Resetting The Table For War
By on Aug 15th, 2005 at 8:05 am
Resetting The Table For War
On March 13, 2002, President Bush warned Iraq the U.S. was prepared to go to war:
President Bush declared yesterday that “all options are on the table” — including nuclear weapons — to confront states that threaten to use weapons of mass destruction, as he issued his strongest warning to date that his administration plans to take on Iraq’s Saddam Hussein.
Friday, he dusted off the same warning, this time for Iran:
In a stern warning to Iran, President Bush said “all options are on the table” if the Iranians refuse to comply with international demands to halt their nuclear program, pointedly noting that he has already used force to protect U.S. security.
As they say, it’s deja vu, all over again.
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At least the Bush administration is consistent in its midterm election strategy.
August 15th, 2005 at 8:09 am‘cept this time, how many will buy into it and ignore this administrations growing credibility deficit?
He may or may not have a case against Iran, but the lies that led up to Iraq and the hypocrisy of this administrations stance on nuclear policy drown out any possibly valid points in the ears of the rational thinker.
August 15th, 2005 at 8:30 amdont worry, the next “9/11″ is going to happen before Bush leaves office thereby giving the neo-cons a new reason to attack Iran.the amercian people will be so paralyzed from fear again that they will sit by while our country invades Iran and makes us even less safer,but the oil industry much richer.rational thinkers will turn into flag waving morons again.you’ll notice how all the news lately is fear-mongering when it comes to Iran- the insurgents are coming from Iran, the roadside bombs are coming from Iran, and Iran is only 1 year away from a nuke according to Isreal.nevermind that the rest of the world says they are 10 years away, Bush will go with the Isreal intel.
August 15th, 2005 at 8:41 amSept.11 in New York City there will be a march past the New York Times building and other media outlets to end the media blackout concerning 9/11. we deserve the real story, not the whitewash bullshit the 9/11 Omission Report fed us. if you are in New York City on Sept.11, please make a point to show up and add your support. we deserve the truth about 9/11. help stop the next “terror attack” and subsequent war.
http://www.911truth.org/ article.php?story=20050811235833758
August 15th, 2005 at 8:45 amchristy you are the wind the catches the undersides of my flying extentions. rock out biatch
August 15th, 2005 at 8:55 amThe Axis of Evil from the Ass of Evil himself.
August 15th, 2005 at 9:06 amRussian intel. satellites have misinterpreted reflected flashes in the atmosphere before, bringing us close to accidental nuclear war(not disclosed in U.S. of course). Any such attack is much too close to Russia to be sure that some response, accidental or defensive would not occur. Then we all lose.
August 15th, 2005 at 9:09 amI suppose if world domination were to fail for some reason, like the above, that the perpetrators of this madness would say it was “meant to be”, and wait for the Rapture.
OR, we could just handle these problems patiently, and in an adult manner.
This is not a movie.
This is gun slingin’ Wild West style and them Iranians are the injuns’. I’ll be Jesse James.
August 15th, 2005 at 9:19 amBang!Bang! Gotcha! now you have to fall down.
War with Iran? Who the hell is going to fight it? Let them beat the war drums all they want. Future military adventures are going to be a bit difficult with our ruined military.
Good job, Neocons!
August 15th, 2005 at 9:28 amTrent- they won’t need the soldiers to go in when the Bush Regime is using nu-cu-lar weapons.
August 15th, 2005 at 9:33 amTo which Don Rumsefeld added:
“We know where they are. They’re in the area around Qom and Teheran and east, west, south and north somewhat.”
Dick Cheney: “The Iranians will greet us with flowers.”
Doug Feith: “Iran will be a cakewalk.”
Dubbya: “Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iran regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised.”
Think of it as the Iraq War Gangsta Dance Remix.
August 15th, 2005 at 10:05 amgood point Cheryl, and also, they dont need to attack Iran right now, they can wait a couple years when troops are drawn down in Iraq. dont worry Trent, the neo-cons will find a way. the next “9/11″ will be more than enough to rally the sheep-like americans behind Bush for a war with Iran.
August 15th, 2005 at 10:06 amCheney and Isreal want to use tactical nuclear weapons on Iran after the next “terror attack” in the U.S. i would say look for that “terror attack” to occur shortly before Bushs second term is over. did you guys know that if we are in the red zone on the terror alert level, that elections are postponed indefinetly? scary thought when it comes to this regime.
