Comments (71)

mt wrote on September 4, 2007 2:58 PM:

"When asked if a third war seems surreal, given the depth of investment the U.S. has given Iraq and Afghanistan, Rubin replies, 'I'm out of adjectives.'"

Can someone toss Rubin a new adjective?

mt wrote on September 4, 2007 3:00 PM:

"When asked if a third war seems surreal, given the depth of investment the U.S. has given Iraq and Afghanistan, Rubin replies, 'I'm out of adjectives.'"

Can someone toss Rubin a new adjective?

drational wrote on September 4, 2007 3:06 PM:

Why is this necessarily really about Iran? If the Administration and their propaganda-tanks can get everyone hopped up on Iran fever, who will remain focused on the failures in Iraq?

Blue dogs might trade Iraq support to prevent a new war with Iran. This might just be high-stakes hold 'em.

M. Christo wrote on September 4, 2007 3:07 PM:

re new adjective

how about pathological?

chuck wrote on September 4, 2007 3:13 PM:

The Iranian Time Bomb: The Mullah Zealots’ Quest for Destruction

And the award for the most bombastic, over-the-top, bedwetting, alarmist title for a book with intellectual pretentions goes to . . .

Code Word: Blood (no - it really *is* "blood")

benjoya wrote on September 4, 2007 3:25 PM:

given the expected opposition of the Democratic-controlled Congress

I'll believe it when I see it.

Kevin Kilty wrote on September 4, 2007 3:26 PM:

Has it occurred to anyone that Al Qaeda is a secret arm of the Bush Adiminstration?

Eliminate the impossible, and whatever remains, however improbable, is the truth.

The hijackers were Saudis. We've given the Taliban Afghanistan. Bin Laden has never been found. Nothing benefited Bush more than 9/11. Etc.

benjoya wrote on September 4, 2007 3:27 PM:

given the expected opposition of the Democratic-controlled Congress

I'll believe it when I see it.

gcs wrote on September 4, 2007 3:31 PM:

Come on folks. Invading Iran is Bush's only option.

With Iraq such a total and complete disaster, not a whole lot of people are talking about Afghanistan are they? And since we know we're real good at blowing things up in the begining, well, a war with Iran is just the ticket to distract the news bobbleheads onto a completely different (at least in their worldview) topic. And viola, just like thatm no one's talkng about Iraq any longer.

Christ but I wish someone would arrest these lunatics, starting with that asshole Cheney/

M M wrote on September 4, 2007 3:37 PM:

Cheney has one of those countdown clocks (telling how many days Bush has left) on his desk too. I wonder what his personal pre-January 2009 "to do" list has on it?

Code word: attack (!)

Legalize wrote on September 4, 2007 3:59 PM:

This country is being held hostage by a band of criminals "Give us what we want in Iraq and no one else gets hurt."

They'll send Petreaus to the Congress to try and "sell" the Blue Dogs and quivering GOPers on the "surge" as being successful, so that they can justify their cowardice to their constituents. I say call their bluff. Anyone who supports an attack on Iran is dead in the water politically, and might just be the impetus to run the Crime Family out of the White House.

Haha, silly me. Capitulation, as usual will be the order.

TheraP wrote on September 4, 2007 4:06 PM:

Why is it that these guys can only see the enemies as "others" and are completely unable to see themselves in the fascist role, themselves as a danger to the world?

Anonymous wrote on September 4, 2007 4:11 PM:

"'out of adjectives'to describe a second war with Iran"

I just finished reading "Why Orwell Matters" by Christopher Hitchens.

He matters indeed.

johnnydoughey wrote on September 4, 2007 4:15 PM:

After Iran, we'll have to attack England. Afterall, the country IS beginning to question OUR actions. And what about that pocket of folks in Pennsylvania... the Amish. What REAL christians would not support our retalliation against terrorists.

We're now on a roll. We can make sure NOBODY will ever again resist the will of "We the People" and our new, updated "Manifest Destiny". This of course assumes anyone on this earth is actually alive at the completion of our venture...

Thethinredline wrote on September 4, 2007 4:23 PM:

Shows how little the current administration really cares for the Republican party, which is nothing apparantly.

Obviously, unless there's 'information' that the public doesn't know about yet, there seems to be little cause for any kind of armed conflict with Iran, in which case Congressional Republican have to either rebuff the President, which would be bad for '08. Or they go along, which would be really bad for '08. Either way, unless Iran nukes Israel or something, basically the Republicans get screwed.

