Labels: Iran attack, rant, warmongering

In June 2010 Congress strengthened the sanctions against Iran, with even more severe penalties against foreign companies. The Obama administration has been rapidly expanding US offensive capacity in the African island of Diego Garcia, claimed by Britain, which had expelled the population so that the US could build the massive base it uses for attacks in the Central Command area. The Navy reports sending a submarine tender to the island to service nuclear-powered guided-missile submarines with Tomahawk missiles, which can carry nuclear warheads. Each submarine is reported to have the striking power of a typical carrier battle group. According to a US Navy cargo manifest obtained by the Sunday Herald (Glasgow), the substantial military equipment Obama has dispatched includes 387 "bunker busters" used for blasting hardened underground structures. Planning for these "massive ordnance penetrators," the most powerful bombs in the arsenal short of nuclear weapons, was initiated in the Bush administration, but languished. On taking office, Obama immediately accelerated the plans, and they are to be deployed several years ahead of schedule, aiming specifically at Iran.

"They are gearing up totally for the destruction of Iran," according to Dan Plesch, director of the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy at the University of London. "US bombers and long range missiles are ready today to destroy 10,000 targets in Iran in a few hours," he said. "The firepower of US forces has quadrupled since 2003," accelerating under Obama.

The Arab press reports that an American fleet (with an Israeli vessel) passed through the Suez Canal on the way to the Persian Gulf, where its task is "to implement the sanctions against Iran and supervise the ships going to and from Iran." British and Israeli media report that Saudi Arabia is providing a corridor for Israeli bombing of Iran (denied by Saudi Arabia). On his return from Afghanistan to reassure NATO allies that the US will stay the course after the replacement of General McChrystal by his superior, General Petraeus, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen visited Israel to meet IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi and senior military staff along with intelligence and planning units, continuing the annual strategic dialogue between Israel and the U.S. The meeting focused "on the preparation by both Israel and the U.S. for the possibility of a nuclear capable Iran," according to Haaretz, which reports further that Mullen emphasized that "I always try to see challenges from Israeli perspective." Mullen and Ashkenazi are in regular contact on a secure line.

Labels: Barack Obama, capitulation, insanity, Iran attack, Israel, war hawks

Six months ago, after American intelligence agencies declared that Iran had shelved its nuclear-weapons program, the chances of a U.S. or Israeli military strike on Iran before President Bush left office seemed remote.

Now, thanks to persistent pressure from Israeli hawks and newly stated concerns by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the idea of a targeted strike meant to cripple Iran's nuclear program is getting a new hearing.

As Bush travels across Europe to gain support for possible new sanctions against Iran, Israeli leaders have been working to lay the psychological foundation for a possible military strike if diplomacy falters.

In public threats and private briefings with American decision-makers, Israeli officials have been making the case that a military strike may be the only way to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions.

"Temperatures are rising," said Emily Landau, an Iran specialist at the Institute for National Security Studies, an independent Israeli research center.

Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert have met twice in recent weeks for extended talks on Iran. America's intelligence chief, Mike McConnell, has traveled to Israel for private briefings, and Israeli Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz publicly declared that a military strike on Iran may be "unavoidable."

In Germany on Wednesday, Bush said that "all options are on the table" if Iran doesn't abandon its uranium enrichment programs.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad greeted Bush's initiative by mocking the latest international efforts.

"They've tried by military threats ... and political pressure to stop you from your luminous path," Ahmadinejad reportedly told a rally in Iran on Wednesday. "But today they have seen that all their planning has failed.

"Today the Iranian nation is standing on the nuclear height."

Intelligence analysts disagree over the likelihood of a military strike on Iran before Bush leaves office. But there's little disagreement about the possible repercussions, which could include missile strikes on Israel, an attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities, renewed attacks on Israel from Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, a resurgence of Shiite Muslim resistance to U.S. forces in Iraq or an attack on oil shipping in the Persian Gulf, which could send crude oil prices well above $200 a barrel.

Some analysts view the latest Israeli threats as an attempt to put pressure on Iran to capitulate to Western demands. Other analysts see the Israeli campaign as intended to press the Bush administration to take the lead if the two nations decide to launch a military strike on Iran.

"The most likely scenario is that the Israelis will train and prepare as if they are very serious — and that's part of the bluff to get the U.S. engaged," said John McCreary, a retired intelligence analyst for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Labels: Bush Administration, insanity, Iran attack

We are nuking Iran this summer (peak driving time; lots of opportunity for gas prices to blow SKY HIGH for their oil tycoon friends) or just after Labor Day, when everyone is paying attention, can freak out, and go rushing to the polls for McCain.

LISTEN UP: AIN'T NO ONE GIVING CONTROL OF THE NUCLEAR FOOTBALL TO A BLACK DUDE OR A WOMAN DURING A NUC-LEAR WAR.

The Football is going to the Fighter Jock ex-POW, high-temper and all. Frightened white people will NEVER vote control of launch codes to a nig**r or a gi*l.

“If Bush/Cheney nukes Iran (or starts a war), initially, can a black or woman win?”

No.
Another edition of Short Answers to Foolish Questions:

McCain would win by 10-15%.

[snip]

Ain't nobody stopping this here permanent Republican revolution, no Sir. More importantly, ain't nobody nailing Dick Cheney or George W. Bush for war crimes. Nobody named President John McCain, that is. That's the deal. [Video at the link.] McCain already said clearly and publicly he won't be going after them: “I do not agree with your sentiment that there has been widespread corruption. I just don't accept that.” So no justice for what's happened, and how would he have time? Not when he's busy fighting a Global War on Terror with weekly attacks in huge LIBERAL cities all across the United States by actual terrorists major league pissed 'cause we fucking turned Iran into a glass parking lot.

