While President Ahmanutjob of Iran gets U.S. Secret Service protection in NYC today and visits Ground Zero (despite NYC official protests) and speaks at Columbia University by invitation (there go our Leftofascist, dhimmi professors again), word slides down the hill that President George W. Bush doesn’t have the will to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities without apparently grandiose provocation. This country needs an enema.
From the Drudge Report comes a report that reads much like fantasy to me, but there might be some modicum of truth inside. You decide:
Clemons, director of the American Strategy Program at New America Foundation and publisher of The Washington Note, says Bush has deviated from a Cheney-laid track to launch a first-strike on Iran, citing, as examples, frustrations that the vice president’s aides are airing, a conversation with a journalist who sat in on a December 2006 strategy meeting, and private conversations with high-level foreign policy players.
“…Clemons emphasized that he wasn’t arguing that there wouldn’t be an American conflict with Iran. Rather, he believes that Bush has opted not to strike Iran in a first-strike scenario. His gravest concern, he said, was that the US might seize on an accidental incident — such as a collision between a US and Iranian ship or a border skirmish between Iraq and Iran — as a causis belli.
“A mistake in the Gulf where ships collide or US soldiers are attacked or Israel fires a low-level cruise missile attack against Natanz or there’s a border skirmish between Iraq and Iran that results in the death of a high-ranking military or diplomatic official any of these could spark a conflict,” he said.
Of the indications that Bush has thus far tabled a preemptive strike, Clemons believes “the most significant is that the Cheney wing feels that Bush is not on their side and they’re frustrated with that. The fact that the Cheney wing feels they need to tie Bush’s hands, ‘end run’ the president and remove the ‘diplomatic course’ from the field of options in front of the President is an indication that Bush hasn’t decided to bomb.” … Then Bush asked about the possibility of a successful attack on Iran’s nuclear capability. He was told that the U.S. could launch a devastating air attack on Iran’s government and military, wiping out the Iranian air force, the command and control structure and some of the more obvious nuclear facilities. But the Chiefs were — once again — unanimously opposed to taking that course of action.
Why? Because our intelligence inside Iran is very sketchy. There was no way to be sure that we could take out all of Iran’s nuclear facilities. Furthermore, the Chiefs warned, the Iranian response in Iraq and, quite possibly, in terrorist attacks on the U.S. could be devastating. Bush apparently took this advice to heart and went to Plan B — a covert destabilization campaign reported earlier this week by ABC News. “I think a classic war buildup that we had with Iraq is not possible for Iran,” he continued. “There are too many inter-agency blocks.”
“I’m not saying there won’t be any war but nothing in Bush’s posture suggests he’s really with the Cheney gang yet. But I do worry about the Cheney gang and the [Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps]/Ahmadinejad crowd in Iran trying to precipitate a spark that produces a very fast escalation that circumvents most of Bush’s national security decisionmaking structure — and that kind of war is something we should worry about. That’s what I think could happen.
“An ‘accidental war’ would escalate quickly and ‘end run,’ as Cheney aide [David] Wurmser put[s] it, the president’s diplomatic, intelligence and military decision-making apparatus,” Clemons wrote in his Salon editorial. “It would most likely be triggered by one or both of the two people who would see their political fortunes rise through a new conflict — Cheney and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.” …
Clemons first revealed a battle between Cheney aides and those at the State and Defense Department in May. Supporting a pre-emptive strike, he said, was Cheney’s office; opposing was Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell.
“The thinking on Cheney’s team is to collude with Israel, nudging Israel at some key moment in the ongoing standoff between Iran’s nuclear activities and international frustration over this to mount a small-scale conventional strike against Natanz using cruise missiles (i.e., not ballistic missiles),” he wrote.
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Hopefully someone can do the world a favor and pop-a-cap in Mahmood I’m-a-crazy-job. Allowing him to visit our country is an insult to every American. If he needs a new Members Only jacket and some decent porn (that doesn’t include hairy women and camels)we can send a care package. Stay home!
How can we start a war with Iran while still stuck in Iraq?
I am all for reducing Iran’s military to shreds. The problem is the nuclear facilities and their location in residential locations, put their purposely by Iran to deter attack.