Thethinredline wrote on September 4, 2007 4:28 PM:

I also forgot to mention how absolutely disasterous it would be for our country of course, that goes without saying.

johnnydoughey wrote on September 4, 2007 4:32 PM:

I can see the talking points in Congress, the Senate, and even the Administration after 1/20/09...
"Remember folks... the Republicans have totally destroyed our nation and our nation's credability over the past eight years. We Democrats did everything we could to stop it, but we just didn't have enough power."

"It is now going to take us a long time to repair ALL the damage those Republicans did, but we are here now, representing you good people... so be sure to give us all the glory."

Lots of talk and nonaction to prevent attrocities in the present can, in the future, be of great benefit... for the new powers to be. IMHO

arahat wrote on September 4, 2007 4:35 PM:

Selling War with Iran indeed... But why be part of the sales force?:

09.03.07 -- 11:30PM // link

Okay, So War with Iran

I mean c'mon, this isn't an inevitability, so please, lets be careful not to add to the drumbeats!

pat wrote on September 4, 2007 4:45 PM:

Can't they be stopped? Where is the outrage? Bombing Iran will put the last nail in the coffin of US good will and prestige in the world.

Pathological, indeed. We are being led by scary, sick, arrogant war criminals into an abyss that could consume the entire world. Anyone who goes along with this in Congress is complicit. Time to burn up the phone lines to Congress. Start our own pre-emptive attack.

candle wrote on September 4, 2007 4:47 PM:

Yes - it might be bad for the Republicans. But how much worse will it be for America??? Let's face it - the bill for fixing this mess will come due over the next 8 yrs. People vote their pocketbooks, and Dem chances in 2012 will be a lot better if we stay out of Iran now.

So write, beg, (whatever)your representatives (and the administration!) now. If Cheney is planning to soften administration opposition, firm it up!

Legalize wrote on September 4, 2007 4:48 PM:

"Shows how little the current administration really cares for the Republican party, which is nothing apparantly."

I'm wondering if this is the reality that smacked Sen. Warner in the face last week, and caused him to announce that he is not running again, shortly thereafter. I'm hoping that Warner realized that continued support of the GOP merely enables the Crime Family in the White House, at the expense of EVERYTHING else. The administration has essentially told the GOP to go fuck itself; the party's fate isn't its problem. At the same time, the administration will be perfectly happy to make political life very difficult for all internal GOP dissenters, because it can still get the base all riled up.

All in the name of preserving its own bloated power, and preserving the cash flow for its cronies,

jane wrote on September 4, 2007 4:53 PM:

AUMF needs to be amended and Addington needs to be impeached for giving bad legal advice to the maladministration. Addington is the source of the idea that Bush can legally do whatever he wants because he is President.

Remember when we thought that calling the resonse to 9/11 was simply a slip of the bush's tongue? Someone in the administration really does want to turn this into a crusade against Moslems generallly.

The Mullahs in Iran are not my favorite people nor are they the favorite people of the Iranians and their strictures on society will collapse of their own wait if we give it time. Going to attack Iran
for nothing they have done besides support the same Iraqi Shiites we are supporting is ridiculous and will bring us the enmity of the billions of Moslems worldwide even more than that has already occurred because of Iraq.

All of this because Bush wanted to avenge the attack of his father. His view of feuds is no further advance that the tribal clans of Pakistan's Northwestern Territories. Honor killing on the scale of nations.

moondancer wrote on September 4, 2007 4:54 PM:

In line with the new preemptive policy, why not Pakistan? We certainly cant afford the wrong people to govern that country. Lets roll in there install our new provincial governor and be done with it.
And as long as we're mobilising, how hard would it be to take out Canada? With global warming that Arctic circle has great potential, plus it'd be good to end those cheap pharmaceuticals and all that nonsense about national health care.

TheraP wrote on September 4, 2007 4:58 PM:

I keep wondering how many secret alliances against US hegemony have been signed, and by whom, due to these arrogant @#%&*'s who think they have a right to invade and swagger and threaten anyone and everyone.

Whatever is going to come due one day... may be way more than these guys bargained for.

I have no crystal ball, no special knowledge. But surely history has shown that empires breed protective alliances.

brianm0122 wrote on September 4, 2007 4:59 PM:

RE: thethinredline:

"unless there's 'information' that the public doesn't know about yet"

I'm sure they will comme up with something, even if it is something as thin as a forgery from a third-world country about the sale of dangerous something-or-other.