Nothing like a weekly 9/11 attack to cause Americans to Rally Round the Flag, Boys, Rally Round the Flag like nothing else on earth. The flag of Jesus Christ, the United States of America, Purity Balls for Daddy's Little Girls to keep her sacred [you know] safe from everyone but Daddy, and the triumph of Republican Party for 1,000 years, Amen and Amen.

And if you think Bush/Cheney won't nuke anyone, remember...

No one including their parents and the Draft Board has ever told these folks "NO" and made it stick.

Labels: batshit crazies, George W. Bush, insanity, Iran attack, John McCain

Just two days after the U.S. Navy released the eerie video of Iranian speedboats swarming around American warships, which featured a chilling threat in English, the Navy is saying that the voice on the tape could have come from the shore or from another ship.

The near-clash occurred over the weekend in the Strait of Hormuz. On the U.S.-released recording, a voice can be heard saying to the Americans, "I am coming to you. You will explode after a few minutes."


The Navy never said specifically where the voices came from, but many were left with the impression they had come from the speedboats because of the way the Navy footage was edited.

Today, the spokesperson for the U.S. admiral in charge of the Fifth Fleet clarified to ABC News that the threat may have come from the Iranian boats, or it may have come from somewhere else.

We're saying that we cannot make a direct connection to the boats there," said the spokesperson. "It could have come from the shore, from another ship passing by. However, it happened in the middle of all the very unusual activity, so as we assess the information and situation, we still put it in the total aggregate of what happened Sunday morning. I guess we're not saying that it absolutely came from the boats, but we're not saying it absolutely didn't."

The big telephone companies are only too happy to let the feds snoop on your phone calls and Internet use --- as long as the government pays its bills. But an audit has just revealed that the telcos have been cutting off wiretaps, because the incompetent FBI has been unable to pay its phone bills on time.

Forget the constitution --- when it comes to wiretapping and Internet-tapping, for the telcos, it's only the bottom line that matters. The AP reports that a Justice Department audit has found that phone companies "have cut off FBI wiretaps used to eavesdrop on suspected criminals because of the bureau's repeated failures to pay phone bills on time."

The report found that more than half of 990 bills supposed to pay for surveillance in five FBI field offices weren't paid on time. In just one office, the report found, "unpaid costs for wiretaps from one phone company totaled $66,000." And when the bills weren't paid, the telcos often cut off the surveillance.

In one case, the report found, a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) investigation had to be cut off because the FBI didn't pay its bills on time. The AP notes, "FISA wiretaps are used in the government's most sensitive and secretive criminal investigations, and allow eavesdropping on suspected terrorists or spies."

It's hard to know which is worse, the venality of the phone companies, or the incompetence of the FBI. When it comes to what appears to be illegal wiretapping and Internet-tapping by the NSA, the telephone companies say they have no choice but to invade people's privacy --- the government says they have to do it. But as this report shows, that's the case only so long as the bills are paid.

Labels: Bush Administration, idiocy, Iran attack, NSA wiretapping

1. It will be far worse than Iraq which hasn't turned out well at all.

2. You will demonstrate to the world the US is no longer a super power.

3. Such an attack will ruin what little respect any country has for the US.

4. Iran will attack world-wide on a scale you won't believe.

5. You can't destroy all of Iran's offensive capabilities fast enough to prevent retaliation.

6. Ten dollar per gallon oil? Oh yeah, that's not a bad thing. I forgot.

7. Obviously Israel, Syria, Lebanon and others will join in.

8. You will wreck what's left of the US military.

9. Even Iranians deserve to live. You will kill civilians in obscene numbers.

10. You will be personally responsible for the deaths of millions of people throughout the Mid-East.

11. People around the world will revile you until the day you die and probably long after. What a great fucking legacy.

12. Your father may finally disown you. Oh, I forgot, you don't really care.

13. Everyone will finally realize just how psychotic you actually are.

14. Your balls will shrivel up and most likely fall off.

15. No doubt almost everyone will see your foreign policy was shit.

16. Paraguay may be too close to the US for you.

17. Because Iran can retaliate, Lebanon is viable, the PA is viable, Syria is viable, you may well trigger the destruction of Israel.

18. You will no longer be able to vacation in the Persian Gulf.

19. Quite possibly you'll see the sinking of one or more US warships.

20. Most likely many of the US's allies will lose thousands of people.

21. You will postpone and guarantee Iran's having nuclear weapons.

22. Its probable Iran won't be the last to develop nuclear weapons as that's the only way to keep you from attacking them.

23. You will prove beyond a doubt you are the most stupid fucker to ever lead a country...period.

24. The 23% approval rate you have may fall down to just members of the US Congress.

25. You will single handedly destroy what's left of the GOP. OK, that could be a good thing.

26. If you're lucky (we're all lucky?) this won't incite a world war.

27. Can you say military coup d’état? They've happened for lesser reasons.

28. You will crush the US economy which you've already decimated.

29. Billions of dollars in military aircraft will be lost. You don't think the Iranians won't fight back, do you?

30. Russia and China are nearby. They may decide its in their best interests to stop you. And China doesn't even have to intervene militarily. It could just call in its US debt. Huge fucking oops!

31. Then there are the American lives to be lost. Can't have enough of those can you, Bush?

Labels: Bush, Iran attack