If we attack those facilities we will kill thousands of civilians- (note I didn’t say “innocent” civilians) and there will be world wide condemnation for the numbers of civilians killed. And God help us if we cannot substantiated before or after attack, that Iran was building nuclear weapons and NOT just power plants.
I believe we have to consolidate to defensesive positions first in Iraq to protect exposed military and then address Iran… BUT AIR ATTACKS ONLY AND NO DEMOCRACY PROJECTS!!!
So, apparently all our Islamist enemies have to do to destroy us is continue to hide behind women and children until such time as they are prepared to murder our own women and children.
I’m sorry, I don’t understand the dilemma. If we are not prepared to kill people in war then we will lose.
If I were President no doubt many people would be blubbering like babies all around the globe, because I can promise you that I would do what was required to protect the United States and not be in a quandary about it based on a ridiculous adherence to moralistic hand-wringing set forth by enemies in the United Nations to weaken the resolve of the one remaining Superpower so that one day we would topple and be replaced by a Caliphate allied to Chinese and Russian empires.
We have a very, very serious problem developing and so far I have been right in my analysis over the past 6 years a vast majority of the time. We didn’t take care of the problem with Iran when I called for it and now we have lemmings ready to lead us over the cliff rather than attack because the Dragon and the Bear are firmly behind a much hardened and arrogant Iran.
Good luck, world. By the time the rest of you get on board the train, the receiving station will probably be a nuclear fallout shelter.
FH
You are correct Foehammer. I believe we are caught up in a world of good against evil, hanging in the balance, with hands tied, awaiting the next attack, due to the bleeding heart liberal PC crowd and the fact that the Islamic world has nations believing America really is the “Great Satin”. Look, far left Americans are convinced America is Satan and defensive or preemptive measures are a cardinal sin.
Our civilization is definitely on a slide and it is self imposed. The Islamists know this and it is their greatest weapons.
Bush’s hands are tied as are the other western leaders. It is a shame we have this sign tattooed to our foreheads: “slap me please”. We have l;et this gone on far too long, now it gets harder every single day to correct it. The biggest mistake was not naming the enemy and why.
Good is becoming evil and evil is becoming good. Alarmingly, prophesy also predicts this trend.
There are two enemies, Islam and our weak, spineless majority.
God you guys blubber like babies, ok hide under you beds, be fearful but the reality is Iran isnt a threat, how is it a threat? a threat compared to who ?China? Russia? jesus the Iranians havnt even got an airforce or navy.
Youyr just war mongers who actually enjoy the act of war and killing pther people, the sooner Americans start acting like 300M out of 7B people the sooner will the world become a safer place.
CT just proved the entire point. Another “I see nothing” claim so why would anyone else. Blind as a bat.
Iranian Air force, navy, or not, is immaterial to nuclear materials being put (sneakily) to the wrong use.
CT: If it wasn’t for 300 million Americans, you wouldn’t enjoy freedom to come to my site and spew such ridiculous stupidity. Crawl back into your hole, vermin.
Its not that I see nothing , sure Iran is a pain in the ass but they are hardly a threat, geeze even the Genreral who ran the entire middle east doubts they are a threat, I suppose he sees nothing as well, or Wes Clark or one of the other dozen generals and admirals who have come out against an Iranian attack
So you white collar arm chair generals are experts on military issues and Bush who hardly had left the country before becoming pres see everything
The problem is Russia and China are the real threat, Reagan would be ashamed that the world took its eye of the ball and focussed on these wimps.
Civilians without any clue of whats going on, any understanding of military strategy or how to run a war are running the American military into the ground .
I guess you guys would have backed Custer as well?
You know I backed you guys all the way after 9/11 I even sent a son to Iraq on 2 x 9 month tours , I guess i Have a little more insight than you on whats going on over there. Australians have never failed to back America and we probably always do so because you guys are our brothers………………but geeze dont expect us to back complete stupidity
I dont mind fightin a war but youve got to be able to win it. Incompetence loses you the right to lead the world , dishonesty destroys your credbility even more
The pure hate you guys spew out is turning the entire world against you…………..if someone says something you dont like…..a painful truth then you start abusing them, calling me vermon? etc lol
I guess this guys vermon as well
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jb1Wd-LnIH2JUQubKYKyj1HxPoJw
The truth while Mr McGoo is the pres your not protecting anyone, whether they be Americans, Australians, the free world or democracy.
