Buchanan: Petraeus ‘points to war with Iran.’
In a new column today, right-wing pundit Pat Buchanan writes, “The neocons may yet get their war on Iran.” Buchanan argues that by focusing on the “special groups” Iran is funding in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus’s testimony to Congress was “laying the predicate for U.S. air strikes on Iran and a wider war in the Middle East”:
Iran, Petraeus told the Senate Armed Services Committee, has “fueled the recent violence in a particularly damaging way through its lethal support of the special groups.”
These “special groups” are “funded, trained, armed and directed by Iran’s Quds Force with help from Lebanese Hezbollah. It was these groups that launched Iranian rockets and mortar rounds at Iraq’s seat of government (the Green Zone) … causing loss of innocent life and fear in the capital.” […]
The following day, Petraeus told the House Armed Services Committee, “Unchecked, the ’special groups’ pose the greatest long-term threat to the viability of a democratic Iraq.”
Translation: The United States is now fighting the proxies of Iran for the future of Iraq.
The general’s testimony is forcing Bush’s hand, for consider the question it logically raises: If the Quds Force and Hezbollah, both designated as terrorist organizations, are arming, training and directing “special groups” to “murder” Americans, and rocket and mortar the Green Zone to kill our diplomats, and they now represent the No. 1 threat to a free Iraq, why has Bush failed to neutralize these base camps of terror and aggression?
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caption… i swear it’s THIS big!!
liar.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:12 pmif the US launches an unprovoked attack on Iran, the American people should, nay MUST rise up in armed revolt to overthrow its war criminal administration at commence summary executions of said leaders.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:15 pmProblem is, the “special groups” Iran back include the Badr militia that support al-Maliki and has infiltrated the Army and Police of Iraq.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:16 pmOh yeah? Him and what army? lol
April 11th, 2008 at 4:17 pmOutstanding. We go from stuck in the middle of a civil war that we enabled to being the targets of a Really well trained, Really well organized terrorist organization. Then add Iranian retaliation against shipping in the Straits of Hormuz and things are going Really, Really well. Not content with ruining this country the NeoCons are now poised to trash Western Civilization! Heck of a job Georgie!
April 11th, 2008 at 4:18 pmImpeach Cheney and Bush and Save the Constitution, And Civilization!
This is their last chance to get their war with Iran. Their friends Mike Ledeen and Norm Podhoretz are praying for bombing and shouting in their ears at AEI. Real men go to Tehran.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:19 pmThey’ll trump it up with some Gulf of Tonkin style fakery, maybe a false-flag attack to justify it.
Uncle Ho…your suggestion is sadly seven years too late, sir.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:21 pmIs it time yet to replace oil?
April 11th, 2008 at 4:24 pmOnly if Bush and McCain are the bomber pilots for the air strikes. McCain will crash his plane. Bush will land on an aircraft carrier somewhere with a “mission accomplished” banner or won’t show up at all.
Somehow, someway, and RIGHT NOW Congress has to tell these war mongers that any action against Iran would be illegal unless approved by a supermajority of both Houses of Congress.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:24 pmUncle Ho @ 4:15p
It would be less bloody (for us) by using a stay at home boycott.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:24 pmJuan; I agree it’s several years late, but better late than never.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:25 pm1) Petraeus is demonstrating the size of Cheney’s dick, with the dimensions of which he is intimately acquainted, from sessions taking it in the ass to hjold his job.
2) At the OnLineJournal, Paul Craig Roberts made the same point last week, in advance of the ‘hearings’:
April 11th, 2008 at 4:26 pmHW; a stay at home boycott would still leave the war criminals in power- no phuckin way!
April 11th, 2008 at 4:26 pmif the US launches an unprovoked attack on Iran, the American people should, nay MUST rise up in armed revolt to overthrow its war criminal administration at commence summary executions of said leaders.
far more likely an outcome if they throw off another popular contender from American Idol, and the sheeple run out of beer, imho…
April 11th, 2008 at 4:28 pmAnd I thought Petraeus was doing his Pat Buchanan impersonation.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:28 pmThe following day, Petraeus told the House Armed Services Committee, “Unchecked, the ’special groups’ pose the greatest long-term threat to the viability of a democratic Iraq.”
B.S. This administration never really cared about democracy in Iraq (nor obviously here in the U.S.), despite the rhetoric. It was all window dressing. The real aim…control of the oil and oil ports. The long-term threat that Iran poses, therefore, is that they and not the U.S. and not the U.S. corporate-registered oil companies, will exercise such control. And what this group NEVER says is that the Sauds are funding the Saudi insurgency in Iraq, and probably AQ in both Iraq and Afghanistan/Pakistan as well.
Lastly, we can only repeat one more time…neither AQ nor Iran posed a danger in Iraq until we “liberated” Iraq. Well, we also apparently liberated AQ and Iran from their confines.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:28 pmIf McCain wants to bomb, bomb, bomb Iran, this is the only acceptable thing for him to do.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:35 pmSomehow, someway, and RIGHT NOW Congress has to tell these war mongers that any action against Iran would be illegal unless approved by a supermajority of both Houses of Congress.