August 15th, 2005 at 10:16 amThe only option that is on the table is an air strike. Trent is spot on, thanks to the misadventures of the neo-cons, there is no reserve for any kind of ground war. I only hope that China does not invade Tiawan, or North Korea provoke the south. Of course, an air strike on Iran’s nuclear program will cause such a backlash against the US at this point that it seems that is only a hollow threat. We are impotent right now thatnks to Chaney’s foriegn policy mistakes.
August 15th, 2005 at 10:51 amChris
August 15th, 2005 at 10:57 amI believe they will not be drawn down for years. Let us hope your second thought is not thought about within the administration.
Trent,
You may be too young to remember, but we did have a draft at one time in our recent history. The military will always find the bodies they need. If quotas are not met and the military is still spread thin, look for the draft to be reinstated.
Since this will be so close to Russia, hopefully, they will take a lead position before Dick “Rawhide” Cheney gets a chance to react.
August 15th, 2005 at 11:37 amim afraid it most likely is. think about it, does it really seem that implausible to think they are capable of that again? they got away with it the first time, so i think they would have the audacity to do it again.look for some backpack nukes to be set off in the U.S before the end of Bushs term.sounds disgusting,crazy, and not remotely possible right? i wish.
August 15th, 2005 at 11:46 amAfter another “911,” and since there have been so many rumors, I mean leaks about suitcase nucs, I’m sure that’s the plan for now; then the Bush Regime can do whatever it pleases. That’s pretty much what they do anyway, but there are a few shreads of democracy left impeding their agenda. Here’s from http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/
August 10, 2005 — U.S. prepared to grab Iran’s southwestern majority Arab and oil-rich province after saturation bombing of Iranian nuclear, chemical, and command, control, communications & intelligence (C3I) targets. According to sources within the German Federal Intelligence Service (Bundesnachrichtendienst – BND), the Bush administration has drawn up plans to hit Iran’s nuclear, other WMD, and military sites with heavy saturation bombing using bunker buster bombs and tactical nuclear weapons. The attack will be coordinated with urban and rural critical infrastructure sabotage carried out by elements of the People’s Mujaheddin (MEK), Pentagon Special Operations units, and other Iranian dissident groups. The German intelligence comes from classified briefings provided by elements within the CIA that are concerned the neocons in the Bush administration will, in attacking Iran, set off a chain of events that will lead to world war. Intelligence on U.S. plans to attack Iran has also been passed by CIA agents to counterparts in France, Britain, Canada, and Australia. The Bush war plans for Iran also entail quickly seizing Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan Province, where most of Iran’s oil reserves and refineries are located. Khuzestan has a majority Shia Arab population that has close links with their ethnic and religious brethren in Iraq. The Bush plans call for a U.S. military strike across the Iraqi border and from naval forces in the Persian Gulf in answer to an appeal for assistance from the Al Ahwaz Popular Democratic Front and Liberation Organization rebel forces in Khuzestan, which will declare an independent Arab state of the Democratic Republic of Ahwaz and receive diplomatic recognition from the United States and a few close U.S. allies. After World War I, Khuzestan was annexed by Iran, then called Persia. There are also plans to incite rebellions among Iran’s other minorities, including Azeris and Turkmenis in the oil-rich Caspian Sea region. Other minorities targeted by the neo-con planners are Iranian Kurds along the Iraqi and Turkish borders and Baluchis along the border with Pakistan. The neo-con plan seeks to separate Iran from its oil resources and create an “Irani triangle” centered around Teheran, Isfahan, Qom, and other historically Persian centers. In anticipation of the U.S. attack, the spy sub USS Jimmy Carter has placed taps on undersea communications cables in the Persian Gulf that carry Iranian commercial, diplomatic, and military traffic. In addition, Task Force 121 covert paramilitary forces have scouted Iran using the cover of journalists and businessmen to pinpoint military targets.
August 15th, 2005 at 12:31 pmVOTETOIMPEACH.ORG, problem solved.
August 15th, 2005 at 12:59 pmIf Iran has WMD’s they will use them when Bushie declares war against them. If they don’t then the WMD’s never existed.
Don’t buy into Bushies WMD lies, if Saddam had them he would have used them (or the insurgents would be using them now). Case closed.
August 15th, 2005 at 1:03 pmThe place is here,the time is now and the journey into the shadows that we are about to take could be our journey……… into the Twilight Zone.
