April 5, 2008. Today the London Telegraph reported that “British officials gave warning yesterday that America’s commander in Iraq will declare that Iran is waging war against the US-backed Baghdad government. A strong statement from General David Petraeus about Iran’s intervention in Iraq could set the stage for a US attack on Iranian militiary facilities, according to a Whitehall assessment.”
The neocon lacky Petraeus has had his script written for him by Cheney, and Petraeus together with neocon warmonger Ryan Crocker, the US governor of the Green Zone in Baghdad, will present Congress next Tuesday and Wednesday with the lies, for which the road has been well paved by neocon propagandists such as Kimberly Kagan, that “the US must recognize that Iran is engaged in a full-up proxy war against it in Iraq.”
Don’t expect Congress to do anything except to egg on the attack. On April 3 the International Herald Tribune reported that senators and representatives have made millions of dollars from their investments in defense companies totaling $196 million. Rep. Ike Skelton, the Democrat chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, is already on board with the attack on Iran. The London Telegraph quotes Skelton: “Iran is the bull in the china shop. In all of this, they seem to have links to all of the Shi’ite groups, whether they be political or military.”
All Skelton knows is what the war criminal Bush regime tells him. If Iran really does have all these connections, then it behooves Washington to cease threatening Iran and to make nice with Iran in order to stabilize Iraq and extract the US from the nightmare.
Reporting from Tehran on April 4, Reuters quotes Mohsen Hakim, whose father, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, leads the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, an ally of the Maliki US puppet government in Iraq: “Tehran, by using its positive influence on the Iraqi nation, paved the way for the return of peace to Iraq and the new situation is the result of Iran’s efforts.”
Instead of thanking Iran and working with Iran diplomatically to restore stability to Iraq, the Bush regime intends to expand the nightmare with a military attack on Iran. Ryan Crocker was quick to dispute Hakim’s report that Iran had used its influence to end the fighting in Basra. Crocker alleged that Iran had started the fighting. The absurdity of Crocker’s claim is obvious as even the neocon US media reported that the fighting in Basra was started by the US and Maliki in an effort to clear out the Shi’ite al-Sadr militia. Most experts saw the attack on al-Sadr for what it was: an effort to remove a potential threat to the US supply line from Kuwait in the event of a US attack on Iran.
Crocker alleges that the rockets dropping on the Green Zone during the Basra fighting were made in 2007 in Iran. As should be obvious even to disengaged Americans, if Iran were to arm the Iraqi insurgency, the insurgents would have modern weapons to counter US helicopter gunships and heavy tanks. The insurgents have no such weapons. The neocon lie that Iran is the cause of the Iraqi insurgency is just another Bush regime lie like the lie that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction and connections to al Qaeda and the lie that the Taliban in Afghanistan attacked the US.
The Bush regime will tell any lie and orchestrate any event in order to “finish the job” in the Middle East.
“Finishing the job” means to destroy the ability of Iraq, Iran, and Syria to provide support for the Palestinians and for Hezbollah in southern Lebanon against Israeli aggression. With Iraq and Iran in turmoil, Syria might simply give up and become another American client state. With Iraq and Iran in turmoil, Israel can steal the rest of the West Bank along with the water resources in southern Lebanon. That is what “the war on terror” is really about.
The entire world knows this. Consequently, the US and Israel are essentially isolated. The US can only count on the support that it can bribe and pay for.
At the NATO-Russian summit in Bucharest, Romania, on April 4, Russian President Putin said: “No one can seriously think that Iran would dare attack the U.S. Instead of pushing Iran into a corner, it would be far more sensible to think together how to help Iran become more predictable and transparent.”
Of course it would, but that is not what the warmonger Bush regime wants.
Perhaps the British government has derailed the plot to attack Iran by leaking in advance to the London Telegraph the disinformation Cheney has prepared for Petraeus and Crocker to deliver to the complicit US Congress next Tuesday and Wednesday. On the other hand, the US puppet media is likely to bury the real story and to trumpet Petraeus claims that Iran has, in effect, already declared war on the US by sending weapons to kill US troops in Iraq.
By next Thursday we will know from how the Petraeus-Crocker dog and pony show plays in the US Congress and media whether the Bush Regime will commit yet another war crime by attacking Iran.
