Senior U.S. Officials “Want to Hit Iran”

[sabra]

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/04/04/iran-strike/

Senior U.S. Officials “Want to Hit Iran”

Joseph Cirincione is a respected non-proliferation expert at the Carnegie Endowment, one who admits he “was the last remaining person in Washington who believed President George W. Bush when he said that he was committed to a diplomatic solution.” Yet, in a new column for Foreign Policy magazine, he says he now believes that senior U.S. officials have already made up their minds to attack Iran:

For months, I have told interviewers that no senior political or military official was seriously considering a military attack on Iran. In the last few weeks, I have changed my view. In part, this shift was triggered by colleagues with close ties to the Pentagon and the executive branch who have convinced me that some senior officials have already made up their minds: They want to hit Iran. … What I previously dismissed as posturing, I now believe may be a coordinated campaign to prepare for a military strike on Iran.


The ramifications of such an attack could be disastrous. At a minimum, it likely “rally the Iranian public around an otherwise unpopular regime, inflame anti-American anger around the Muslim world, and jeopardize the already fragile U.S. position in Iraq.” But most importantly, a military strike would “almost certainly speed up” Iran’s nuclear weapons development by sparking a “crash nuclear program that could produce a bomb in a few years.”

[converted_democrat]

1. I really hope this doesn't happen.. n/t

[FloridaPat]

2. Is there anyone or thing in this country to stop these mad people?

China and Russia are really going to be pissed if the oil is Iran is in an Iranmire.

How can people so insane run a country this size? How can they get away with this?

[laheina]

10. Do they really run it?

Look at Katrina. Look at what they are doing to public education and what they would like to do to Social Security. Look at the Medicare debacle.

The only place that I see them running the country is into the ground.

[dchill]

19. Well, they're not doing what they SHOULD be doing...

but they're definitely right on top of a whole bunch of stuff that they SHOULDN'T be doing. They have a man date.

[BeachBuckeye]

3. If they do this they truly are drunk with power

We would have to take to the streets in huge numbers to stop them from going over the edge.

[Rude Horner]

4. This country is being led by complete psychotics

who are hell bent on war, and it will end very very badly for the U.S.

Hope all the soccer mom's and nascar dad's feel safe when jr.'s soccer game gets interrupted with a mushroom cloud. :nuke:

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

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[seemslikeadream]

6. The formal war declaration against Iran

http://www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/nss/2006/sectionV.html

the formal war declaration against Iran, the National Security Strategy of March 16, 2006, stated:

"We may face no greater challenge from a single country than from Iran."
"The Iranian regime sponsors terrorism; threatens Israel; seeks to thwart Middle East peace; disrupts democracy in Iraq; and denies the aspirations of its people for freedom."
"he first duty of the United States Government remains what it always has been: to protect the American people and American interests. It is an enduring American principle that this duty obligates the government to anticipate and counter threats, using all elements of national power, before the threats can do grave damage."
"The greater the threat, the greater is the risk of inaction – and the more compelling the case for taking anticipatory action to defend ourselves, even if uncertainty remains as to the time and place of the enemy's attack. There are few greater threats than a terrorist attack with WMD."
"To forestall or prevent such hostile acts by our adversaries, the United States will, if necessary, act preemptively."
"When the consequences of an attack with WMD are potentially so devastating, we cannot afford to stand idly by as grave dangers materialize."
"here will always be some uncertainty about the status of hidden programs."
"Advances in biotechnology provide greater opportunities for state and non-state actors to obtain dangerous pathogens and equipment."
"Biological weapons also pose a grave WMD threat because of the risks of contagion that would spread disease across large populations and around the globe."
"Countering the spread of biological weapons .... will also enhance our Nation's ability to respond to pandemic public health threats, such as avian influenza."

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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[spindrifter]

8. Someone has to STOP the madness.

Somewhere, somehow the Democrats must wake up to reality and take this threat seriously and put a stop to it. We cannot afford to nuke any part of the Earth.