August 15th, 2005 at 1:08 pmPlace: the Whitehouse, reporter thinking to himself;
Could it be that he will Ok the lauch of a New Q ler attack and not even be able to pronounce the word?
Now watch this drive.
August 15th, 2005 at 1:52 pmI hope somebody burned all the copies of MY PET GOAT.
August 15th, 2005 at 1:57 pmI agree that the steps are being taken toward war with Iran – it will take a while – but it will occur before 2008 electtion – after we have drawn down troops in Iraq, leaving that country involved in a civil war – and we have “freshened troops” ready to go to Iran. This will send the public into another tailspin fearing another attack on our soil (if one hasn’t happened already by then) and the hawks will wave the flag, the doves will say, “wait a minute – think about this, remember Iraq” but they will be overcome with charges of being non-patriotic (at best) or traitorous (at worst). I see Iraq redux in the form of Iran about 2-3 years from now.
August 15th, 2005 at 2:00 pmI think we stand a chance of preventing it if we see that Republicans are drummed out of office, and Bush/Cheney are impeached. In fact, let’s bring back the tar and feather approach, or maybe the stocks, so we can all have a chance to throw rotten eggs and tomatoes in their faces before they are exiled.
I’m with you Bob, we cannot sit around and wait for Bushie to destroy another nation at our expense.
PLEASE SIGN RAMSEY CLARKS PETITION TO IMPEACH
@VOTETOIMPEACH.ORG
JOIN THE IMPEACHMENT MOVEMENT!
August 15th, 2005 at 2:25 pmHomegrown and Beyond
How many GREAT blogs originate here in Arkansas? A growing number and we link to several as part of the blog segment in today’s 5:30 Report with Doug Krile.
August 15th, 2005 at 3:50 pmI for one am convinced that Bush would be in Iran right now if things had gone according to what passes for a ‘plan’ in Iraq. I don’t want to see the US fail in Iraq, but if failure or only partial success keeps Bush from invading yet another country for no good reason then it won’t be a total failure.
August 15th, 2005 at 5:20 pmWhy aren’t the chickenhawks over here cheering for an invasion?
August 15th, 2005 at 5:28 pmWhen Bush said “all options are on the table” the first time, regarding Iraq, the war actually started 6 months later in August 2002, not March 2003 when it was officially declared (according to the Downing Street Memos). Apparently, since they knew the war would be illegal, they were attempting to provoke Saddam into a response so they would have a legal excuse to go. The number of bombs being dropped on Iraq was actually less when the war “started” in March 2003 than it was in August 2002.
So assuming they follow this same pattern, we can expect the war with Iran to start in January 2006 (unbeknownst to the public), with an “official” start to it in August 2006.
I really, really hope the American people are not that dumb. They’re going to try to pull the exact same BS all over again. Iran has weapons! Iran is aiding the terrorists! Substitute Iran for Iraq and it’ll be exactly like this point 3 years ago. I HOPE that since over 60% of the country is now against the war, they won’t be able to get public support behind a new war with Iran.
August 15th, 2005 at 10:40 pmdaGUY, after another “9/11″ the american sheeple will fall in line. sad but true.
August 15th, 2005 at 10:43 pmThe Chimp, with his poll numbers tanking, and Cindy grabbing the spotlight, needs to look Presidential, so he’s built a bogus threat, based on fictitious WMDs again. (Part of this is refusing to allow Iran to proceed with peacetime nuclear power under international oversight, so, being a sovereign nation, they’re doing it anyhow.)
The Chimp attack on Iran will be an aerial bombing attack, with help from the Brits on the ground.
This will lead to turmoil in Iran and in Iran’s new sister-state Iraq, with increased attacks on US forces by the new military we’ve trained, Shiite insurgents and even regular Iranian forces which, according to the latest issue of Time, have been in Iraq since our invasion. This increased threat to our forces will result in heavy aerial bombing of Iraq, and be an excuse to re-start the draft in this time of ‘national emergency.’ The Dems will line up again behind the Repubs to give the Chimp whatever he wants and do their rubber-stamp Congress thing that they’ve got so much experience at.
Iran doesn’t have any allies to speak of, except their new friends – China. Will China just watch?
August 16th, 2005 at 12:43 amGee… does anyone else feel a DRAFT in here…?
