Seymour Hersh has a new article about the coming U.S. attack on Iran in The New Yorker. CNN’s Wolf Blitzer interviewed him this morning. Scary, scary stuff. Must-read.
At a White House meeting with Cheney this summer, according to a former senior intelligence official, it was agreed that, if limited strikes on Iran were carried out, the Administration could fend off criticism by arguing that they were a defensive action to save soldiers in Iraq. If Democrats objected, the Administration could say, “Bill Clinton did the same thing; he conducted limited strikes in Afghanistan, the Sudan, and in Baghdad to protect American lives.†The former intelligence official added, “There is a desperate effort by Cheney et al. to bring military action to Iran as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the politicians are saying, ‘You can’t do it, because every Republican is going to be defeated, and we’re only one fact from going over the cliff in Iraq.’ But Cheney doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the Republican worries, and neither does the President.â€
General Petraeus testified before Congress that America is already engaged in a “proxy war” with Iran inside Iraq. The Senate just passed a resolution that gives a green light to an attack on Iran. Is something about to happen?
UPDATE: Uh oh. In Monday’s White House press briefing, Helen Thomas gave spokesperson Dana Perino several opportunities to deny Hersh’s article. Here’s one:
Q: But the article very specifically said that this summer in a video conference — secure video conference with Ambassador Crocker, the President said that he was thinking about “hitting Iran” and also –
MS. PERINO: I’m not going to comment on — one, I don’t know. I wouldn’t have been at any — at that type of a meeting. I don’t know. I’m not going to comment on any possible — any possible scenario that an anonymous source, you know, continues to feed into Sy Hersh. I’m just not going to do it.
Perino only offered non-answers.
#1 by Ken Schreiner on September 30, 2007 - 8:48 am
It’s clear that people other than those in government and the military are calling the shots. The neo-con cabal that led us into Iraq is so ideologically obsessed they have no concept of troop strength or cost nor do they care. The American people? World opinion? Screw ‘em. Iran, Blackwater- so what? It’s gone beyond common sense to an almost-suicidal mission to do something no one- perhaps even they- are really clear on. The “someday you’ll thank us” part is gone. It’s time for a coup- here.
#2 by glenn on September 30, 2007 - 10:10 am
Richard, does this qualify as a conspiracy in your book? I won’t spend any time searching on neo con blogs and sources to “debunk” it.
“according to a former senior intelligence official”. Yeah, that has me convinced, very credible sourcing. Good job Richard, you smoke buddy.
You believin’ Yet? Join us, the next 15 years eating crow could have health consequences.
All the plans for wars are made well in advance, despite there being any “official evidence”. Start thinking Cui Bono, and watch the body language of the talking heads, not the blather coming forth from their pie holes.
“Never believe anything until it is officially denied”
Otto von Bismarck.
#3 by Richard Warnick on September 30, 2007 - 10:32 am
glenn– Let’s assume for the sake of argument that you are comparing a possible U.S. government conspiracy to attack Iran with a hypothetical six-year-old U.S. government conspiracy to attack the United States. Note that people who were in the Iran conspiracy meetings are talking to reporters.
I seldom go to the neocon websites, but my guess is most of them are unhappy that the Iran war hasn’t started yet. Bill Kristol has been beating those war drums for more than a year.
#4 by glenn on September 30, 2007 - 11:37 am
I’m just messing with you.
However, conspiracy is conspiracy. Imagine that all of these “conspiracies” in the end are attacks on our sovereignty, which in fact is an attack on the Constitution. Those doing this are committing treason, which results in immediate forfeiture of citizenship. We’re under attack, from within from moral foreigners.
External, internal, enemies are enemies Richard. Your Oath as a soldier commands you defend the Constitutions’ reality, from ALL ENEMIES, foreign and domestic.
You are completely predictable. You so wish to desire to keep your mindset. It’s ok, as with life itself…
It isn’t permanent.
#5 by glenn on September 30, 2007 - 8:16 pm
Here is some great footage, of our “finests’”, finest hour. Lethal immaturity, that is costing us a fortune in moral and material capital. Woe be unto us.
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCyzvTJguCs#uWO51y2uuq0
#6 by Tim on October 2, 2007 - 6:28 pm
I agree with Ken. Somebody else on top has to be calling the shots. Before we invaded Afghanistan, we told the Taliban to hand over Bin Laden. They agreed, but only to turn him over to a neutral country, if the US provided proof of OBL complicity. We didn’t (couldn’t) and invaded. We dropped in 18,000 troops + 2 – 4,000 Special Forces to defend us against ‘the most dangerous regime on the planet’. 2004 Republican National Convention in NYC: 60, 000 NYPD + 13,000 – 18,000 private security forces. These numbers seem to suggest our government is more afraid of an educated, taxpaying population, than their former ‘tools’ the Taliban. Oh yeah, to this day the FBI does not have enough evidence to indict OBL in 9/11 attacks. Cole, yes, embassies, yes, 9/11, no.
#7 by Mo Larry the Cheese on October 2, 2007 - 7:05 pm
We agree, but these cretins behind the curtain, will not go quietly. The Flag Officers of the Military that are true to their Sworn Oath to defend the Constitution, from all enemies, foreign and domestic, have to consider making their move. Before time runs out. The World is at its wits end with us. We are in a very dangerous situation.
This is not solvable at the ballot booth, it does not matter who is in charge by front appearances. Our government has been hi-jacked, and we’re the passengers.
To utilize Hegels’ thoughts, the purpose of these horrible events, is to spread chaos, and to demoralize Americans. Who reading this can even believe what our own have done? The psychological component of breaking the Nations will, the will to imagine that we are moral, good, and leaders,… in the cause of humanity, this is what the elite, that are behind all this tragedy, are about.
They seek to destroy us psychologically.
Reread some of the greats who gambled all in the formation of this Country,.. Henry, Paine, the Adams, Joseph Warren, and others as great just to much to mention here. They will give you strength. The elite that honor NOTHING but their own narcissistic existence, mean to to toss us into the maelstrom, so they can have more of what they already have plenty of.
Like a Crocodile that gorges itself once a year as the Wildebeest cross the River.
Hold Fast, and prepare, it is just beginning.
As citizens, our part is to General Strike. Are we there yet Tim? When we gonna be there?, I wanna be there…
#8 by Tim not from Zeitgeist on October 4, 2007 - 7:11 pm
Hey Richard, just wondering if you had a chance to see this
http://work.colum.edu/%7Eamiller/wolfowitz1992.htm
It looks like it was pulled down from yesterdays post.
#9 by Richard Warnick on October 5, 2007 - 7:23 am
The Zeitgeist folks regard internationalism as evil but I think they can turn on a dime and claim that U.S. rejection of internationalism is evil, too.
The USA is already headed back the other way. An “America vs. The World” mindset is pure idiocy. We desperately need NATO in Afghanistan. We owe $600 billion to Japan and $400 billion to China. If Bush attacks Iran, it will probably be the last gasp of unilateralism.