Drum beats louder concerning Iran
 

Intimidation or Strike Preparations?

translated article, here

The American president assured Jacques Chirac that he still favored diplomacy with respect to Iran. Yet indicators of war preparations against the Islamic Republic are increasing.


John Rockefeller is one of the best-informed men in the United States. The most important civilian and military officials file through his office. Chairman of the powerful Senate intelligence committee, he has access to most top-secret documents produced by the Bush administration. Ordinarily, this Democratic senator is not talkative. Yet, last Friday, he saw fit to confide in the New York Times. He is very worried about White House plans for Iran. "To be honest," he said, "I'm afraid it will be Iraq all over again."

He's not alone. Last week, several Democratic leaders rang the same alarm bell: according to them, the White House is secretly preparing America for a war against the Islamic Republic. Many specialists share their concerns. A former military professor, Colonel Sam Gardiner, is closely following the deployment of American forces to the Persian Gulf. He explains: "Soon there will be two aircraft carriers in the regions: the USS Eisenhower, which arrived several weeks ago, and the USS Stennis, which sailed January 16th." Yet, every time America has deployed two aircraft carriers to the region, bombing ensued.

There are other indications of war preparations against Iran. When, at the beginning of January, he presented his new battle plan for Iraq, George Bush announced that America was about to deploy Patriot anti-missile batteries in the region - probably the Gulf States. "Why is he doing that? What has it got to do with the war in Iraq?" asks Trita Parsi, a specialist in American-Iranian relations based in Washington. "The Iraqi insurgents have no ballistic missiles, so what good does it do to install anti-missile batteries? I can see only one reason: last year, Iranian officials let the Gulf States know that if America attacked Iran from their territory, the Islamic Republic would strike back at them. Consequently, Washington wants to protect them against such a riposte. [This seems to be] proof that an attack is being seriously contemplated."

That's not all. George Bush has just named Admiral William J. Fallon as commander of American forces in the Europe-Middle East region. Why an admiral for such a position, when the war in Iraq is a ground war? Several specialists see it as an obvious signal that the aircraft carriers will soon come into action against Iran. The same observers note that the number of American submarines crossing the Gulf has increased to the point where accidents with civilian vessels are on the rise. They also observe that after three years of slowed operations, the Incirlik American Air Force base in Turkey, close to Iran, is now operating at full capacity and that several F-16 are stationed there again. They add that the F-16 can carry the B61-11 atomic mini-bombs, the so-called "bunker busters," i.e. able to destroy bunkers - and consequently the nuclear installations Iran is hiding underground.

Re: Drum beats louder concerning Iran
 

Iraq made me nervous, Iran brings me to the verge of a nervous breakdown.. talk about an expensive, logistical nightmare.

Re: Drum beats louder concerning Iran
 

Of course we're going to attack Iran. Israel wants them nuked, and the US wants them back on the petrodollar.

Re: Drum beats louder concerning Iran
 

While the Congress fiddles with Iraq resolutions, the neo-cons put us on a trajectory for even larger catastrophe- again it seems the Likud uses American "good will" for their own goals.

I agree with Buchanan that this escalation is totally unnecessary. Is the hysteria justified?

from http://www.lewrockwell.com/buchanan/buchanan53.html

Consider:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/buchanan/right-wrong.jpgNot once since its 1979 revolution has Iran started a war. In any war with America, or Israel with its hundreds of nuclear weapons, Iran would not be annihilating anyone. Iran would be risking annihilation.
Not only has Iran no nukes, the Guardian reported yesterday, "Iran's efforts to produce highly enriched uranium ... are in chaos." That centrifuge facility at Natanz is "archaic, prone to breakdown and lacks the materials for industrial-scale production."
http://www.lewrockwell.com/buchanan/buchanan-p2.jpgThere is no need for war. Yet, Israelis, neocons and their agents of influence are trying to whip us into one. Senators who are seeking absolution for having voted to take us into Iraq ought to be confronted and asked just what they are doing to keep us out of a war in Iran.

Re: Drum beats louder concerning Iran
 

I don't think there's a rat's chance in hell that we will invade, but I would not be surprised to see a strike on a weapons facility (we know Iran is providing conventional weapons in Iraq) and I still believe it's only a matter of time before Israel goes after Iran's nukes. (I don't believe an Israeli attack is imminent, but I do think it happens within 5 years or so.)

Re: Drum beats louder concerning Iran
 

"Hot pursuit" skirmishes are becoming a very likely course of action, already gaining acceptance among the general public, apparently with the mistaken belief that we somehow belong in Iraq.

A real (as opposed to the current perceived) crackdown on Shia militias is all that remains to set this whole thing off.

Re: Drum beats louder concerning Iran
 

Not sure if a strike alone will change things here, regarding the weapons issue, remember last year when the US lost a C-130 loaded with AK 47's.. wonder if that is where some of the weapons are coming from? It is in Iran's best interest to keep the Iraq conflict going also. If Canada was invaded by a foreign country who we also viewed as the enemy, wouldn't we supply them with weapons at least?? No sure how you can justify any attack on Iran, unless it is a preemptive strike on their weapons generating facilities, if that is a real thing.

Re: Drum beats louder concerning Iran
 

If the United States starts a war with Iran, it will be World War III with the United States and Israel against Europe, Iran, Russia, and China.

Re: Drum beats louder concerning Iran
 

I don't see how an air strike does anything but inflame a mixed reformist population into a nationalistic frenzy. Obviously you need to put some kind of pressure on Iran so that it doesn't think it can help kill American GI's and build nukes, but I don't think an invasion or airstrikes would yield a good return on investment. I've got an idea of what all the current hoopla is aimed at doing. I kind think they are trying to position themselves in some form of negotiation. We'll see how that plays out. I don't think you'll see anything until late spring, early summer anyhow.