Cheney tells Pentagon to prepare plan to attack Iran - including nuclear

[cyberpj]

My first thread was locked, citing 'poor source' so I'm reposting with all the sources that have already been named in other DU posts.

In case you missed this -

The Pentagon, acting under instructions from Vice President Dick Cheney's office, has tasked the United States Strategic Command (STRATCOM) with drawing up a contingency plan to be employed in response to another 9/11-type terrorist attack on the United States. The plan includes a large-scale air assault on Iran employing both conventional and tactical nuclear weapons.

Within Iran there are more than 450 major strategic targets, including numerous suspected nuclear-weapons-program development sites. Many of the targets are hardened or are deep underground and could not be taken out by conventional weapons, hence the nuclear option. As in the case of Iraq, the response is not conditional on Iran actually being involved in the act of terrorism directed against the United States.

Several senior Air Force officers involved in the planning are reportedly appalled at the implications of what they are doing -- that Iran is being set up for an unprovoked nuclear attack -- but no one is prepared to damage his career by posing any objections.

http://billmon.org/archives/002051.html


this one's already on the greatest page:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4167477

and here are other sources used by other DUers in other posts on this topic:
http://www.libertyforum.org/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=news_news&Number=293807275#Post293807275
http://www.itszone.co.uk/zone0/viewtopic.php?t=38408
http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/7/22/11532/9662

[fooj]

1. This is terrifying. OMG.

I need a shower. This is just too much. Too much.

Peace.

[Oversea Visitor]

2. Then World War 3 start

That is for sure.

[Dez]

3. The new nazis, that's what we have

in office. They want to control the whole world.. that's the Amerikan way.

[cyberpj]

10. Anyone remember this 01/05 Hersh article? - It's all about IRAN

(snip)

Bush and Cheney may have set the policy, but it is Rumsfeld who has directed its implementation and has absorbed much of the public criticism when things went wrong—whether it was prisoner abuse in Abu Ghraib or lack of sufficient armor plating for G.I.s’ vehicles in Iraq. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have called for Rumsfeld’s dismissal, and he is not widely admired inside the military. Nonetheless, his reappointment as Defense Secretary was never in doubt.

Rumsfeld will become even more important during the second term. In interviews with past and present intelligence and military officials, I was told that the agenda had been determined before the Presidential election, and much of it would be Rumsfeld’s responsibility. The war on terrorism would be expanded, and effectively placed under the Pentagon’s control. The President has signed a series of findings and executive orders authorizing secret commando groups and other Special Forces units to conduct covert operations against suspected terrorist targets in as many as ten nations in the Middle East and South Asia.

The President’s decision enables Rumsfeld to run the operations off the books—free from legal restrictions imposed on the C.I.A. Under current law, all C.I.A. covert activities overseas must be authorized by a Presidential finding and reported to the Senate and House intelligence committees. (The laws were enacted after a series of scandals in the nineteen-seventies involving C.I.A. domestic spying and attempted assassinations of foreign leaders.) “The Pentagon doesn’t feel obligated to report any of this to Congress,” the former high-level intelligence official said. “They don’t even call it ‘covert ops’—it’s too close to the C.I.A. phrase. In their view, it’s ‘black reconnaissance.’ They’re not even going to tell the cincs”—the regional American military commanders-in-chief. (The Defense Department and the White House did not respond to requests for comment on this story.)

In my interviews, I was repeatedly told that the next strategic target was Iran. “Everyone is saying, ‘You can’t be serious about targeting Iran. Look at Iraq,’ ” the former intelligence official told me. “But they say, ‘We’ve got some lessons learned—not militarily, but how we did it politically. We’re not going to rely on agency pissants.’ No loose ends, and that’s why the C.I.A. is out of there.”

http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?050124fa_fact

[RC]

4. Isn't there something in the Constitution about the President/vice

president being incapacitated and unable to serve? Maybe now is the time?

[Trillo]

5. If true, it sounds strangely DSM like in fixing of intelligence.

Wouldn't a better course of action be to investigate objectively?

What does it teach children with regard to logic to read of this type of mis-strategic thinking by those who lead?