[AzDar]

9. They want to get their Armageddon on, Baby! We non-believers

will just be 'left behind'.

[Rocknrule]

11. Even the most batshit crazy asylum-dwelling sociopath wouldn't do this

Bush truly does love war. He not only loves war and the prospect of killing everyone on Earth, he finds it sexually arousing. Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if he bathes in human blood, masturbates to execution and torture videos, and shoves firecrackers up frogs...oh wait, nevermind.
If he tries this shit, we need to grab our torches and pitchforks and personally drag him out of the WH. The Constitution even says we should!

[BlackHeart]

12. Hey Bush!

....................../´¯/)
....................,/¯../
.................../..../
............./´¯/'...'/´¯¯`•¸
........../'/.../..../......./¨¯\
........('(...´...´.... ¯~/'...')
.........\.................'...../
..........''...\.......... _.•´
............\..............(
..............\.............\...

[seemslikeadream]

13. Iran has an offensive biological weapons program

Iran has an offensive biological weapons program
http://www.state.gov/t/vci/rls/rpt/51977.htm

Adherence to and Compliance With Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments

"FINDING. The United States judges that, based on all available information, Iran has an offensive biological weapons program in violation of the BWC."

[converted_democrat]

15. Is that true, or is it made up BS like it was with Iraq?? n/t

[seemslikeadream]

18. Bolton compares Iran threat to Sept. 11 attacks

:shrug:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11849446 /

House panel seeks sanctions; Rice wants talks with Tehran on nuclear aims

Updated: 10:54 p.m. ET March 15, 2006
UNITED NATIONS - The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, Wednesday compared the threat from Iran’s nuclear programs to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

“Just like Sept. 11, only with nuclear weapons this time, that’s the threat. I think that is the threat,” Bolton told ABC News’ Nightline. “I think it’s just facing reality. It’s not a happy reality, but it’s reality and if you don’t deal with it, it will become even more unpleasant.”

Bolton ratcheted up the rhetoric as the five veto-holding members of the U.N. Security Council failed again to reach agreement on how to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions after a fifth round of negotiations.

[laheina]

22. Same BS,

different country. :eyes:

[Union Thug]

16. "The United States judges..."

And the propaganda machine winds up, spinning towards its gruesome, bloody objective... Rich man's war.

[tabasco]

14. Correction: Senior US Officials Want Someone Else To Hit Iran

While Senior US Officials Stay Comfy And Secure In Their DC Offices.

[SeattleGirl]

17. And just WHO is going to fight this new war? Children and old folks?

Huh? There is such a revolving door in Iraq as it is, because they don't have enough military personnel so they have to keep sending the current ones back again and again and again? You know damned well they don't want to institute a draft because they know it would burn them for sure. Are they going to recall all the retired military folk, so they can have another pre-emptive war? I am so sickened by this, I don't even know what to think.

They have to be stopped. The MUST be stopped. This cannot be allowed to happen. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[lovuian]

20. Their polls went up when we attacked... I just don't think Iran

is going to be a pushover like Iraq was... was Iraq really a pushover???

Iran will fight back and they have friends!!!

[laheina]

21. Not only that,

but I don't think that the American people are going to be as willing to go along with it. More than the 30% will prolly jump on the bandwagon, but I also think that that will be over quickly.

This whole situation is going to open up cans of worms right and left. It's not going to be pretty.

[global1]

23. If They Are Thinking That Hitting Iran Will Boost Their Poll Numbers....

they're sorely mistaken. Just like they've miscalculated Iraq they are now miscalculating where the American people are with Iran. Even the staunchest Repugs I know don't support hitting Iran.

Where are they getting they're intelligence from?

[4freethinking]

25. Where are they getting they're intelligence from?

Tel Aviv

[wiggs]

24. Contact your senators and ask what they are doing to keep the

administration from provoking or starting another illegal, un-necessary, and immoral war.