Code word:blood

Scott L wrote on September 4, 2007 5:13 PM:

What's the problem? With us fighting in Iraq not much oil flows out of there and the "Texas Millionairs are now Texas Billionairs. If they can shut down Iran oil how much more profit is there for our top 1% ? Don't forget in Iraq if you don't properly protect the whole oil delivery system the other side will be more than happy to blow it up for you or steal it.(Good old supply and demand) Seems like the best of both worlds when you add in no bid contracts for your buddys in these wars. Why in the world would they want to stop now. And a added bonus- none of their kids are over there.

pterjy wrote on September 4, 2007 5:14 PM:

The first step for Cheney is to beat Gates and the pentagon into submission. This is Cheney infighting at its best. Gates could be dangerously rational, and the only thing between Cheney and total control over Bush's brain since the recent vacancy...Rove. Is there anyone left to guide George while he cries on Cheney's shoulder?

Could you imagine any other Vice President pulling a stunt like this. It is total manipulation of an incompetent and helpless President.

della Rovere wrote on September 4, 2007 5:24 PM:

Does Norm Ornstein know? Does he care?

gcchung wrote on September 4, 2007 5:34 PM:

Bush is not helpless. Bush is the puppet that thinks it's a real boy.

Anonymous wrote on September 4, 2007 5:35 PM:

According to that famously anonymous blogger, Cheney would be leaving in 2 to 3 weeks.
Didn't he say that?
Well,...if that's the case, the attack on Iran would have to be imminent....!!!

Code: when
Answer: Maybe tomorrow!

Anonymous wrote on September 4, 2007 5:40 PM:

I wonder what our frequent conspicuously anonymous blogger that claimed that Cheney will be gone in 2- 3 weeks has to say about all this.
If that is indeed the case, the attack on Iran has to be imminent. Maybe even tomorrow!!!

Security code: nation...as in, what happened to ours????

pestorms wrote on September 4, 2007 5:42 PM:

maybe bush and cheney don't intend on leaving anytime soon.

illlich wrote on September 4, 2007 5:45 PM:

When asked if a third war seems surreal, given the depth of investment the U.S. has given Iraq and Afghanistan, Rubin replies, "I'm out of adjectives."

"Surreal" doesn't apply because if you're a neo-con you make your OWN reality (take the TPM-TV spot today: "casualties are down, despite all the statistics proving otherwise"-- reminds me of a cartoon I once saw: Newspaper headline "USA STILL NUMBER ONE!!" and beneath it in smaller print "despite all empirical evidence").

illlich wrote on September 4, 2007 5:54 PM:

First, that morning, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich will give a speech contending that the war on terrorism needs to be viewed as "a world war that pits civilization against terrorists and their state sponsors who wish to impose a new dark age,"

This is dangerous thinking-- the kind of thinking that crated the Crusades (for which we are still paying the price). I'm sure Newt will insist the problem isn't ISLAM, just terrorism, but it's still just code for their neo-con brethren who think Islam = Evil.

Anonymous wrote on September 4, 2007 5:55 PM:

Translation, Cheney to Congress: Give us the time, troops, and $ we want for Iraq, or we'll waste 'em all on Iran. This is an effort to bully Congress into another capitulation next week, and it will probably work.

Bourgeois Liberal wrote on September 4, 2007 6:03 PM:

the only thing between Cheney and total control over Bush's brain since the recent vacancy...Rove.

Which is why Turdblossom's departure could mean that Cheney's already won the Kremlin power struggle over war with Iran.

If you're basically a GOP political operative--and that's Rove--it makes sense to get out of town and make yourself scarce before the foof hits the fan.

modmom wrote on September 4, 2007 6:05 PM:

Spencer nails it here:

"...given the expected opposition of the Democratic-controlled Congress? To that end, President Bush's decision to declare Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist group provides an opportunity."

CAN WE IMPEACH THIS CRAZY MAN BEFORE HE STARTS WWIII!

Doug@usa.com wrote on September 4, 2007 6:06 PM:

They can't afford the war they have, what would they do with another?

The US Government is going broke and soon will no longer be able to pay the mercenaries that keep justice at bay.

The US Army cannot even provide security within their own "Green Zone" in Baghdad and they think they can take on another fight? I say let them take it on, let the Sixth Army try to cross the Volga.