August 16th, 2005 at 2:08 am#31
Don,
I think you haven’t been looking at whats going on in Iran. They DO have allies, they have China (as you point out), they also have Russia who is the one giving Iran the technology for nukes. They also have Hammas in Lebanon, they have Syria.
I, for one, DO think that Iran is going for nuclear weapons. They have wanted the bomb for decades. They originally wanted it to use against Saddam in the 80s. The Iranians DID hide their nuclear program for over a decade from the IAEA. They have a history of being sneaky, underhanded, radicals.
The other facts to think about is that the current regime isn’t popular there. The vast majority of the Iranian population wants to be LESS radical, more open with the west. The Ayatollas DON’T, and they both run the country, and rig the elections to prevent more mainstream candidates from being able to even run in the elections.
Right now war with Iran just isn’t possible. We don’t have the troop strenght, or the capability to fight in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran. This is all part of Rummy’s “lighter, smaller, more mobile” Army. Problem is Rummy and his cabal have never fought a war before, they don’t realize that to win you need boots on the ground. He was told this at the build up to Iraq, but ignored it (never mind that Iraq was Wrong from the get go).
Let’s not be blinded to the fact that Iran is a BAD customer. They ARE state sponsors of terror. Have been for DECADES. They are the ORIGINAL Islamic radicals, and the seeds that started all the others. Iran will have to be delt with, but it will have to be the international community that does it. Right now, we (the US) need to let Europe take point on this one. The US has ZERO ability to influence ANYTHING in the Iranian government.
August 16th, 2005 at 9:40 amJennty, your so naive. this is PNAC we are talking about. they will find a way. TACTICAL NUKES. coming soon.
August 16th, 2005 at 11:39 amJennty,
You make some good points in your argument. However, I think many feel that these countries, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, ect. need to take care of their own business and we (US) need to quit rushing in to aid and abet situation that are centuries old and we don’t understand culturally or politically.
If the majority in Iran don’t like the current government then let them vote it out or over throw it. I do not see or hear the burning desire to fight to the death for democracy in any of these countries. They relie on the US to force the door of freedom open, then they stand an watch because after years of living in 10th century rule they know nothing of freedom or democracy. To be suggessful the desire to be free must come from within, not be suggested from an outsider.
August 16th, 2005 at 12:03 pmPresident bullshit is all talk and no walk and besides, who gives a crap, what he say’s anymore?
The Iranians have him right where they want him and he put himself there.
If you attack Iran, all hell will break loose in Iraq. Iraq is a Shia/Shite majority. Sunni’s might be okay with it, but the Shite majority has a great relationship with Iran. Think theocratic.
If there is some kind of pre-emptive action taken against Iran the closest target is Israel. You think Israel want’s monkeyboy putting their lives at stake??
And what kind of support do you really think the chimp will get from the dwindling coalition? Betcha tony Blair is shitting himself now, cause it won’t happen in spite of the subway bombings.
Another 9/11?? Nope, won’t happen unless we do it to ourselves. Bin Laden would be laughing his a** off on this one. He is going to wait and watch the boyking stand on his own pee pee.
If we attack Iran, all bet’s are off globally.
August 16th, 2005 at 2:55 pm#33, Jennty,
Okay, Iran has Hamas and Syria, what can they do? Russia I can’t see doing anything. China: Worth thinking about because they need Iran’s oil, and they can cause trouble in Taiwan.
Iran “wants” the bomb? Come on, so did Saddam, so do I.
The point is that Iran wants peacetime nuclear power plants and is willing to operate them under international supervision. This is a system that works. And we won’t allow it so they’ll do it without supervision. Voila: pretext for war.
The regime isn’t popular? Have YOU been looking at what’s going on in Iran? They were just elected.
Right now war with Iran isn’t possible? Hold that thought. Are you familiar with air power? With the British troop displacements in Iraq and Afghanistan on the Iran borders? Have you looked at Bush’s poll numbers? The neocon agenda? The Armageddon theory? The new democratic Shiite Muslim Iraqi government allied with Iran, so we created a parisitic monster and we have to attack the host? Can you appreciate what Cindy and 9/24 and, okay, Susan can do to the Chimp without a serious distraction?
Rummy never said he wanted a smaller army, did he? Show me. Hilary wants 80,000 more, and Rummy wants the army everywhere (they’re already in about 150 countries). So, another reason for war with a Iran: a new ‘crisis’ as a basis for the draft.