Far more than “approved” by Congress (see Iraq War Resolution) but a formal Declaration of War.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:37 pmSince the war in Iraq is going so swimmingly, let’s take on the bigger, tougher neighbor who has watched our tactical weaknesses for the last five years. Another smashing NeoCon idea!
April 11th, 2008 at 4:38 pmHOW MUCH BLOOD IS ENOUGH FOR THESE PEOPLE?
Wow. Yet again, Buchanan is way off base. Bush is forcing the General’s hand. You think the General is allowed to say what he wants and is giving Bush all the info? We learned from Admiral Fallon’s departure that if you don’t say what Bush wants you to say you get kicked out! The General is just saying what Bush wants so Bush can get his 300 dollar a barrel oil war. End of.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:39 pmasciugamanocranio2 Says:
Flagged
April 11th, 2008 at 4:39 pmThe real aim…control of the oil and oil ports.
related to one of the three (as i count ‘em) ‘real aims of the Iraq ICORP. 1) “renegotiate” oil exploitation and transfer agreements reached by S. Hussein’s govt with interests NOT associated with BP?Exxon-Mobil (cf: The Iraq Oil Law).
2) Establish forward-strike-capable bases from which USer TACTICAL (i.e., fast, stealthy, well-armed, maneuverable) fighter-bombers can
threatenproject USer miliary influence over the trans-Caspian region.3) Eliminate Iraq as even a nominal threat to Israeli regional hegemony.
Mission(s): Accomplished!
April 11th, 2008 at 4:40 pmimpeachcheney:
“The real aim…control of the oil and oil ports.”
Yes, yes, yes.
They are so hopelessly transparent, it’s scary what they get away with.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:40 pmBuchanan: Petraeus ‘points to war with Iran.’
Translation: Get ready for 8 dollar a gallon gas, and 6 dollars for a loaf of bread.
Got Depression?
April 11th, 2008 at 4:41 pmUncle Ho @ 4:26p
Facists would try anything to keep power. Not sure what would happen…however after about a week of stay at home pretty sure shit would hit the fan somewhere.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:41 pmBoth Cheney & Bush have recently stated that they don’t want Al Qaeda to take over Iraq’s oil— finally they admit the reason they occupied Iraq! And now they lay preposterous grounds for an Iran attack? What has the U.S. become– the Roman Empire? Launch pre-emptive attacks on any country you can steal from? And pretend it’s for the “War on Terrism”? These men are deluded, dangerous, and war criminals. And never forget, Bush/Cheney/Petraeus are Siamese triplets– joined at the Repub brain (or lack thereof). Each time I read this sort of garbage, I remember Bush’ comment within the last few days– that the next president can deal with his mess. Bush is an incompetent, war-mongering, evil man to make such a statement. But then, Mommy & Daddy always clean up his messes & protect him from reality. More & more we must ask ourselves, how did we let this buffoon get to be president? He’s an ignorant puppet for his war-mongering, oil-greedy staff.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:42 pmi long for the heady days of 2004, when petraeus was in charge of “arming, training and directing” the iraqi troops. that worked out well!
April 11th, 2008 at 4:42 pmheckuva job.
We’d be greeted as liberators. No, really. Rose petals, chocolates and Vermont teddy bears. This time for sure.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:43 pmAnd just today, RUCerious told the House Armed Services Committee, “Unchecked, the ’special groups’ (Neocons, the Pentagram, er gon) pose the greatest long-term threat to the viability of a democratic America.”
April 11th, 2008 at 4:45 pmdasm:
He was appointed in 2000. Thanks, Sandra Day O’Conner!
And 2004 was flat out stolen in Ohio.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:45 pmCazzie Russell, are you going to properly attribute your last quote to Bullwinkle the Moose?
April 11th, 2008 at 4:45 pmasciugamanocranio2 Says blah blah blah, I wish TP had a trajan horse virus it could send back down the ether to this jackasses computer and wipe out his soft drive.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:48 pmSince the war in Iraq is going so swimmingly, let’s take on the bigger, tougher neighbor who has watched our tactical weaknesses for the last five years. Another smashing NeoCon
If what Petraeus and others without a political agenda are saying is true, then Iran has blood of Americans and innocent Iraqis on their hands and must be held accountable. Nobody wants more war, but let’s not be hoodwinked into believing that Iran (land of no homosexuals) is just an innocent bystander in all of this. They see an opening in Basra now that the Brits are gone and they want Basra, simple as that. Should we just cede it to them? It was US who started this war. We have to do what’s right.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:48 pmSo now they are saying that Hexbollah has moved to Iraq??
April 11th, 2008 at 4:49 pmhenry wallace Says:
April 11th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Uncle Ho @ 4:15p
It would be less bloody (for us) by using a stay at home boycott.
Boycott WHAT?