Paul Craig Roberts, a former Assistant Secretary of the US Treasury and former associate editor of the Wall Street Journal, has held numerous academic appointments. He has been reporting shocking cases of prosecutorial abuse for two decades. A new edition of his book, The Tyranny of Good Intentions, co-authored with Lawrence Stratton, a documented account of how Americans lost the protection of law, was published by Random House in March, 2008.
"On April 3 the International Herald Tribune reported that senators and representatives have made millions of dollars from their investments in defense companies totaling $196 million. Rep. Ike Skelton, the Democrat chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, is already on board with the attack on Iran."
Instigating a war for personal profit should be grounds for High Crimes.
This nation has had a singular focus on "profits" for far too long, to the detriment of humanity.
War for profit, must end, we should eliminate the profit opportunity from everything to do with the military - weapons of mass destruction should not be tools for our leaders and the elite to profit from.
We should hold hearings on the "crimes against humanity" perpetrated by those on Congress, the Senate and the White House.
Time for real democracy and an end to War as an economic engine.
by
August Adams (10 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 428 comments)
on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 3:09:08 PM
Alright - I don't care what it is you were planning this coming week, whatever it is can wait, because I promise you this - if we don't stop this insanity now and this attack goes off whatever you are doing now won't matter.
Look, this is what bush was doing when meeting with Putin and the new gang members, he was making a deal that if Russia backs off when bush attacks that Russia need not worry about getting their share. cheney was doing the same thing on his recent visits, wheeling and dealing.
It's right in front of us, they're going to attack and soon! Maybe before the end of this month! Look what's been going down recently: Fallon resigns, Betrauy-us blames Iran for Green Zone attacks (?), troops are beginning amassed on border of Iran, renewed fighting in near region of Basara, March 30th bush declares all banking interests to stop doing business with Iran banks, naval deployment is up to pre-Iraq levels - now this!
There's only one thing left - an excuse. Can anyone say "false flag operation"? - I knew you could. The Shell Game scenario plays out, a "dirty-bomb" attack on a major city. It has to be something big - bigger than 9/11 to get people on board again and leave them so shocked as to once more become sheeple.
Several things will happen at once: bush will declare a "state of emergency" and immediately order a nuclear strike on Iran, a total collapse of economy, food shortages and general panic will make it easy to declare Marshall Law and we will descend into a totalitarian hell we will never recover from. What will happen on a geopolitical scale is beyond my comprehension, but whatever it will be won't be pretty.
We can not let them sleep-walk us into this one like they did with Iraq. Not this time! It's not just "no", it's "HELL NO!!!"
Think - no one's stopped them from doing whatever they want - steal an election(2)? DONE - kill 3,000 people? DONE - use that as a pretext to start two illegal wars? - DONE - kill over one-million people and counting? DONE - torture? DONE. So please tell me what's going to stop them from attacking Iran? Who's going to stop them? Congress? HA! Not unless we sit on their chests. We - as in only "we" - need to stop this now!
There is no wait till 09', or July 4th, or next day - there is now - there is only us. No more calls - no more lame excuses - we clog-up their halls - we demand action! They don't act, they're first to go and we march on White House!
Demand Obama, Clinton and McInsane say where they stand on impeachment! Bombard them with this! Drive their campaign Head-quarters crazy.
But FIRST STOP this attack on Iran! If they attack - all bets are off. We're finished ... you can forget about an election. Even if weren't canceled McInsane would win in another rigged election with an excuse given that he was a "war hero" - , can't have some wimpy "peace" candidate or a women in a time of war.
Nah, folks, this is putting chills down my spine and making my stomach turn. We're staring Armageddon in it's face. We don't stop them this time ... those Four Horsemen will be let loose on the land.
If not now? When? If not you? Who?
by
Mr M (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 9 diaries, 1247 comments)
on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 4:05:36 PM
It beggars belief that the situation could have reached this point. It is 3:30am here in Tehran. Looking out from my living room window, I am deeply concerned at the pace at which events are moving.
Last week I interviewed a prominent New York-based political analyst via satellite. He said the Cheney inspired assault on Basra had failed on every level. Not least of which, he said, was the aim of getting Britain to increase the number of troops in Iraq. He was confident that Britain would go ahead with its planned troop withdrawal.
He said nobody had been fooled by what he described as ploys to stir up support for military action against Iran - for example the mortar attacks on the Green Zone.
