran Within 6 Months
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1633512

Iranian helicopter downed in Iraq
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1621191

Kurds flee homes as Iran shells villages in Iraq
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1621227

Read Chris Floyd: "Project Management: Bushists Through the Looking-Glass on Iran Charges"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1616482

This will be my last post in the foreseeable future about the coming attack on Iran
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1601993

Michael Ledeen's Dangerous Iran Obsession
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1612651

Worth a mention. JoeforClark? was worried about the Kurds,
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1604939

Cheney urging strikes on Iran: McClatchy Newspapers
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1573102

Of Chertoff, Cheney, Radioactive Trucks and Tinfoil...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1556240

S. commander says Iraqi cleric Sadr in Iran
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1560971

A New Tactical Twist in the Coming War on Iran
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1562014

Bush Cheney launch coordinated campaign to pin Iraq's troubles on IRAN
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1554535

After Propagating False Iraq Intel, NYT’s Michael Gordon Now Echoing Bush Claims On Iran
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1544525

Iran Promotes US War with Turkey
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1463997

B-2s being fitted for Bunker Buster Bomb - FOR IRAN???
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1414759

Kurdish officials in northern Iraq say they fear a full-scale invasion
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1411790

U.S. Funding Armed Groups to Overthrow Iranian Government:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1603806

[spotbird]

8. It's not as if we

can say we weren't warned. Only our representatives in Washington can say they had no idea.

[seemslikeadream]

10. "What luck for rulers, that men do not think. " Adolf Hitler

That's why he had books written for children

[tom_paine]

22. As true today as it was then...truer, even.

Consider that, even though it still takes a hell of a lot to pierce the web of lies that passes for the "news" these days and dig to the "truth", or something 50 times closer to it than FUX/CNN/MSRNC (and Keith, who is the only legitimate MSM guy and even his show is 40 nonsense and celebrity gossip for those people Hitler was speaking of!)...

...but consider how much harder it was to do an equivalent amount of "digging" in Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia. Plus, it could get you killed.

In Bushmerika, the killing is much more focused and less widespread, concentrating on people like Pat Tillman, who have the chance to be heard by millions.

[seemslikeadream]

28. It could get you killed

[bobthedrummer]

32. But that's why the State Department created the "Office of Iranian Affairs" last year -to use

"diplomacy" slad-to prevent bloodshed. Heck, even retired State Department expert on that region, Elizabeth Cheney, was involved-she's a mother, she should know that you can't put a value on life just because her daddy does.

I just discovered the State Department's Office of Iranian Affairs while researching the Cheney family.

Here's a Right Web profile about the State Department's 2006 creation
"Office of Iranian Affairs/OIA"
http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/3312

IMPEACH CHENEY FIRST.

[seemslikeadream]

46. The Office of Iranian Affairs is the reincarnation of the Office of Special Plans,

:hi:

[bobthedrummer]

51. That's debatable, as is trying to deny any Elizabeth Cheney or Shaha Ali Riza connections to OIA

:hide:

IMPEACH CHENEY FIRST.

[Divine Discontent]

53. cafepress

removed my design showing hitler and putting that comment - they said it was too vague that it was an attack on the ignorance of man to let people like hitler in power....

I apparently needed to spell out at the bottom - hitler was an evil bastard.... lol

[NYC]

66. Men will go to any lengths to avoid the necessity of thinking.

I can't remember, but I think Sir Joshua Reynolds said that.

I looked it up:

http://thinkexist.com/quotes/joshua_reynolds/

There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking.

[acmavm]

6. This is so friggin' stupid. And I only use those terms because

I can't think of any to really describe how insane and ignorant this is. Do they not think Russia and China might get slightly pissed off about this? We can't take on Iran let alone Russia and China.

Friggin' amazing.

[Old and In the Way]

7. The Republicans have to do this....without a clearly divisive action before the 08 election,

they'll have to run on their record of incompetence and corruption. There has to be an Iranian attack here so we can then get phase II of the PNAC plan underway. Will this make things better in the ME and for our troops in Iraq? I'm betting that it will not.

[EVDebs]

25. Agreed, underlined exclamation point ! this is the agenda prior to Oct 1st budget deadline

[spotbird]

30. But why will the Democrats let them?

The Democrats will say they didn't know. If I know, they know. That defense will be an empty lie.

But why?

[Golden Raisin]

37. Attacking Iran OR another big domestic

terror attack on the "homeland" within a month prior to the '08 elections.

[LiberalEsto]

9. With what?

or rather, with whom?

Are there really enough military personnel, not to mention equipment, to do something like this? I thought our troops weren't getting enough rest and time off -- that they were exhausted. I sorta got the impression -- from seeing how desperate the recruiting has become -- that we couldn't successfully invade Luxembourg at this time.