Europe? Schroeder has just said we wants no part of the new Iranian war, and I don’t think we can count on the French. The Brits, definitely, and maybe the Poles.
August 16th, 2005 at 3:04 pmoops, this just in, maybe not the Brits:
“THE foreign secretary Jack Straw sought to distance Britain yesterday from comments by President George W Bush that he would not rule out a military strike against Iran.”
I don’t completely believe it, but it’s reported.
and this: TEHRAN, Iran – An increasingly defiant Iran called Sunday for Europe to open talks on Tehran’s intention to enrich uranium [we'll make sure they don't], and dismissed a veiled Bush administration warning of military action against Iranian nuclear operations as psychological warfare [I guess they don't know the Chimp like we do].
August 16th, 2005 at 4:05 pmexactly. another 9/11. bet on it. you saw what it did for this administration the first time. the american sheeple fell right in line and started waving their flags just like the media. it will happen again, bet on it.i dont think you fully understand how far these people are willing to go.
August 16th, 2005 at 4:12 pmDon, what can Russia do? Well, let’s set aside any prejudice against the Russians. Let’s look at what Russia has… several THOUSAND nuclear weapons, several TONS of Plutonium sitting around unsecured, LOTS of Nuclear physiscists with extremely bad paying jobs in Russia, but willing to work for ANYONE with hard currency. Now you tell me Russia can’t do anything. Here’s a hint… Russia is SELLING Iran the nuclear equipment.
The elections in Iran were HIGHLY flawed. Not free and fair. They were so corrupt that 80% of the population did NOT vote. This was a recognized problem BEFORE the election. The ruling Ayatollas didn’t like the way the polls were going for the Reform candidate, so they took him out at the box. It’s way more complicated than can be summed up in a few sentances. The vast majority of the population in Iran is under 25. The people themselves don’t harbor any intrinsic hatred of the US, just the government does.
Iranian situation can’t be handled by force. Period. We don’t have the power to do it. As for the person who asked for a reference to Rummy wanting a smaller army,
August 16th, 2005 at 4:42 pmhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/pentagon/etc/synopsis.html
Or do some research yourself, google works. Rumsfeld smaller army, hit enter. Bingo 198000 things for you to read. In 2001-02 Rummy was stumping for and implementing a “Smaller, more nimble” army. Kind of gives new meaning to the “you go to war with the army you have, not the one you’d like”
#40, Jennty,
Russia: “Russia, I can’t see doing anything” were my words. Your comment is “What can Russia do.” Apples and oranges. Russia has refused to invite the new Iranian President to visit, and is siding with the EU on the nuclear question. So, to repeat, I can’t see them doing anything in response to the coming Chimp attacks.
Iran elections: They were in stages and highly democratic. According to Wikipedia, 60% of the eligible voters participated.
Rummy wanting a smaller army: Your cite is worthless. Congress voted a 30,000 increase in end strength earlier this year. Thousands of positions have been converted from uniformed to civilian. Both of these factors are contributing to Rummy’s plan to increase the army’s brigades from 33 to 43. Hilary, and maybe others, are pushing for 80,000 more.
Jennty, you’ve got to do better than oh-for-three if you expect any respect in this blog.
August 16th, 2005 at 7:04 pmThey could always get the Israelis to bomb the nuclear instillation again. Then the whole of the Middle East would be at war. With America sat in the middle, of the whole sorry mess.
If America doesn’t want a Middle Eastern country to have a nuclear capability, then why do they let Israel have their own nuclear weapons?
And before any sceptical right-wing nut-jobs start protesting, that Israel has no nuclear weapons, do some checking. As a Brit I know that Great Britain provided nuclear technology and hardware to Israel in the 1950’s.
From the BBC news homepage:
Britain secretly sold Israel a key ingredient for its nuclear programme in 1958, according to official documents obtained by BBC News. Papers in the British National Archives show a deal was done to export 20 tonnes of heavy water for about £1.5m. This was vital for plutonium production at the top-secret Dimona nuclear reactor in Israel’s Negev desert.
No “peaceful use only” condition was placed on its use. Officials said imposing one would be “over zealous”.
Ministers in Harold Macmillan’s government were unaware of the deal. It was also kept secret from the US. In one of the documents Foreign Office official Donald Cape concluded: “On the whole I would prefer not to mention this to the Americans.”