Sadly, he has been proven wrong.
With every respect to Mr Roberts, I hope he too is ultimately proven to have drawn the wrong conclusions, and Congress finally finds the courage to do what it knows to be right.
by
Chris Gelken (22 articles, 2 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 7 comments)
on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 6:10:32 PM
That was an excellent comment that you posted Mr. M.
I belive Bush met with Putin and Co. to recieve Russia's blessing for such an attack on Iran, as did Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert when he met with Cheney.
The plans have been drawn and it's only a matter of time now.
And how ironic indeed that there is a photo of Cheney's puppet, General Betraeus on this thread. Astonishing! And lest we forget Mr. M., that they're keeping us safe! From the evildoers who are under our beds and in our closets. Makes me wanna puke!
by
Munich (0 articles, 52 quicklinks, 12 diaries, 726 comments)
on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 8:32:46 PM
It's Russia's 9/11 - Putin has been in on everything since the beginning. This is an a enigma, wrapped around a riddle with so many twist and turns ... and people say there's no conspiracies ... simply stretches credulity that we give so-called intelligence agencies unaccounted billions - maybe trillions, we don't know - and they have their hands in every business, government, illegal operation, that they plan and do whatever they damn well please with weapons and surveillance systems we haven't even heard of and that this wouldn't attract the most pathological of killers.
Not saying all of them are - but enough certainly are.
by
Mr M (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 9 diaries, 1247 comments)
on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 11:42:33 PM
Just another example of the utter failure of the Democrats. They chose triangulation and political expediency over ending this lousy war and preventing the coming cataclysm when they gave General Betrayus and his neocon enablers a free ride during the big lie that was "THE SURGE". I was ashamed to be an American the day that our great Congress chose to use our taxpayer funded time to denounce MoveOn.org but shame at being an American is pretty common to me now. Truthfully, I can't see how anyone with any morality whatsoever could help but be ashamed given the wretched and blood soaked empire of tyranny and corruption that we have become.
Yep, there is no stopping the escalation of all of this into World War III and the quisling Democrats can be counted on to lick Petraeus's boots next week when he provides cover for the coming attack on Iran.
Great piece by Paul Craig Roberts again, a true patriot and a damned fine American who dares to speak the truth. This man is consistently right and shows that the left-right paradigm that we are all fed is a gigantic lie.
History will not judge us kindly but it won't be because of men like Dr. Roberts who stood the tallest when it mattered the most.
Thanks for this
EE
by
Ed Encho (6 articles, 10 quicklinks, 54 diaries, 371 comments)
on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 8:08:39 PM
Buying off Russia is always an important part of the latter phases of the Empire's attack plans. I wonder what Putin will get out of the deal?
I was hoping that Putin would stand firm against any further U.S. aggression, but with history as my guide, I suppose I have to say that's extremely unlikely.
When the bombs start to fall, Iran will be as alone as the Empire's other victims always are.
by
Harold Smith (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 443 comments)
on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 8:53:23 PM
Putin would be the last person to want the United States to move even closer militarily to his southern border and destabilize a country Russia does billions of dollars of business with. If anything, Putin is working to prevent this.
by
Mac McKinney (42 articles, 60 quicklinks, 142 diaries, 966 comments)
on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 11:44:12 PM
Let us hold on one moment. why would Putin turn his back on Iran after saying the Crimean countries will defend one another. Putin is a tough dude and he certainly doesn't need the oil.
The two honchos are both son's of CIA / KBG chiefs (I know what you were thinking!). They will parry and thrust, but neither will give in while knowing that the other is too treacherous to believe. My vote's with Vlad, and know that The Shrub will back down (the coward).
Wolfie, the pie eyed optimist (what else is there to be!)
by
Wolfie (9 articles, 0 quicklinks, 16 diaries, 1039 comments)
on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 9:08:23 PM
Seriously I hope I'm wrong and you're right, but unless Putin does something besides the usual lip service, and soon, e.g., offer Iran some S-400 SAM systems, send some Russian military "advisors" to Iran, etc., I'll have to assume he's been bought off, just like his predecessor was.
by
Harold Smith (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 443 comments)
on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 10:30:30 PM
Bought off with what??? Even left-wing Americans still seem to operate under the delusion that we are a wealthy country. Whatever Putin does, it will be based on his own self-interest. I can see him going along with a plan that will only drive oil prices higher, and thus make Russia richer. My guess is he's calculating how he can use this to roll back NATO in eastern Europe.
by
Gregg Gordon (26 articles, 47 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 199 comments)
on Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 4:08:58 AM
Of course there are potentially several things, e.g.; ok, we won't offer NATO membership to Ukraine, etc.; ok, we won't base an anti-missile system in Eastern Europe, etc.; ok, we'll agree to not put weapons in space; ok, we'll reimburse you for any of your business losses in Iran, etc. Do you follow?