I’m sure it’s never occurred to you that most Americans just want to raise their families in peace and safety. The ‘rest of the world’ is what keeps pulling us into wars, not the other way around.
You have bought all the lies hook, line and sinker. Congratulations.
As for George W. Bush, he is a flaming jackass, and hopefully one day I will see some true leadership or perhaps I’ll bring it to the USA myself, but regardless, it is well-known in these parts, if you come here spewing poison at the United States, I will flambe you and anyone else.
Military experts and issues have nothing to do with common sense and the fact which is: there is an Islamic rogue state playing with nuclear development and nuclear materials over there, thumbing it’s nose at the world and if you are comfortable with that then you are the one hiding under the bed, otherwise the ‘pain in the ass’ may well be more than that.
CT, you are almost correct, however, in saying ‘Russia and China are the real threat’ I would have said ‘Russia and China are also a threat’.
Just realize these people want to live, whereas IslamoNuts want to bring on war, slay infidels, be martyred, bring on the Mahdi, get 72 virgins, all in the name of Allah. That is one huge difference.
Im probably better educated on your country than most Americans, I love america and I am one of your allies, yes I believe that most of you want to just live simple live with your families and you deserve to not live in fear and have the right to protect yourselves, but geeze your going the wrong way about it.
Like WTF did 9/11 have to do with Iraq? wouldnt the troops be better deployed on the border? shouldnt you listen to your onw military commanders instead of the civilians? how is good to borrow the cost of the war from the Chinese?
Iraq might be the current battle but the Middle East is the theatre of war, how the hell you supposed to win if you dont address the entire theatre of war, how are you going to win with 20% of the troops that you actually need to do the job?
Who knows who is telling the lies these days niether you nor I have a clue
Iran is not a threat? Iran should have been the target after Afghanistan anyways, not Iraq. That would have crippled Shia imperialism at the root. Iran’s Hezbollah is probably the most dangerous terrorist organization on the planet. They are better funded, equiped and organized than Al-Qeada. Hezbollah is a direct threat to the USA, because its already well established here within the U.S. Islamic community. Bush knows if he attacks Iran, Hezbollah cells will most certainly awaken here and Lebanon presence will probably launch another war with Israel AND a direct attack against US troops presently in Iraq in parallel…creating a multi front war, which would utter chaos to deal with.
There is going to be a reckoning here with Iran sooner or later. If Bush come up with a plan to deal with it & we don’t get a focused administration in the White house after his term, its like a infected wound…if you don’t treat it, you know the rest of the story. And if we get ANYTHING from the Democrats in the presidency, might as well start planning for survival mode for the collapse of the USA as we know it.
The US is pretty much rooted as it is, Al Quaeda are playing an Ali style “Ropper Dopper” style campaign, America is like Foreman just wearing itself out financially and militarily.
Bin Laden always said he would play cut and run with us till you went broke. Do yourself a favor right done on one sheet of paper the military assets of China, Russia and Iran. Meanwhile you leave your castle un protected, next thing wen will have Nukes in LA via the Mexican border.
You folk are being set up for a knock out but your egos are to big to stand back and really think about the risks you face and the strategy that needs to be implemented. …………all most of you do is go red in the face, beat your chests and tell folks how great you are.
Australians would probably follow Americans to fight anywhere, the secret truth is we like to fight , so heres some advice from a friend and ally your heading in the wrong direction!
By all means fight but for god sake start fighting to win. Lets get off oil asap, lets cut the heart out of whats motivating these Muslims (oil), lets lock down our borders to ensure our homelands are secure and then by all means bomb anything that looks like a Nuke factory and then let the Arabs look after themselves.
The way its going the US will be bankrupt and without the resources to fight. For god sake the communists are financing the damn war, would Reagan have taken a dollar off the Chinese?