Or is the Dick just going to send up a satellite, aim something at Tehran, press a button and watch it go "boom"?

Do these maniacs think Iran can be invaded without repercussions from Syria, Russia, China and other nations? Last I heard, Iran has a huge military.

If the real goal of these guys is to bring about an Armageddon, they seem to be going about it the "right' way.

[spotbird]

11. Strategic nuclear weapons. (really)

What they’ll use to protect our soldiers in Iraq when Iran attacks there is anyone’s guess.

Another interesting question is how they’ll pay for this new war when China cuts off funding.

All problems for another day. Armageddon is an acceptable outcome.

[LeFleur1]

12. Perps

Did our Senators really give permission to this terrible administration to declare war on whoever?
Their actions in giving the prez permission to attack anyone he pleases (if they did) look more and more stupid every single day.

There is no use writing to our Senators, Reps if this unbelieveably inept and incompetent administration already has permission to ride roughshod over the world.
We CAN yowl as loudly as possible.

[iconoclastic cat]

13. Dick is, well, nuts. nt

[RaleighNCDUer]

20. You think we're short of cruise missiles?

Nobody's saying we're going to invade Iran. But a couple hundred cruise missiles, and bunker buster mini-nukes to show we mean business, will shock-and-awe them into immediate compliance. After all, didn't the Empire of Japan, with 8 million soldiers still under arms, surrender immediately when we nuked them? And who's * been talking about for the last few days?

See how it just makes sense?

I think, I fear, that these people really think this way.

[femrap]

55. They do think this way.....

I ran into a big, fat hawk and he told me: "We have to nuke these nations. Just like we did Japan and Germany. We turned them into sheep and we will do the same to the arabs."

My blood ran cold.

[RaleighNCDUer]

68. Yeah - I read all about how we nuked Munich.

:eyes:

I don't know what's worse - these peoples' misunderstanding of history, or the way they misuse that misunderstanding.

[EVDebs]

26. "The Surge" is the pretext target and the Sept '01 AUMF let's dimson 'determine'

Congress needs to act on THAT Aumf as Sen Warner hinted at earlier ! "Revisit" the AUMFs or we're in deep doo.

[Ilsa]

39. I just asked Hubby,

And he said Air Force and Navy. No boots. Navy is already sitting there waiting or is close enough, like in the Indian Ocean.

Seems most likely to me,too.

Crap. I was so hoping we could get out of Taking on Iran by running out Bush's* clock.

[PDJane]

14. Yep, They'll use nukes.

Even Scott Ritter has warned about this; his comment was that he hates the term "usable nukes" because it means that someone is going to use them.

[Mojorabbit]

15. and once it happens

the next Prez will be left with the mess. Can't undo it once done.

[BootinUp]

17. highly unlikely.

No, it will be smart bombs, the conventional kind, and we will barely hurt them. We will inflame to a new high the hate toward us and not be able to live it down for a hundred years.

[BootinUp]

16. Insane.

[EVDebs]

27. So how do we get this message through the M$M and into Congress' gray matter ?

[spotbird]

29. Just like the Democrats in Washington,

they know.

[rabies1]

18. NO doubt that attacking Iran is practically a done deal

He said he will "not trust future administrations to deal with Iran".
Attacking Iran has always been in the cards for him, Cheney, Pearle etc.
It all goes back to "Operation Clean Break."
I just hope to God on some level we can prevent this.

[lovuian]

52. and this is a DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS that will have a

premptive strike on another nation so no excuse that Republican Congress was the reason

lets face it our nation has been taken over in all levels by men who do not have the American interests at heart

They will fail and the corporations greed Bilderburgers will fail

I feel actually sorry for Rome and Israel because predictions are that they will be attacked

also Iran is a whole different animal than Iraq

[peacetalksforall]

19. Stopping Iran - is stopping what they started.

[EVDebs]

23. They wargamed this and it's another fiasco

Will Iran Be Next, by James Fallows in the Atlantic Monthly

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200412/fallows

which only goes to show you that the DoD only uses old dusty warplans and no current thinking is allowed,

see this from a British sourced memo that came out only three yrs ago



Document reveals Nixon plan to seize Arab oil fields
'70s embargo sparked 'last resort' measure, says British memo

Lizette Alvarez, New York Times

Friday, January 2, 2004
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/01/02/MNG8G427D61.DTL

Last resort, huh ? WTF ? Just tweaked to a neighboring oil supply nation.

[scarface2004]

24. good..after that they can nuke detroit!

they deserve it more....they suck!

[Gregorian]

31. They may have packed their courts, but they haven't packed the Hague.

The American people won't stand for this.
The world will ask for their heads on a platter.
They can't pay for it.

I'm not sure what else one can say about it. War crime sums it up.

[AllexxisF1]

33. Writing on the wall.

How could no one get this:

We sell Saddam weapons and bio agents to fight against Iran.

