CBS is reporting that Israel is pressuring the Bush administration to attack Iran: (emphasis mine)
“…Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen leaves Tuesday night on an overseas trip that will take him to Israel, reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin. The trip has been scheduled for some time but U.S. officials say it comes just as the Israelis are mounting a full court press to get the Bush administration to strike Iran’s nuclear complex.
“CBS consultant Michael Oren says Israel doesn’t want to wait for a new administration….“
More Below the Fold:
“…Israel’s message is simple: If you don’t, we will. Israel held a dress rehearsal for a strike earlier this month, but military analysts say Israel can not do it alone…”
“..Keep in mind that Israel does not have strategic bombers,” Oren said. “The Israeli Air Force is not the American Air Force. Israel can not eliminate Iran’s nuclear program…”
“…The U.S. with its stealth bombers and cruise missiles has a much greater capability. Vice President Cheney is said to favor a strike, but both Mullen and Defense Secretary Gates are opposed to an attack which could touch off a third war in the region…”
Unfortunately, Mullen and Gates could very well be right that an attack “could touch off a third war in the region”. Besides the fact that US forces, especially ships in and near the Gulf, are well within striking range of Iranian missiles, there’s the fact that Russia and China-who are very much concerned with the oil resources in the region-and have strengthened their ties with each other and with Iran over recent years and last year warned the US off attacking Iran:
“…The leaders of Russia, China and Iran said Thursday that Central Asia should be left alone to manage its stability and security _ an apparent warning to the United States to avoid interfering in the strategic, resource-rich region…”
Today’s report by CBC follows this report on Rawstory yesterday: (Ex-CIA Official) McGovern: “Iran Attack is coming soon”.
“…In a new editorial published by AntiWar.com, former CIA officer Ray McGovern states that he believes “a perfect storm seems to be gathering in late summer or early fall,” when the Bush administration and allies in Israel will launch attacks against Iran…
“This time it will be largely the Air Force’s show, punctuated by missile and air strikes by the Navy,” writes McGovern. “Israeli-American agreement has now been reached at the highest level; the armed forces planners, plotters and pilots are working out the details.”
The reports of an Iran strike have been increasing in recent days/weeks: On Friday, the BBC reported: Israelis ‘Rehearse Iran Attack’ and on Friday, June 6, The Guardian reported: ‘Unavoidable’ Iran Attack Looms, says Israeli Minister.
Is this saber rattling or is this a heads up about the neocons doing what they have been planning to do for some time? No one will know for sure until it is too late. I know that there have been ongoing reports before about an attack on Iran that thankfully haven’t come to pass, but I’m wondering whether “the US officials” that spoke to CBS about Mullen’s previously scheduled trip to Israel may have been a wee bit concerned when they added that “it comes just as the Israelis are mounting a full court press to get the Bush administration to strike Iran’s nuclear complex”? I know I am.
Sadly, there hasn’t been much reaction or analysis by Congress or by the media-no one is holding Bush’s feet to the fire on this. FWIW–you know who to call: US House of Reps. And US Senate: Senators contact info. I hope this is just rumor, but it won’t hurt to ask Congress members if they heard the CBC report, and ask what is their position regarding an attack on Iran.
ADDENDUM: Congress hasn’t been entirely inactive on this. On May 22, 2008, Rep. Ackerman & 169 cosponsors introduced H.CON.RES 362 excerpts below: (emphasis mine)
“…Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the threat posed to international peace, stability in the Middle East, and the vital national security interests of the United States by Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and regional hegemony, and for other purposes…”
“Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress–… demands that the President initiate an international effort to immediately and dramatically increase the economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on Iran to verifiably suspend its nuclear enrichment activities by, inter alia, prohibiting the export to Iran of all refined petroleum products; imposing stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran; and prohibiting the international movement of all Iranian officials not involved in negotiating the suspension of Iran’s nuclear program…”
Current status of the Resolution: “Status: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.” Yes, 170+ members of Congress are “demanding” that the President “increase pressure” on Iran, including imposing “inspection” requirements on all persons, vehicls, ships, planes, trains & cargo entering or departing Iran”…they didn’t specify WHO will be inspecting or how Iran & its allies might react to those efforts, but why nitpick?
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Time is getting short for the neocons, who think they can pull off a “surgical strike” on Iran without consequences. They’ve been so accurate on their predictions before, right?
also says he will resign if Iran is attacked, and added as assessment of his own of the situation and the likely results of an attack.
Fri Jun 20, 2008
over at CB and thought “wow, this should be an essay at DD”
Thank you for this excellent essay, serendipity.
This panel was 6/24/08 at Berkeley Unitarian Fellowship.
And, yes, they all think this is a very dangerous time and that an attack on Iran (by either Israel or U.S. first) is immanent and probable (although not a certainty).
This is what I gleaned from the discussion:
1) Cheney & Petraeus are for it (joined by those who go along with whatever they say).
2) Admiral Mullen was against attacking Iran and, ergo, against Cheney. This is why Mullen was removed as Commander of CentCom and replaced by Petraeus.
3)Petraeus’ career was punctuated all the way along by complicity in the wishes of his bosses.
4) The JCS (Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Services) and the Pentagon (implying Gates also) are against.
4) (this I didn’t fully get, but…) Larry Everest
stated, quite definitively, that something had made the Pent & JCS irrelevant to any decision to attack. Everest mentioned an article in March ’08 “Esquire” with an interview of Fallon.
Ellsberg believes that the most likely time for attack is between the election and inauguration, but he feels the neo-cons know that they MUST attack before a possible Obama Administrtion.
(but I was too tired and sad last night to put into words)
And the hypocrisy of the situation is beyond absurd.
The United States boasts about ramping up our use nuclear power to fight global warming, even calling it a “renewable energy”; yet, when Iran wants to do this (for the same reason) they are labeled a potential threat by members of Congress and the administration.
The United States helped Iran start its nuclear power program in the 1950’s after Eisenhower’s Atoms for Peace speech.
The United States is the only nation that has ever used large-scale nuclear weapons on another nation.
The United States continues to increase its own nuclear weapons capabilities.
The United States now illegally occupies another nation.
The United States detains and tortures innocent civilians.
The United States spies on its own citizens.
The United States does not comply with the provisions of the Kyoto Treaty, the International Court, and the United Nations.
The Congress, President, and Vice President of the United States withhold information about their imperialistic intentions from people of this nation and the entire global community.
The United States – that wants to force its brand of “Democracy” on the rest of the world – is among the worst of nations when it comes to infant mortality, life expectancy, imprisoned population, the unemployed and uneducated, the gap between the rich and poor.
The United States is already the threat that Iran is accused of potentially becoming – we are the monster.
…on Znet & Flashpoints.
znet
Sere…
Thought you’d be interested in this from Znet & KPFA’s “Flashpoints” program by Dennis Bernstien.—
Maybe you’ve already seen this, but don’t want you to miss it…just in case.