US prepares military blitz against Iran's nuclear sites

[G_j]

Shit!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/02/12/wiran12.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/02/12/ixnewstop.html
(thank you to http://www.legitgov.org/ for the link!)

US prepares military blitz against Iran's nuclear sites

By Philip Sherwell in Washington

Strategists at the Pentagon are drawing up plans for devastating bombing raids backed by submarine-launched ballistic missile attacks against Iran's nuclear sites as a "last resort" to block Teheran's efforts to develop an atomic bomb.

Central Command and Strategic Command planners are identifying targets, assessing weapon-loads and working on logistics for an operation, the Sunday Telegraph has learnt.

They are reporting to the office of Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary, as America updates plans for action if the diplomatic offensive fails to thwart the Islamic republic's nuclear bomb ambitions. Teheran claims that it is developing only a civilian energy programme.

"This is more than just the standard military contingency assessment," said a senior Pentagon adviser. "This has taken on much greater urgency in recent months."
..more..
:-(

---------------------
and FYI:

Iran offered of a two-year moratorium on uranium enrichment

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HB07Ak01.html

Middle East
Feb 7, 2006

Sideshows on Iran's frogmarch to the UN
By Kaveh L Afrasiabi

Early last week, Europe instantly rejected, without pause for breath, an Iranian offer of a two-year moratorium on uranium enrichment, thus setting its seal on a major international crisis.

Iran's "six-point" proposal was submitted by the Iranian delegation headed by Javad Veidi to the EU-3 (Germany, France and Britain) in Brussels on January 30. Instead of giving it careful consideration, the EU-3 diplomats rejected it as old news, devoid of anything new, and then, rather disingenuously, went on to blame Iran for "lack of progress".

<snip>
Yet, incredibly, no one in the European or US media even examined the nature and content of the six-point Iranian proposal, confining themselves to the official pronouncements of the EU-3 diplomats who are more keen on satisfying the US's march toward the Security Council than in breaking the nuclear stalemate on their own.

These diplomats, so adept at "leaking" their own highly-publicized proposal to Iran last summer, kept a tight lid on Iran's proposal and, what is more, there is no evidence that any respected member of the Western media made any attempt to get their hands on Iran's proposal.

That aside, the following is the nub of Iran's six-point proposal:

Iran pledges that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, not nuclear bombs.

Iran pledges that it will get the legislative approval in its majlis (parliament) of the Additional Protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and will continue with IAEA inspections.

Iran pledges to stay within the NPT.

Iran pledges that it will not resume enrichment prior to the next IAEA meeting.

Iran pledges that its nuclear research will be under monitoring by the IAEA.

Iran will continue negotiating with the EU-3 regarding enrichment issues for two years, and after two years, if the negotiations fail, will resume enrichment activities.

..more..

[MisterP]

1. they're not even going to go to the trouble of lying, just do it as a

fait accompli--and then, "Ohh, we can't leaaave"...

[Nomen Tuum]

35. With what?

Aren't all of our troops stuck in another country that's name starts with "I"?

OOPS, I forgot, I REMEMBERED! Here's what we'll use!

:nuke:

[EVDebs]

38. CONPLAN 8022

Not Just A Last Resort?
A Global Strike Plan, With a Nuclear Option

By William Arkin

Sunday, May 15, 2005; Page B01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/14/AR2005051400071.html

Story from last May, but it applies now. March 20, 2006 is the date set for Iran to convert to oil payments by euro instead of dollars. March 6, 2006 is the start of the UN security council hearings on Iran, I believe. Brinksmanship all the way around.

[RC]

2. And Iran's friends and backers will just step aside and

let another war crime slide? Somehow I don't think so this time.
This administration has crippled our foreign spy network. Who know what the response will be. Our administration has proven time and again that they are reality challenged.
Iran is NOT Iraq.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. What I worry about are our troops in Iraq

If there is any kind of missle launch to take out Iran's supposed nuclear weapons, you can bet your bottom dollar that the Iranian army will be ready to pour over the border and take out American troops in Iraq, with the possible assistance of their Iranian Shia brothers. Heck, it might even cause the Sunni and Shia to join forces against the Americans.

Or if the nuclear fallout is so strong it takes out the Iranian army, don't be surprised if it takes out a certain number of our troops as well. But Bushco has shown in the past how little they care for our troops-they probably think of them as being as expendable as the innocent civilians that would be killed by nuclear fallout.

And heaven help us if all this does is start a major Middle Eastern conflict. Our army is so weak now it won't take the strain, and what will happen among the various states, some of which may very well have a way to get nuclear weapons easily? I wonder sometimes if this year isn't the end of things.

[G_j]

7. yes, how would the Iraqi (Shia ) govt.

react to an attack on their fellow Shia in Iran?
I wonder what that military genius Rumsfeld thinks about that?

[LynnTheDem]

10. Iraqi Shia will do what their Grand Cleric, al Sistani tells them to do.

Al Sistani is Iranian.

