Saturday 20th of April 2024
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the terror master .....

the terror master .....

The world's most dangerous terrorist, who has already slaughtered hundreds of thousands of innocent people, has launched yet another campaign of murder and destruction.

A few days ago, we wrote that the Bush Administration has systematically removed the last remaining barriers for a military attack on Iran. Now Andrew Cockburn reveals in Counterpunch (Secret Bush 'Finding' Widens War On Iran) that George W. Bush has ordered a major escalation of the long-running covert war the United States has already been waging inside Iran itself. 

With the approval of top Democrats, Bush has ordered vast new support for extremist terrorist groups operating inside Iran, and has okayed the assassination of Iranian officials. Here's Cockburn: 

Six weeks ago, President Bush signed a secret finding authorizing a covert offensive against the Iranian regime that, according to those familiar with its contents, 'unprecedented in its scope.' 

Bush's secret directive covers actions across a huge geographic area – from Lebanon to Afghanistan – but is also far more sweeping in the type of actions permitted under its guidelines – up to and including the assassination of targeted officials.  This widened scope clears the way, for example, for full support for the military arm of Mujahedin-e Khalq, the cultish Iranian opposition group, despite its enduring position on the State Department's list of terrorist groups.

peddling war...

The comment posted above was quoted from Empire Burlesque but the link disappeared. Here it is (03 May 2008)

Here is a bit more from Flloyd: 

He [Cockburn] also notes the acceleration toward war now that Bush factotum (and future Caesar?) David Petraeus is now in charge of the region:

Though Petraeus is not due to take formal command at Centcom until late summer,  there are abundant signs that something may happen before then.  A Marine amphibious force, originally due to leave San Diego for the Persian Gulf in mid June, has had its sailing date abruptly moved up to May 4.  A scheduled meeting in Europe between French diplomats acting as intermediaries for the U.S. and Iranian representatives has been abruptly cancelled in the last two weeks.  Petraeus is said to be at work on a master briefing for congress to demonstrate conclusively that the Iranians are the source of our current troubles in Iraq, thanks to their support for the Shia militia currently under attack by U.S. forces in Baghdad."

"Interestingly, despite the bellicose complaints, Petraeus has made little effort to seal the Iran-Iraq border, and in any case two thirds of U.S. casualties still come from Sunni insurgents.  "The Shia account for less than one third," a recently returned member of the command staff in Baghdad familiar with the relevant intelligence  told me, "but if you want a war you have to sell it."

And as we noted the other day, the hard sell is definitely on now. Many people comfort themselves with the idea that the Bush Regime won't really pull the trigger on Iran; that, somehow, reason and good sense will convince them of the monumental folly of this course. But as we have noted over and over here, the fomenting of constant war, bloodshed, chaos -- and crippling domestic debt -- is not folly to the Bushists and the elite interests they represent. It is pure profit, and the game is always worth the candle -- because they never, ever have to face the consequences of their filthy ambitions. It is always others who pay, in rivers of blood and mountains of treasure.

But by all means, take whatever comfort you can now from hopes that there will be no war on Iran. God knows there will be little comfort to be had afterward.

 

tactics

Although the Bush Administration is trying to sell us a "limited war with Iran", it appears that the general media — who got taken for a ride over the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq — has been a bit more cautious. So, it seems that Bush is using a different spruiking tactic on this one. Rather than try to sell it to the masses via a full bore media in advance, he could go ahead with sumpthin' and make us buy it afterwards, via our governments... We could say we don't want it but we will have to, no matter what... And there is little we can do because the pages of outraged analysis that should appear in the media are filled with the inconsequential tits and bums of celebrities...

different scenario, same result...

From the Chris Flloyd discussion comments:

Predictions of an Iran invasion have been coming on these pages and others for years. Nothing has happened. If bankers/multi-national corporations do hold the whip hand in the world why would they upset the already fragile markets and cause an international panic? You would have to argue that the militarists who seek chaos and the ability to seize money, women, and slaves by armed force have the upper hand now--is that what you are saying? For the Iran invasion scenario to be credible you would have to show that the money guys don't have veto power over that operation--I say they do, for now. My guess is that the consensus is to keep up pressure on Iran through low-intensity conflict and isolation largely to make sure that hard-liners in Iran stay in power and Iran keeps being an "enemy" and serves as a scapegoat for the stalemate in Iraq. The argument on how Iran is killing Americans is propaganda to build up an enemy which is required in our system--actually it is probably Saudi money (which largely funds the Sunni insurgents including "Al-qaida") that is the main source of American casualties.

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Gus:  Either or, the idea to "do Sumpthin'" INSIDE Iran is still on the table. This, of course, would spur the Iranians to fight back and "attack"... thus giving the US, the next step to "defend" by bombing Iran... Same result, different route 66...