The US Army is led by fools who haven't even learned the lessons of the war they lost 30 years ago. And they are a criminal organization, which advocates the use of torture against innocent civilians caught in their sweeps of all military aged males. They are thus criminals on the order of their SS forebears and their destruction in the sands of Iraq and Iran is a GOOD thing, something that will make the innocent people of the world safer and more likely to live without being tortured, raped and/or murdered.

gwpriester wrote on September 4, 2007 6:31 PM:

The NY Times already has the first PR release from the White House which appeared on the website and will be in the paper tomorrow.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/world/middleeast/05iran.html?ex=1346644800&en=feb410ecdfe894f1&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

obssessiveprogressive wrote on September 4, 2007 7:04 PM:

So now it becomes clear. Cheney has been cleaning house of all of the folks who had a direct line to W's ear. Rove, Gonzo, Snow (although that might actually be the cancer) to clear a path for his Iran ambitions.

Look for Condi to resign before the year's up.

LoneWolf wrote on September 4, 2007 7:12 PM:

Operation DOSE Summarized
1. Bush was told that Operation Dose was initiated on or just before the July 29th - 30th Camp David meeting, although the weapons to be used had been en route via an Israeli submarine from some date before that. To achieve their objectives, the controllers in Houston must use a "weapon of mass destruction" and this will be a chemical or biological agent. I lean toward a chemical agent because I think it will be more dramatic on television, but I could easily be wrong. The weapons or their chemical components arrived on or about the 7th of August, and we suspect they were transferred to Navy Seals.

2. Unlike previous attempts, the DOSE attacks are expected to have such a strong impact that advance manipulation of stock markets is required. Gordon Brown referred to this as "seasoning" the markets. The term is unusual, but may refer to preparation as in seasoning a turkey. Regardless, global markets have seen, and continue to see, exceptional activity since the Camp David meeting that is scaring everyone involved. This is far beyond the level that could be explained by the cover story about the poor performance of certain homeowner mortgages. The normal stock cycle ends with a peak of enthusiasm which allows the big boys to unload their holdings onto a mesmerized public before the air rushes out of the balloon. There is definitely a lot of unloading going on, and apparently a "greater fool" to pick up much of it by the end of each week. The action is there, but it doesn't feel in any way normal.

3. An intense Internal Propaganda campaign to prepare the population was begun the same day the Camp David meeting ended. The majority of the disinformation feed will depend on the usual anonymous military and intelligence "sources" with most referencing imaginary intercepted communications. The buzzword for this is "chatter" and you can expect to see it everywhere. This imaginary chatter will increasingly suggest a major attack is imminent and, unlike previous campaigns, will use the term "multiple" whenever possible. Suggestions that the attacks will cause great fear and panic will also be in the mix.

4. You can expect a number of articles and programs to appear about chemical or biological weapons, how terrifying they are, and that Saddam at one time had quite a few. You will learn all about the Kurdish village that was destroyed this way. You will hear and read assurances that terrorists now possess them, may have them inside the U.S., and are itching to use them. (Watch for tilt toward chemical or biological weapons for a better guess at which will be used.)

5. Expect to see efforts to rekindle a strong sense of conflict with Iran. This should also include some reason that jihad-crazed Iranian maniacs might be more angry with us than usual. The objective of the exercise is to nuke Iran and then stroll in and occupy their oil fields with minimal effort. It is important that they be totally demonized in the eyes of the public. This has already begun, with an announcement that the upper tier of Iran's military is to officially designated as a terrorist organization by Bush ............

http://www.ken-welch.com/Reports/DOSE.html

....

phil james wrote on September 4, 2007 7:13 PM:

It's way too early to attack Iran unless the following scenario is under development. We attack Iran and they sustain major damage but do not retaliate immediately. Months later a state of emergency is declared when DHS "discovers" a massive terrorist plot emanating from Iran to take out seven major US cities just before the Nov 2008 elections. Elections are postponed until such time as the war on terror is won.

phil james wrote on September 4, 2007 7:19 PM:

And by the way. Does anyone doubt at this point that the Bush Administration has no intention whatsoever to withdraw troops from Iraq...ever? And that they will do whatever it takes to see to it that a troop withdrawal does not happen. Emphasis on whatever. So any idea that a counter-report or new statistics or a change in Iraqi training or anything else one way or the other might provide a persuasive argument to roll back the occupation is flat dreaming.

molly wrote on September 4, 2007 7:28 PM:

Maybe anonymous thinks Cheney will walk in front of a microwave and throw the electronics off. Our military needs to grow some balls and stop the dictator.

OCPatriot wrote on September 4, 2007 7:55 PM:

Hey, guys, what about that dreaded word "oil"? It's the 600 pound gorilla that nobody wants to talk about. Words like "power struggle" and "balance of power in the Middle East" and the like = "oil" and who gets to control it. The President and his Vice President never seem to mention that three letter word "oil"; how interesting, isn't it?