The Iraqi govt, SCIRI and United Alliance, are Iranian-tied.

The Iraqi govt signed a mutual protection pact with Iran.

Half of the Iraqi population already believe killing US troops is justified.

Any wonder how Iraqis will react to an attack on Iran?

[madokie]

12. I don't believe anyone anywhere does anything that anyone

tells them to do, except for young children. These people have already decided, and joined forces with people of like minds, 'birds of a feather'. All groups have a leader, a charismatic person who will lead the charge but they have already in their own minds decided to do this whatever it is. To suggest that someone can tell me what to do is laughable at best, and pisses me off at the least.
But yes the whole middle east, russia and china will join forces because they will see the US as a threat as they have already decided. People don't do things because they are told they do what they do because they themselves want to. me thinks
peace

nothing personal to you, friend

[DemInDistress]

4. if bush bombs Iran he better bomb Brazil...

Brazil poised to join the world's nuclear eliteBy Jack ChangKnight Ridder NewspapersRIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - While the world community scrutinizes Iran's nuclear plans, Latin America's biggest country is weeks away from taking a controversial step and firing up the region's first major uranium enrichment plant.
That move will make Brazil the ninth country to produce large amounts of enriched uranium, which can be used to generate nuclear energy and, when highly enriched, to make nuclear weapons.
Brazilians, who have long nurtured hopes of becoming a world superpower, are reacting with pride to the new facility in Resende, about 70 miles from Rio de Janeiro.
Other countries enriching uranium on an industrial scale are the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, China and Japan.

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/13842944.htm

[FloridaPat]

5. Isn;t this illegal - again? Preparing for the Iraq invasion with

Afghanistan money was illegal. But no one cared. So what moeny are they using for this?

[G_j]

8. of course we have been told Bush can do anything he wants

9/11 ya know..

[Toots]

22. Remember "If the President does it it isn't illegal"

They make their own laws and follow their own morality. Which neither have a base in reality.

[Lerkfish]

24. remember that missing 80 billion in Iraq? there ya go. funding black ops.

maybe it was 8 billion....a billion here, a billion there, pretty soon you're talkin real money

[converted_democrat]

32. I've thought of that on more than one occasion.. n/t

[Lerkfish]

39. especially since no one seems all that gung ho to prosecute the thieves

lends a great deal of credence to the idea it was intentionally diverted.

I envision the rich guy on monopoly with his pockets turned out. (believe it or not, I tried in vain to find that image on the net!)

[C_U_L8R]

6. "blitz" - how appropriate....

for a bunch Nazi F*cks like B*sh and His Freepie Cronies

[malaise]

9. Some twisted comedy here

We will bomb the shit out of you so that you can't return the favour to us or our friends when we can bomb the shit out of you.

Stop this planet let me jump off.

[madokie]

14. come by here and grab me by the arm on your way out

I can't do anything by myself but we can do anything

[SammyWinstonJack]

16. I've been saying that for a while now.

"Stop this planet let me jump off." For at least the past five years anyway.

[druidity33]

23. from a song?

I can't remember the name of the group, but there's a song with a rather similar chorus/refrain....

...time elapses...


ah, yes! The Stone Roses "What the World is Waiting For" he says,

Stop the world! Stop the World! I'm getting off!..."

the text is a little different because it can encompass a couple of interpretations (at least)...

but still, a great song.



(edited for spelling)

[annabanana]

29. an entire MUSICAL

not just a song

http://www.musicalheaven.com/s/stop_the_world_i_want_to_get_off.shtml

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. Sounds like grounds for Iran to make a pre-emptive strike.

Don't they have the right to protect their "vital interests"?

They suspect that we may have WMD.

We have used WMD (many times) in the past.

We imprison our own citizens who criticise our govenment.

We use torture and humiliation.

Many of our people are oppressed.

We have committed genocide against our own people.

We have committed genocide against other peoples.

We have a long history of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

We constantly resort to force to settle international disputes.

We harbor known terrorists.

We live in a one party state disguised as a "democracy".

[madokie]

15. And all their concerns are true and it would be justified

America is going to hell in a hand basket and this WHIG, PNAC'ers are leading the charge. We the people must quite throwing our hands in the air like there's nothing we can do. Organize and take the constitution back, simple. The pain of doing so will be much less than if we don't.

[Road Scholar]

13. Why am I not surprised. nt

[spanone]

17. Where have I heard that 'last resort' bullshit before????

[leftchick]

18. rummy can not wait to use his bunker busters!

<snip>

The prospect of military action could put Washington at odds with Britain which fears that an attack would spark violence across the Middle East, reprisals in the West and may not cripple Teheran's nuclear programme. But the steady flow of disclosures about Iran's secret nuclear operations and the virulent anti-Israeli threats of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has prompted the fresh assessment of military options by Washington. The most likely strategy would involve aerial bombardment by long-distance B2 bombers, each armed with up to 40,000lb of precision weapons, including the latest bunker-busting devices. They would fly from bases in Missouri with mid-air refuelling.