Washington had refused to supply heavy water to Israel without a guarantee it would only be used for peaceful means. US President John F Kennedy’s defence secretary from 1961, Robert McNamara, told BBC News he was “astonished” by the cover-up.
“It is very surprising to me we were not told because we shared information about the nuclear bomb very closely with the British.
“The fact Israel was trying to develop a nuclear bomb should not have come as any surprise.
“But that Britain should have supplied it with heavy water was indeed a surprise to me.”
The heavy water – surplus from a consignment bought from Norway in 1956 – was shipped from a British port to Israel.
Former Conservative defence and foreign office minister Lord Gilmour told BBC News the revelations were “quite extraordinary”. The civil servants involved must have known Israel would use the heavy water to develop a nuclear bomb, he added.
“They just seemed to be concerned with making a bit of money.” By the time Israel asked the UK for more heavy water in 1961, the existence of the Dimona reactor and a probable nuclear weapons programme had been exposed by the Daily Express newspaper, leading the Foreign Office to block the sale, the papers show.
Sir Hugh Stephenson wrote: “I am quite sure we should not agree to this sale.
“The Israeli project is much too live an issue for us to get mixed up in it again.”
While Israel has not publicly conducted a nuclear test and does not admit or deny having nuclear weapons, it has not signed the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.
This means the International Atomic Energy Agency does not have the power to inspect Israeli nuclear facilities. The Israelis say that will not change as long as they feel threatened by countries in the Middle East.
August 16th, 2005 at 7:50 pm#42, Nick,
Yes, Norway was in on this illegal British deal, and I believe France had a hand in it.
Unlike Israel, Iran has signed the NPT, and claims to be willing to abide by it, unlike the Israelis.
* Israel, the only nuclear power in the Middle East, is reported to have over 200 nuclear warheads.
* Bush made his recent belligerent speech over Israeli television, removing any doubt about the American/Israeli anti-Iranian axis.
August 16th, 2005 at 11:50 pmbackpack nukes coming to america soon. it will be the pre-text for war with Iran just like 9/11 was the pre-text for Iraq. this administration stages terror attacks better than hitler and the reichstag(spelling?).
August 17th, 2005 at 9:01 amDon,
Interesting your opinion on Russia. Were you aware that Russia and Iran signed a deal THIS year on supplying Nuclear fuel? Kinda shoots holes in your theory.
As for the Iranian election. Guess you don’t believe election results can be rigged? Hellooooo… Ohio… Florida. Sheesh. Oh, and Wikipedia??? That is a nice experiment, but NOBODY uses it as a credible reference, it is by it’s nature subject to a high amount of inaccuracy. Anyone can change it for right or wrong.
As to Rummy and the smaller, more nible army… whatever dude… ignore facts if it floats your boat. Go back and read the history. Google the terms, read some newspapers. What Rummy says NOW is NOT what he said in 2001-2002. That’s a FACT. Don’t believe me, go do the research yourself.
August 17th, 2005 at 11:06 amyeah, Rumsfeld always wanted to go in with a really small force, while Colin Powell wanted overwhelming force.thats all on record.its pretty obvious why Rummy wanted that smaller force as we are seeing the drum-beating for the Iran war right now.
August 17th, 2005 at 11:34 am#45, Jennty,
–Russia: Yes, they’re supplying nuclear fuel to Iran, and no, again, I can’t see them siding with Iran against us. Let me add that I hope and pray that my forecast doesn’t come true, and of course nobody can predict the future, but all the signs I listed in #31 indicate to me that the Chimp sees himself in a corner and, like any cornered animal, will attack.
–Iran election and army size: “whatever dude” back to ya, dude.
#46, Chris,
–The original comment by Jennty was “a smaller and more nimble army” which I naturally took to mean “the army.” And “the army” is increasing in size and in the number of combat brigades. Now if you want to talk about the size of the Iraqi invasion force, that’s different. Shinseki said ‘big’ and Rummy said ’small.’ But there are now, for whatever reason, no commanders in the field calling for ‘more.’ A reserve for Iran? That may have been Rummy’s original intent, good point. Now, after taking a beating, I’m sure they can shake a few units loose, particularly Special Forces to work with the ‘dissidents’ noted in #18, but they’re really stretched thin without a draft.
August 17th, 2005 at 2:43 pmafter the next 9/11, if they need a draft, im confident they will try for a draft. these people are sick.