Back in July Senator Stevens let the cat out of the bag when he said: "If we leave prematurely, it would be absolute anarchy. We'd be turning over to al-Qaida one of the largest oil-producing states in the world." Enough said.

Joe wrote on September 4, 2007 8:26 PM:

Democrats in Congress should start a drumbeat for Cheney's impeachment.

back.to.mother wrote on September 4, 2007 9:00 PM:

We haven't listened to Orwell. Whatever they find or create to label a "provocation" is sure to bring massive airstrikes on Iran. This in turn will bring economic chaos in the U.S., and a once-in-Cheney's-miserable-lifetime opportunity for the demise of what passes for constitutional government here in the USA.

not too hard to see it all coming down...

Al in Austex wrote on September 4, 2007 9:02 PM:

We need for the entire House to get after Cheney 's Impeachment immediately . We need for the true conservatives at AEI re: as Norm Orstein TO REFUTE THE VEEP AGITPROP for attacking Iran. We need Bob Barr, & the other True Conservatives to come out swinging against "Prime Minister" Cheney.
We must stop this neocon madness, ..The high crimes that we could Impeach the Veep for would be the illegal wiretapping & surveillance of US citizens -
I think Cong Ron Paul would support impeaching Cheney if he was convinced that the neo-cons were in fact going to bomb Tehran .
The best way to derail the coming conflict with Iran is to remove Cheney from office.

Ralph Wiznitzer wrote on September 4, 2007 9:48 PM:

This isnt suprised me at all because from the year 1967 israel arab war, during the war Golda Meir spoke with President Nixon in a nice way " MR. PRESIDENT IF YOU DONT GIVE ME THE AMERICAN WARFARE TECHNOLOGY OR I HAVE NO CHOICE SENDING MOST OF THE NUKE BOMB ON THEN PLEASE MR PRESIDENT NIXON"
MR.NIXON SEND $1.5 BILLION AIR FORCES TECHNOLOGY, TANKS ECT, ECT IN 48 HOURS.

TODAY PRESIDENT BUSH WILL BOMB SOMETIME THIS YEAR BY SUPRISE ( WHEN NOT SURE YET BUT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR SOMEWHERE )

THIS IS NOT PERSONAL THIS IS THE LAST TIME EVER USE THE NUKE BOMB ON EARTH WE ALL HAVE NO CHOICE

Toxophilite wrote on September 4, 2007 9:58 PM:

With what troops are we supposed to fight a new war? We don't have that many soldiers, even adding in all the National Guards. I think we can pretty well rule out a draft as likely to incite massive riots. That leaves mercenaries. I bet Blackwater is licking their lips. Orwell, rejoice!

The Endq wrote on September 4, 2007 10:18 PM:

WATCH OUT--the neo-con crazies are probably getting desperate, and might well resort to staging another false-flag terrorist attack on the U.S., another inside job like 9/11 to provide a passable excuse to bomb the hell out of Iran.

Like a junkie needing his fix, these neo-con terror-addicts will stage another attack of some sort, giving them free reign to do whatever they want--and what they want is catastrophic for America.

Fred C. Dobbs wrote on September 4, 2007 10:51 PM:

>>> Either way, unless Iran nukes Israel or something, basically the Republicans get screwed.

Couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch.

biker wrote on September 4, 2007 11:01 PM:

I have always assumed the war is about oil and western oil companies viability depending on availability of new reserves. Since the Caspian reserves are not what was predicted, only the middle east has promising reserves. So here we are. We will not leave Iraq. Besides the war has been a success for the war and weapons industries (MIC) involved. Profits are unbelievable.

Now if we can capitalize on Iran's reserves, all the better. Of course, we will just charge the war to future American generations and let the oil corporations take the profit now. Remember Halliburtion has relocated to Dubai which has no extradition treaty with the US. Cheney is set. Other corporations will internationalize as the dollar becomes less stable. The retirement plans of well heeled Americans will disappear when the currency of choice becomes the Euro. The corporations will know when to go, even if we individuals don't.

Victory over Iran will keep oil prices low until the reserves run out. Then the destruction of the constitution and Bill of Rights in the Patriot Act proves useful to suppress riots at home, and the FEMA detention camps will prove more efficient than its help to New Orleans. The Ministry of Defense in the United Kingdom says the greatest threats to the UK in the next 30 years will come from domestic unrest. From the lack of oil??