:cry:

[NashVegas]

19. Gosh, I'm Getting Weepy With Nostalgia

NOTICE!
TRAVELLERS intending to embark on the Atlantic voyage are reminded that a state of war exists between Germany and her allies and Great Britain and her allies; that the zone of war includes the waters adjacent to the British Isles; that, in accordance with formal notice given by the Imperial German Government, vessels flying the flag of Great Britain, or any of her allies, are liable to destruction in those waters and that travelers sailing in the war zone on the ships of Great Britain or her allies do so at their own risk.
IMPERIAL GERMAN EMBASSY,
Washington, D.C. April 22, 1915

[PATRICK]

20. Do they even care anymore

if anyone buys this blatant tripe? Our guys will bomb anything. Our papers will support any Bush war with any lies they care to feed. Our people will not be allowed an opinion, a vote or accurate knowledge of anything that is going one. And we can all pretend we haven't been through this sick, failed script all before.

[HereSince1628]

21. Now that is funny. Who doesn't think that plan has existed for years?

Seems to me all they really need to know is the weather forecast.

[G_j]

25. Iran is prepared to retaliate, experts warn

http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2006/02/12/iran_is_prepared_to_retaliate_experts_warn?mode=PF

Iran is prepared to retaliate, experts warn
By Bryan Bender, Globe Staff | February 12, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Iran is prepared to launch attacks using long-range missiles, secret commando units, and terrorist allies planted around the globe in retaliation for any strike on the country's nuclear facilities, according to new US intelligence assessments and military specialists.

US and Israeli officials have not ruled out military action against Iran if diplomacy fails to thwart its nuclear ambitions. Among the options are airstrikes on suspected nuclear installations or covert action to sabotage the Iranian program.

But military and intelligence analysts warn that Iran -- which a recent US intelligence report described as ''more confident and assertive" than it has been since the early days of the 1979 Islamic revolution -- could unleash reprisals across the region, and perhaps even inside the United States, if the hard-line regime came under attack.

''When the Americans or Israelis are thinking about , I hope they will sit down and think about everything the ayatollahs could do to make our lives miserable and what we will do to discourage them," said John Pike, director of the think tank GlobalSecurity.org, referring to Iran's religious leaders.

''There could be a cycle of escalation."

..more..

[Marr]

26. It's going to be awhile. They'll time their airstrikes to coincide with

the elections this year. Everything is politics with these guys, and nothing is below them.

[glitch]

27. Provocative. I recall similar provocative language the summer of 2001.

Carpet of gold or... regarding Afghanistan. If the provocation doesn't work on the Iranians it can still serve as an excuse for a little something homegrown. Doubleplusgood.

[stepnw1f]

28. These are Mad Men

good god where are the patriots to stop them?

[newyawker99]

30. G_j

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
copyrighted news source.


Thank you.



NYer99
DU Moderator

[G_j]

34. sorry

I was thinking that Iran's "six-point proposal"
would not be part of that.

I would edit it, but it is too late. sorry

[Dr. Jones]

31. When Bush turned to the camera

during the SOTU speech and said directly to the people of Iran that our beef is not with them but with the Iranian government, I knew we were on. Bush did the EXACT same thing before the Iraq war. It is a psychological operation designed to quell insurrection against Americans when we do go in and attack them.

[G_j]

33. Iran Reaffirms Nuclear Treaty Commitment

http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/feeds/ap/2006/02/12/ap2519151.html

Associated Press

Update 5: Iran Reaffirms Nuclear Treaty Commitment
By NASSER KARIMI , 02.12.2006, 09:49 AM

Iran reaffirmed its commitment to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty on Sunday, a day after its hard-line president implied Tehran was considering withdrawing from the pact after being reported to the U.N. Security Council.

The declaration by the Iranian Foreign Ministry came as inspectors from the U.N. nuclear watchdog arrived in the Islamic republic over the weekend to evaluate what controls remained on nuclear sites and equipment after Tehran reduced the agency's monitoring power to a minimum, diplomats said.

A diplomat told The Associated Press Saturday that some seals and cameras had been removed within the last few days, suggesting that happened without IAEA supervision. But others familiar with the probe said Sunday they doubted the Iranians would make such a move before the arrival of the inspectors.

The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak on the issue.

..more..

[bigtree]

36. same stuff as with Iraq, sped up a bit perhaps

ignoring the fact that Iran doesn't have the capability, says they have no ambition for a bomb, try to get the rest of the world to act preemptively against Iran on the word of the imperialists in the WH . . . wonder if we can head it off?

[Loge23]

37. Saving it for the next indictment

If Fitzgerald comes back with a high-level indictment, I predict that the criminal administration will almost immediately launch their atttack on Iran.