April 11th, 2008 at 4:51 pmNettles? You appear to be somewhat schitzoid today.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:52 pmThese people MUST be stopped.
Somehow.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:53 pmuh, betrayus had aspirations of being president….no political agenda?? Try again. Oh, and what he says is not true…..why would you believe him now?
Yes, it was us who started the war, why didn’t we do the right thing then and not start the war. Why would starting another war be the right thing to do….
I don’t know why I bother….I guess just to keep creeps like you from saying whatever dumb thing comes to mind and no one says bullsh!t……I’m callin you on it.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:56 pmLike I’ve previously said the neocons as well as others have had imperial wetdreams about Iran for quite some time. It’s all about finding a way to do it.
April 11th, 2008 at 5:00 pmRUCerious, you made me laugh. I’d forgotten about Bullwinkle saying that. Now I’m thinking about Natasha Nogoodnik. Good point on the other thread, by the way, about land lines and polls.
April 11th, 2008 at 5:03 pmIs there a Holiday Inn in Tehran?
April 11th, 2008 at 5:06 pmkudos to the spiness sacks of dog excrement in congress for letting this happen.. they should have asked betrayus about Iranian funding of RELIGIOUS HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL POLITICAL PARTIES in iraq and what he proposes to do about that..? bomb mosques in Tehran?..also, they should have asked about SAUDI ARABIAN funding of militias and terorists groups.
can anyone on any of these commitees grow a pair and stand up and ask some reality based question of this gi-joe doll/puppet hiding behind a wall of medals for cooking and masquerading as a man of integrity who DOESNT just read what Dick Cheney puts in front of him?
April 11th, 2008 at 5:08 pmI smell a draft coming yet.
April 11th, 2008 at 5:26 pmEsp if McFlip gets in.
Worse than bushbaby? Is that possible?
tony and guidedog Lido
Thanks Cazzie, I love your jump shot!
April 11th, 2008 at 5:45 pmimpeachcheneythenbush Says:
April 11th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Boycott WHAT?
Consumption. No more cell phones, TVs, Lap Tops, video games, movies, The Gap trousers, Coke, Junk food, cars, guns, internet connections, fancy clothes, warm water, electricity…
Imagine that 300 million people, for just one day, stop purchasing, let’s say at Wal-Mart. Let’s say that for just one day, you don’t use the car, turn on the TV or any other electrical device at home, or buy that juicy burguer with the six pack attached to it. Imagine 300 million people extend this non-consumption one more day…and maybe one more day. Could you imagine the fear in Wal-Mart CEO’s?
My bet is the US Army is the next day strolling the streets forcing you to shop. You think it’s impossible? Try Chile and Nicaragua purchasing their own and soviet products, what happened to them?
It can be done. It just takes organized people.
April 11th, 2008 at 6:13 pmQuit debating and arguing. Just take these bastards out. This has nothing to do with politics or valid decision making. Petraeus is setting us up for another war in the Middle East because his masters believe that Iran will be cowered into submission when our F-18’s and F-15’s hit their military facilities.
Our leadership pose a serious and imminent threat to the continued existence of the United States which should justify any action by the people to remove them from power. This is about the survival of the country.
In one sense, Iran is doing nothing more than the US did to Russia in Afghanistan. They are helping the insurgents to bleed the US dry. Iran seeks to force the US to concede more power to Iran in Iraq. Our leaders, having learned absolutely nothing in the past five years, believe that hitting Iranian targets will cause Iran to fold politically. Why? The usual arrogant belief that they know better than all the experts, that the US can somehow pull off what no other country has been able to do in the middle east and the certainty that nothing can trump US military power.
How stupid can you get. Iran is taking the liberties that it has taken because it sees how our misadventure in Iraq has bled us dry. Iran believes that the US can do no more than attack targets by air. My guess would be that little overall damage would be done. (Remember missile attacks against AQ.) However, Iran could cause significantly more problems in Iraq.
If these people were serious and if this really were the biggest threat to the United States since WWII, then you would have seen a military draft, higher taxes and a general mobilization of military might to fight the war. This did not happen because the idiots and fools or the Bush administration can not even understand that which has transpired in Iraq. Iran should have been consulted before the invasion and invited to participate in discussions after the invasion. The no negotiation with enemies position (funny since Iranians marched in the streets in support of the US after 9/11 and were natural enemies of Saddam until Bush declared them part of the axis of evil) leaves Iran’s only means of gaining a seat at the table to support Shiite militias and help create an untenable condition to force US negotiation.
April 11th, 2008 at 6:16 pmYeah, what he said ^
April 11th, 2008 at 7:00 pmHas anyone seen the naked girl reflection in Darth Cheney’s sunglasses. Ha Ha, some fishing trip and we’re paying for this?
April 11th, 2008 at 7:24 pmThey are all slimeballs.
In case you Hillary supporters are asleep at the wheel:
http://www.iht.com/ articles/ ap/ 2007/ 02/ 02/ america/ NA-GEN-US-Clinton-Iran.php
April 11th, 2008 at 9:32 pm