Democracy, what democracy? Only if the ignorant are quickly educated and act in unison will the destruction of our collective mythology in a constitution be avoided. Find your best arguments now.

Am I a conspiracy theorist? You bet. Find a better explanation that fits the data. I will listen.

My fingers are crossed.

GOPhuckYourself wrote on September 4, 2007 11:51 PM:

Has it occurred to anyone that Al Qaeda is a secret arm of the Bush Adminstration?

Eliminate the impossible, and whatever remains, however improbable, is the truth.

The hijackers were Saudis. We've given the Taliban Afghanistan. Bin Laden has never been found. Nothing benefited Bush more than 9/11. Etc.

Posted by: Kevin Kilty

As Bush has fucked up every thing he has ever tried to do, if this scenario were the case, he would have ended up bringing al Qaeda down and bringing peace to the Middle East.

Bardy wrote on September 4, 2007 11:54 PM:

I couldn't agree with Fred C Dobbs more. Are you lot too afraid to mention the real reason this chaos is going on. Israel and its zionist/neo-con murderous factions are behind all these actions against the Muslim folks. Israel wants complete and utter destruction of any possible so called threat to it's maniacal ambitions. israel cowardly hides behind false flag actions and then the jewish bastards that do all and give all to israel commit OUR(USA) troops to fight for israel's "Clash of Civilizations".
you know what, "fuck israel", and I'll wear the anti-semite label with honor, fuck israel!!!
Cheers
Bardy

gandhi wrote on September 5, 2007 12:08 AM:

Cheney at war with the Pentagon, eh? Well, that might help explain who hacked into the Pentagon's email system a few weeks ago. The Chinese insist it wasn't them...

jeremiah wrote on September 5, 2007 12:29 AM:

Just because they are accused of being the great Satan doesn't mean they need to act like it.

Bush, Cheney and the cabal in the White House are warmongers and need to be defeated and cast out of office.

Roger wrote on September 5, 2007 1:04 AM:

I've been a long time reader of liberal blogs but have never written a comment or a posting before. So here goes.
I have read many times that the administration decided sending in American special forces to kill or capture UBL at Tora Bora would too severely interrupt planning and training for deployment to Iraq of said special forces units and that this was the primary reason that it was not done. The commanders on the ground were forced to use very unreliable and bribable militia commanders, warlords, etc who naturally failed, allowing Bin Laden to escape. This, it seems to me, is always explained as a prime example of the Bush adminstration's incompetance in the face of adversity.
I do not believe this to be the case.
I certainly do not have any proof for what I am going to write especially because much of it would require going into the very thoughts of the men that made the aforementioned decisions but I believe that what follows is certainly plausable.
I believe that the adminstration let UBL get away on purpose. The reason is simple as pie. They wanted to keep their boogey man. If they had killed UBL at Tora Bora I believe many American's would be saying, "Look we conquered Afghanistan and our glorious military has killed (or captured) the miscreant(s) responsible for 9-11," case closed. It would have been MUCH harder to drum up support for invading Iraq in the spring of '03 if Bin Laden and most of Al Quaida was dead and Afganistan was on it's way to some sort of stability. However, with UBL still running around and Al Quaida still in existance one of the adminstration's chief arguments for a war with Iraq was still very viable and fear inducing. In short, the neocons with their pre-set agenda found Osama Bin Laden the murderer of more than 2,500 Americans a very convienant tool and they were not going to abet his killing before his purpose was fulfilled. Unfortunately now the incompetent boobs coulnd't find him if they wanted to. We, the American people living in the real world will have to live with the bloody results of these idealogically driven decisions for years to come. The people responsible should have to pay a steep price for these undemocratic and unscrupulous decisions.

joeh wrote on September 5, 2007 2:01 AM:

Democrats will not be the salvation that all think they will be! That is why Hillary is always sitting on the fence on this very issue.
The elite have a plan and it will be carried out unless many,many find out about it.
And Nostradamus's prediction will eventuate where there will be a religious war. The west v's the muslims.
With the US,s & Israel's continual bully tactics of interference/control of the mideast countries - can u expect them not to retaliate after so many years.
These countries certainly have the cannon fodder to spare with large populations that feel they have nothing to loose if they rise up against the US & its allies, as they have no meaningful life at the moment.[ eg Palestine Hezbullah, etc]
Reminds me how the US squeeze Japan so hard in 1941 that it retaliated with pearl habour attack.
The blunders of post Iraq dont happen by accident!

Use history to try and predict the future.
The older i get, I realise history is so applicble to current & future events.