Saddam takes agents and weapons purchased from us and invades Kuwait.

Instead of invading Iraq, Bush Sr. leaves him in place and insists on oil embargo.

Oil embargo is in place, gas prices steadily rise for Saudi's. Less oil on market = higher prices for the same work.

Oil embargo vote to be lifted is coming soon, France and Germany have exclusive contracts in place and will vote to lift sanctions along with Russia and China.

Saudi Royal family and BushCo will never be able to stop lifting of embargo, so the second largest oil supply will be back on the market and lower prices = less money for Saudi's.

9-11, 12 Saudi hijakers spurred on by a group run by a Saudi national who worked with the CIA in Afghanistan strikes America.

BushCo. insists Iraq and Al -Queda are in cahoots and we go to war taking ALL THE OIL FIELDS INTACT.

BushCo. sets up puppet government alonside low amounts of troops so instability arises and never looses it's hold.

County in tatters, no real government will never come to agreement about selling it's oil and all the oil has been left COMPLETELY OFF THE MARKET.

BushCo. draws out the war day by day to keep a solid Government from taking hold and eventually selling the oil.

Eventually a Government will have to take hold and be damn sure will be selling it's oil through western companies.

U.S. then strikes Iran under the pretense of taking out their nuclear weapons production and in the mean time destroy every bit of their oil operation.

Iranian oil off the market, prices remain high and China is left with having to continuously scrounge for high priced oil through known channels.


...This is not hard to figure out people. It's always been about money and oil. All you have to do is look at the time line.

[dionysus]

72. great post!

[Dukkha]

34. they'll never get authorized use of force from Congress

it would have to be a police action strike and Iran has done nothing to justify an immediate military attack. But go ahead and do it *. It will be the final nail in the coffic of the GOP and it will usher in a complete Democratic rule in 2008.

[spotbird]

35. No it won't

He won't bother with congress, but if he did, he'd get the go ahead.

Do you think the Democratic Party front runner opposes the attack on Iran? What difference does it make if the Democrats win if they wouldn't do things differently?

[Golden Raisin]

40. Sorry, but what on earth

makes you think Bush/Cheney will bother asking Congress about anything --- least of all a formal declaration of war or even granting of special war powers? BushCo has nothing but scorn and contempt for Congress and the Constitutional provisions for divisions of power. Instead, we will wake up one morning to discover that Bush unilaterally bombed the shit out of Iran the night before, and the whole thing will be fait accompli. Congress will meekly fall in line for fear of being called unpatriotic when the "homeland" is at war.

[RaleighNCDUer]

42. War Powers Act.

He doesn't need to have authorization, unless it goes beyond 90 days.

[nealmhughes]

44. Imagine what the B2s on Diego Garcia and the Tomahawks can do in 90 days. . .

I shudder at the thought, instead of mere revanche against the US-backed Shah and SAVAK, we will become hereditary enemies of the Persians.

Iran is not Iraq! 77 million people and as large as the entire Western Continental US! It is pretty safe to assume there will be 76,999,999 pissed off Persians and about 250 Millions US citizens and all of NATO and the Russians, Indians, Chinese, and I suspect that San Marino will withdraw its ambassador to Washington.

This is sheer lunacy.

[RaleighNCDUer]

48. I also shudder at the thought.

However, there are those, I fear, who merely shiver with anticipation.

Armageddon, here we come.

[jaybeat]

61. Didn't Congreff already approve blanket authorization?

I know I've read that on DU. Since I *haven't* heard *anything* about it in the MSM, methinks it is quite likely true.

Even without, keep in mind all they need is a domestic "terror" strike; if severe enough, they can declare martial law (groundwork for which they have been steadily laying) and tell Congress to F*** off.

Actually, I wouldn't put it past 'em to take out all of DC, including Congress and Dim Son, leaving Uncle Dick in charge to rally Amerika's "response"...

"Jericho" here we come...

[TomClash]

36. This Administration has been making this claim for at least four years

And there has been no air strike. The US will continue to conduct a trilateral proxy/low intensity war against Iran. That is the most likely bet. This is merely yet another attempt to scare Iran into seriously negotiating on several issues.

[BootinUp]

47. yes, could be, however

the real effect of these threats is to give further incentive to Iran's military/nuclear program.

[cheddar99]

38. Bushco could have the honor

of being the first American administration in history to be hanged by an international war crimes tribunal.

[sarcasmo]

41. WWIII here we come.

[irislake]

43. Yes you can really count on those Democrats!

As Chomsky says. Aren't there ANY sane politicians in the country? British historian Correlli Barnett said this will be the beginning of WWIII. Bravo! Bring it on! I didn't want to see my grandchildren grow up anyway.