August 17th, 2005 at 3:11 pmthanks for deleting my last post, Think Progress, your turning into a self-censoring website like the righties. thats not too progressive of you to censor me.
August 17th, 2005 at 3:52 pmYes, Norway was in on this illegal British deal, and I believe France had a hand in it.
Comment by Don
Don, it was never an illegal deal in the first place. That transpired between Great Britain and Israel. And what is with the cheap shot at France’s expense? This was the 1950’s we’re talking about here Don. America was only a little bully at the time, in world terms. And though America tried to throw its weight around, nobody took much notice of it.
Now America is the bullyboy of the world, with Bush and his cohorts, intimidating any country that they see as weaklings and inferior to America.
Well the peoples of the world have had enough of the bullyboys’ tactics, and are starting to stand up for themselves, and are fighting back. The Neo-cons don’t like anybody standing up to their bullying. They think that all they have to do is threaten people with putting the boot in even harder next time. And there would be no way that their victims would get off the floor, the next time, to receive more punishment from their tormentors. And this is why we are now in the mess that haunts the world. Because the Neo-cons don’t like anybody telling them that they are wrong. They just lash out even more, it makes them feel better. They look for new victims to bully and abuse.
President George W. Bush and the right-wing supporters, who support his ‘crusade’, are wrong. To stand by and applaud his and the Republicans actions, and are immoral for doing so.
The victims of Georges’ bullying are joining as one to stand up to their tormentors. They are ready to fight back, and put the bullies in their place. Do we stand by, and turn a blind eye to the proceedings. And sigh a huge sigh of relief, that it isn’t us that’s being bullied. Or do we stand up to be counted, along with the victims, of Georges’ thugs. Because we have a conscience, and we know what is going on in Iraq, is wrong.
August 18th, 2005 at 10:51 pm#50, Nick,
I stand corrected. I should have written ’secret,’ not ‘illegal.’
I agree with your remarks. The subject of this thread is ‘lashing out’ against Iran, which would be more of a disaster than we already have. Unfortunately, as Bush has recently said on Israeli TV, Iran is ‘on the table,’ and Rumsfeld has said that he has the forces to do it:
Q: Mr. Secretary, this weekend President Bush, addressing the Israelis, was asked if indeed we would get involved militarily with Iran if they continued developing their nuclear arsenal, and he said all options are on the table. And they tried to corner him, saying, “You mean military action?” He goes, “All options are on the table.” Are we capable right now as a fighting force of being in Afghanistan, in Iraq and in Iran, if necessary?
Sec. Rumsfeld: Let me answer that in a couple of ways.
First of all, every president has consistently preserved options by using that phraseology, that options — all options — are on the table. There’s nothing new in President Bush saying that, and there’s also nothing new in other presidents in previous times using that phraseology. It’s kind of mindless to systematically take options off the table when there’s no reason to take options off the table. I think of it as a fairly standard comment.
Second, with respect to the Department of Defense and our military capabilities, we have the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the chairman and the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on a periodic basis, every period of months, review our military capabilities, anticipate the kinds of things that conceivably could occur. And they consistently tell me that we, in this country’s military department, have the ability to fulfill the likely missions that might occur. So I’m — we’re quite tight — quite comfortable with that.
August 19th, 2005 at 1:00 amDon, I just hope that Tony Blair, and the Brits aren’t drawn into this madness.
I don’t think Tony Blair, is stupid enough to back George W. Bush again, in his ‘war on terror’.
The British electorate will not let the Labour party, get away with deceiving them a second time.
It’s a pity that both governments and its politicians on both sides of the pond. Don’t pay heed to the great statesmen that have gone before them.
“You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.”
President Abraham Lincoln
“The whole history of the world is summed up in the fact that, when nations are strong, they are not always just, and when they wish to be just, they are no longer strong.”
“Many forms of government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.â€
“It is the people who control the Government, not the Government the people.â€
British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill
August 19th, 2005 at 10:22 pmNatalia Vodianova
Thanks for the nice read, keep up the interesting posts..
March 21st, 2008 at 1:34 amNigella Lawson
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March 21st, 2008 at 4:38 amPee Public Pee Public Pissing
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March 31st, 2008 at 2:21 amJack
April 11th, 2008 at 1:18 pmEric
April 11th, 2008 at 1:18 pm