Gather pieces of the jigsaw to build the picture.

joeh in Oz

Ian McGarrett wrote on September 5, 2007 5:15 AM:

I just read about a leaked Pentagon report blaming China for a cyber attack that crippled the Pentagon for a week, specifically naming the People's Liberation Army. Bombs have yet to rain on Tehran and these guys are already setting the stage for their next war.

dr rdw wrote on September 5, 2007 6:26 AM:

The first pretext for war came on 9/11. That event made all others possible. The destruction of the constitution at home. The invasion of Afghanistan for oil pipelines from the Caspian Sea Basin. The restoration of the opium trade (see CIA funding). Positioning for the confrontation with Russia & China. The invasion of Iraq to control its oil and create permanent uber-military bases to partly encircle the relevant oil/natural gas producing areas of western asia. Positioning for the war against Iran (also on the PNAC agenda). Remember too, it's not just petrocarbons. Iran also has very abundant supplies of uranium ore in its mountains.
2. The pretext for war with Iran may come as a false flag 'Gulf of Tonkin'-type event, a 'terrorist' attack here - as noted by Zbiegnew Brezinski - or perhaps simply the ratcheting up of the accusations that Iran is supplying weapons to Iraq Shiia.

The PNAC boys and girls have long stated that their goal is a 'unipolar world' ; that is, global hegemony for the money/corporate masters of the west. But the positioning in the middle east is simply the attempt to gain control of peaking energy resources in the middle east to 1. secure energy for the global hegemon, 2. to deny it to or control its provision to China (China gets a lot of its oil and natural gas from Iran), 3. and to set up the 'Grand Chessboard' for the U.S. military confrontation with Russia and China.

Russia and China (and several states) have not been sitting idly by. With the creation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (including strategic planning and military coordination), the stage is being set for THE global confrontation. The neocons (and their masters) know full well that the agenda must be kept on schedule with respect to Iran if the whole deal is to unfold as desired. They can't allow Russia and China to consolidate their 'front lines' for the looming showdown. Timing is all.

There are many more details - do your research. But as an aside, it is also the case that the petro dollar is dying. Its death is probably also a part of the plan inasmuch as it will lead to the final collapse of the American economy, institution of the North American Union, implementation of the Amero (the name for the new currency), destruction of the middle class and essential enslavement (remember, Nick Rockefeller refers to us as 'Serfs" and his relative David has called us 'Slaves'. It may well be that a false flag sort of event - most likely a pandemic bird-flu sort of 'national emergency' will be initiated to allow for FEMA to manage the reorganization of the U.S. under the control of BushCo. This takeover will facilitate NAU creation, control of the populace up to and including relocation and even detention of dissidents in all those nice new (or refurbished) concentration camps funding was authorized for a couple of years ago. Remember too, that ALL of the relevant laws, presidential directives and signing statements are in place now to accomplish just that.

The frogs are just about to reach the boiling point. And there will be no jumping out.

Most Americans have no clue. The rest of us are panicked. Not knowing how in hell to stop all this crap from happening. But happen it will.

medicis

Robert wrote on September 5, 2007 10:13 AM:

Does anyone remember Article I section 8 of the Constitution??? Only congress can declare war. That is no longer the case. They can't vote away their responsibility for expedience.

Lord Garth wrote on September 5, 2007 12:23 PM:

The Iraq war is just another of Cheney's business deals. Same with Iran. Only traitorous dogs support this insane administration.

Sollyboy wrote on September 5, 2007 2:01 PM:

If oil gets to $4 or $5 a gallon, as it will within hours of cowards Bush and Cheney's war against Iran, our economy will go into the tank. We live in an economy based on cheap oil; we live in suburbs depending on cheap oil. The stock market will drop precipitously, wiping out the holding of huge numbers of american holdig 401Ks, Keoughs, and IRAs, causing mortgage holders to default as mass unemplment occurs, among other. the government will default on its bonds, causing world-wide depression and a turn toward authoritarianism, as in the 1930s. The shivering cowards B and C will have achieved their goal of destroying the legacy of the New Deal -- as well as the world. Global warming will seem like Mary Poppins compared to the chaos and spreading war and the fiscal crisis.

TEL wrote on September 5, 2007 2:50 PM:

If there is an attack on Iran it won't be a ground attack, it will be an air attack - that is how it would start at least. We don't have the troops/equipment for anything else. It would be an attempt to piss off the Iranians enough so they directly intervene in Iraq.