[EnricoFermi]

45. Anyone here with any specific or general knowledge?

I know of an operation in September and another in October in that region. I suspect that at least one of them is related, but cannot be certain, because it is beyond my knowledge. It is regarding a friend I mentioned earlier, who had recently gone through sophisticated and out of the ordinary bioweapons training, only to be scared shitless for her family and friends. Obviously I cannot tell the specific details, even if I knew them.

Anyone else got anything?

[Megahurtz]

49. I Am SO

pissed off about this that there are no words. :mad:

I am SO sick :puke: of the NeoCons&Friend's Attack!!!
And War, War, War, and more War.

These people don't give a Damn about anyone or anything else, just themselves, money, and their phony staged Armaggedon and False "Rapture" that they think will actually happen :eyes: to save them
all from the consequences of their actions. Or worse yet, they think that they do no wrong!
They think God told them to do this after they hear their own little psychotic voices in their heads.:crazy: And they think they are so superior that they have to be Number One above all Countries.

:rant:

I swear if they go through with this I will no longer consider myself part of this Country.
The shame is just too great. :blush:

Who knows, if they pull this off maybe none of us will have to worry about being part of this Country anymore because I doubt that all of these other Countries are just going to sit back and take another U.S. Warmongering attack. :scared: :nuke:

[RaleighNCDUer]

69. Good rant.

And GREAT :applause: use of smilies!

[lovuian]

50. I now know how the Germans felt like when Hitler marched into

Belgium

Sick

[Tab]

54. THIS is the PERFECT example of why we want Nancy Pelosi to keep impeachment on the table

Sure, school funding or whatever is all important (and last time, someone took me to task, so know that I have a child), x reform and y legislation is important, but we have to get these guys out of office! If we don't, the rest of it means nothing. Why is that so hard to convey???

[superconnected]

57. pelosi's face is starting to look like it has neo-con scribbled acrossed

it in blue crayon, at this point.

If she isn't against them, she is with them.

[superconnected]

56. Where are thouse courages democrats putting a stop to this anyway?

And did anyone think bush's term was going to end without us attacking iran?

[TheWraith]

58. Not this bullshit AGAIN

People, has NOBODY learned the lesson from the umpteen billion other times that somebody claimed a strike on Iran as being imminent? Did nobody actually read the part at the bottom talking about how the chances of an actual strike were slim to none? Has everyone here lost their collective minds?

[BootinUp]

65. Its difficult to remain sane

in the current political environment, kudos to those who do.

[RL3AO]

59. More of this BS?

[L0oniX]

60. If this is true then is it really because of the Israeli agenda in our gov?

...or is it payback for the hostage/Carter days?

[Imagevision]

62. I believe Bush would bomb Iran days before our election for maimum impact, why

not? he gets away with everything he's done!

[scarletwoman]

63. Hear! Hear! "Thank God for the courageous Democratic leadership in congress..."

"...who will put a stop to this madness."

I read all the other comments on this thread before composing this.

It surprises and dismays me -- for all the effort that many of us have been putting into warning of the coming attack on Iran -- that only ONE person has actually pointed out that the bushies have carefully taken all the necessary steps to assure that they can claim all the "authorization" they need under the 2001 AUMF.

One of the last pieces was clicked into place just in the past week: declaring that Iran's Revolutionary Guard -- a state-sanctioned military unit of a sovereign nation -- is a "terrorist organization".

It's perfect. The 2001 AUMF gave bush* carte blanche to go after "terrorists" in extremely broad terms -- and every single piece of "security" legislation passed in the intervening 6 years has systematically strengthened bush's essentially unassailable power to be the sole "decider" in terms of declaring who is a "terrorist".

And all the while there have been us frantic few, screaming that the Dems keep enabling all this shit. And the Dems have demonstrated beyond question -- in my humble opinion, of course -- that they will in no way present any impediment whatsoever to an attack on Iran.

U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project. Anyone who hasn't figured this out by now is just an unregenerate idiot.

sw

[Karenina]

71. U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.

U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.U.S. imperialism is a bi-partisan project.

Re-read until the epiphany takes you over. Then read Authur Silber's "Last Word" on Iran.

[paparush]

64. The Fed is basically propping up CTI and BOA, an attack will push this

country into a crushing depression as oil hits $125 Euros per barrel.

[OneBlueSky]

67. do they sit around and consciously devise policies that will increase hatred of the U.S.? . . . n/t

.

[emald]

70. so whats the protocol for going to war against your own country?

thats something I missed in school. Really, we have yelled, voted, protested and despaired, yet still these criminal bastards continue cutting down the world with their madness for power. So what can I do? What could a german citizen have done to stop hitler? The country I have served (twice, two dd214's) seems a distant memory and the current rudeness we call an administration is an abomination beyond words but how to stop it? Very confused, and sad now. It doesn't look good for my kids.