[Emit]

6. This part really bothers me

"... but no one is prepared to damage his career by posing any objections..."

It's like the old tale of the Emperor with No Clothes...

no one wants to stand up for fear they will lose their jobs, be looked upon as unpatriotic, etc. It's why we're losing against Bush & Co. History will not look back on these times favorably, as too many people across the board will appear complicit with the evil deeds of Bush & Co.

People in high places, stand up for what is right, damn it!

[havocmom]

8. Larry Johnson and a few other retired spooks are getting pretty vocal

and making damned good sense about the junta's abuse of power. There is probably a reason they are beating drums all over media now. They know Cheney and his minions are being herded into a corner and the usual diversions are not taking the heat off. It makes them extremely dangerous. They have absolutely no morals and will do anything to advance their own agenda and protect their lies.

Johnson and Co. know this and probably fear the ratcheting up of Cheney's antics as he gets more desparate. If we are facing the wrath of the entire population of the ME and Eastern Asia due to Dick & the Wads picking a fight the troops and people are left stranded in, we won't have time to give the neocons their just rewards. AND the neocons' corporate sponsors profit so handsomely for war, so starting a world wild confligration is a win/win situation for Cheney.

Let us hope there are some career military types left who do serve for love of country and have the balls to give the football carriers bogus play numbers. The people in the White House and Office of the Vice President are illegitimate at best and fucking insane at worst. We pray that sanity and comprehension of the real situation prevails amongst the brass. Failing that, we hope the spooks pull off check mate before tens of millions are left dead.

[Emit]

11. Yes, I read this from Johnson last night

http://noquarter.typepad.com/my_weblog/2005/07/correcting_the_.html#more

It's people like this, and KAREN KWIATKOWSKI, who are standing up to this madness.

I hope more follow suit.

[ChiciB1]

14. This Was His Testimony Yesterday At The Hearing...

I printed it out to read to my husband. Along with Col. Lang, Marcinkowski and several others they said that what has been done has harmed National Security in a SERIOUS SERIOUS way!

I can't believe this thread. At first I thought it was some sort of joke. I haven't read all the links yet, so I may be talking out my butt, but this is nothing short of DISASTER if this is true!!

In England they say "God Save The Queen", well if we go this route we'll all have to be saying "God, Save America"!

[havocmom]

17. Does C-SPAN site have the transcript? I missed part of it yesterday.

Hope they show it lots of times, as there is SO much info and rational thought, plus I wanna tape it for people who do not get C-SPAN.

Johnson, Col. Lang, Marcinkowski and the rest are the real deal, not the 'straight shooter cowboy' wanna-bees hiding behind legal definations while wrapped in the flag and pissing themselves right now. They are honorable men, who worked in service to the nation, not chicken hawks who use the nation to further their own greedy agendas. They called the bush/cheney malAdministration out in no uncertain terms. Anyone who missed it should watch the replays.

And know that Cheney will do anything to avoid being removed from power and having to face charges for all he has done against the nation and humanity.

[sellitman]

7. They need cover for Turd Blossum

This may happen before the month is out if my hunches are correct. The Neo-Cons are not going to let a little thing like the Grand Jury get in their way.

Recommended and kicked.
:kick:

[ncteechur]

9. Under what authority does the VP have to direct the Pentagon to do anythin

Does crashcart have that authority? of course I know that never stopped him before?

[Booster]

13. That's my question also. Can Cheney just decide to invade a

country without approval/consent from anybody? If he can, we are truly in deep doo doo.

[Emit]

16. Could it have something to do wiht what Sey Hersh

was referring to here and in other articles/discussions? I still don't know if it answers the question about Cheney, though.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0117-11.htm

[babylonsister]

12. Recommended; everyone needs to read this! And

what the hell can we do to stop this madness?

[MidnightWind]

15. I read this last night and it scared the crap out of me

be afraid. Be VERY afraid. The most chilling line to me in this article was this "in the event of another 9/11 style attack".

[NMDemDist2]

18. this all comes from one Washington Post article linked below, the rest is

is conjecture and rumor mongering



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/14/AR2005051400071_pf.html

[Moderator]

19. Locking

The sources have not improved. Please do not re-post with these sources.