The fact that we are hearing so much about Cheney's attempts to push this forward is actually good news. It means that he's lost the initiative, the ability to push the buttons without getting checked on it first. Ol' Cheney is probably not aware of it, but he's already lost much of the power he's taken for granted in the previous 6+ years.

kim smith wrote on September 5, 2007 7:37 PM:

It's all a bunch of pure bull intended as part of Cheney's rule by creating fear in the sheeple of the US Fascist Empire. Like the story about nuclear weapons being flown over US territory.

Cheney is the real evil-doer in this fascist junta that is dominated by the "Christian Right"...wouldn't the term "Christo-fascists" be a more reliable descriptor of the current "leadership"? and their COMPLETE lack of morality and compassion. It would suit me just fine if some "islamo-fascists" got their hands on his wife and all of his relatives (grandchildren included); "Haditha Style" and let him survive to know their slaughter and torture "US Style" was his final reward for his "Service" to his Zionist masters in Nazi Jeruslam LOL!!

Nukes are flown over our heads all the time. On March 11, 1958 a US Air force B-47 acidently dropped a nuke on Darlington SC. There was no nuclear explosion because the detonation process requires that all detonators fire precisely to create the implosion needed to create the chain reaction. However there was a conventional explosion that basically made that nuke a "dirty bomb".

Why all the hulla-baloo? It's just another exercise in a lead up to another "911" at the behest of our rabid "Deciders'" puppet masters in Nazi Jerusalem to murder millions more "Islamo-Fascists" in Iran.

Perhaps the next "unexplained" fly-over will get hijacked by those nasty Iranian "Republican Guards" and get flown into the Sears Tower or a Tennessee football game.

Just remember this: "911" was an inside job and the next will be by the same players such as MOSSAD, CIA, Halliburton and KBR et-all.

As 2 time Medal of Honor winner Marine General Smedley Butler wrote, before; Ike's warning in his farewell Address: "WAR IS A RACKET"

If Nazi Israel did not exist: there would be none of this talk!

Jon Koppenhoefer wrote on September 5, 2007 10:53 PM:

In the words of General Smedley Butler: 'War is a Racket.'

dr rdw wrote on September 5, 2007 11:21 PM:

Kim Smith, the comment about offing Cheney's grandchildren smacks of conintelpro to me. Try Cheney, convict Cheney, cut of Cheney's head... ok. When you bring the children into it, it seems to me you are trying to give concerned folks a bad name by suggesting folks who may believe along the lines I posted earlier are crazy, insane and murderous. That we would harm children or otherwise act inhumanely. Thus, I have to say, I regard you as conintelpro and disinfo; i.e., a shill.

Sorry. Hope you don't take offence......

Al in Austex wrote on September 6, 2007 5:11 AM:

Kim Smith - please refrain from posting comments describing criminal acts against the families of public officials . We are all very concerned about the NEOCON agenda , and what a potentially suicidal war with Iran would do to destroy these United States.
Kim comments such as killing elected officials kids is exactly what the NEOCONS would want to see posted hear- it plays exactly into their narrative about the "TRAITOROUS LEFT " .
Kim you aren't a troll hired by Mehlman & Gillispie are you ?
SC CODE FEAR - "as we have nothing to fear but fear itself -" FDR

kim smith wrote on September 6, 2007 6:51 AM:

NO! Not a "shill", "traitorous left", "conintelpro" or anything like that.

What I described is how the Cheney cabal operates. I make no threats here or anywhere toward anyone. Cheney/Bush have authorized and ordered that the families and children of suspected "terrorists" be tortured and murdered in the presence of the "suspect" to make them talk. Remember Abu-Ghraib? (tip of a gargantuous ice berg)

My prayer is that: THEIR CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST.

This religious war they started is one of the main reasons the rest of the world is not with us. Unless our "leadership" changes it's amoral course of GENOCIDAL madness very soon: All is lost.

As a Viet-Nam vet I am aware of the racist ideology driving this once great nation to ruin. To put some sort of analogy to this situation: Imagine this is Rome under the fist of the Emperor Caligula...not much time remains in a land where "elections" are a mere mirage with the advent of electronic voting where there are nothing but thieves and scoundrels running for office.

I take no offense or offer any threats to anyone. I just happen to be for the underdog which is a middle class being destroyed by a "government" run by homicidal maniacs and economic perverts.

I.M. SMALL wrote on November 9, 2007 12:17 PM:

THE NEOCONS

Nature they loathed, and next to nature, art;
They strove with all, all worth more than their strife;
They worshipped cash, and gave it all their heart,
So cold they lived, and cold departed life.