Even left-wing Americans still seem to operate under the delusion that we are a wealthy country.
LOL! What a naive, irrelevant statement. I see you're not very familiar with the nature of government, history, or current events. No wonder you state your opinion in such a forceful, perjorative manner.
For all anyone knows, the whole anti-missile system thing in Eastern Europe was nothing but a ruse from the beginning, to use as a bargaining chip for just this very situation
Whatever Putin does, it will be based on his own self-interest.
LOL! How do you know that? How do you know he's not a patriot, doing what he perceives to be best for the Russian people?
I can see him going along with a plan that will only drive oil prices higher, and thus make Russia richer. My guess is he's calculating how he can use this to roll back NATO in eastern Europe.
You just stated he would act in "his own self-interest", now you're saying he'll act in what he perceives to be the best interest of Russia? Well which is it?
by
Harold Smith (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 443 comments)
on Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 8:39:39 AM
Stop Freaking Out! Set your Intention to Stop an Attack
Quantum physics has been proving what Occultists and mystics have known all along: that even thoughts have effects on our three-dimensional reality, so stop thinking negative thoughts that only strengthen the psychotic designs of the Neocons. Do not feed their toxic thought-forms with your own.
Instead, set your intention to stop an attack on Iran. Set your intention to expose all the government's lies. Set your intention to undermine and reveal any False Flag Operations. Create thought-forms that, in harmony with Truth, will have a power of their own to neutralize this threat to humanity.
As the Buddha said, "Our lives are shaped by our minds." Evil thoughts produce suffering. Good thoughts produce harmony and peace.
by
Mac McKinney (42 articles, 60 quicklinks, 142 diaries, 966 comments)
on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 11:25:42 PM
this is a miracle that happened only because someone would not believe that the experts were right. ron davis was dyslexic and retarded and could not speak until age seventeen. he is a brilliant and successful human being that is helping humanity with his knowledge and intelligence.
this gives me hope. this gives me courage. this gives me direction. you are right, a particle on one side of the universe causes a particle on the other side to change. this happens faster than the speed of light, although we thought light speed was the maximum that any thing could travel.
wolfie
by
Wolfie (9 articles, 0 quicklinks, 16 diaries, 1039 comments)
on Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 12:37:54 AM
All right. It's Sunday morning. 18 comments so far...
END OF LIFE AS WE PAMPERED US CITIZENS KNOW IT Subject Matter HERE.
I appreciate the discourse, the sense of urgency and concern. But I'd like to know WHERE are the PEOPLE in UNIFORMS' comments. Can't we get an incognito private based somewhere to chime in? Someone on a flight line? Someone just back from Iraq?
Where are the "watchmen on the walls", the military men and women who have been serving this administration's designs? Pro or con on whats going down -- won't you weigh in? Now's the time!!! TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO SOUND A WARNING!!! Private contractor guys; what do you know?
The Nightmare reality the U.S. "creates" in other people's lands can flash into existence here as well.
Please get on the record before...
by
boomerang (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 230 comments)
on Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 9:16:26 AM
I recently heard you on Thom Hartmann's show, and I greatly respect the work you are doing, concerning the destruction of the Constitution by this Administration. However, I take issue with this piece.
First: a small point: "Democrat" is a noun, not an adjective. A Democrat who serves in Congress is a Democratic Congressperson.
More to the larger point: I have a hard time believing your premise: that the Bush Administration's main motive is to support Israel. You don't explain why they would go to all this trouble. To bring about biblical prophecy? Maybe if Huckabee were president.
No, I think the most obvious explanation for the plan to attack Iran, is to control the oil. This is, after all, an administration of corporatist oil company execs. Bush and Cheney schmooze with Saudi Arabian royalty - not with Israeli leaders.
by
Amy Fried (38 articles, 69 quicklinks, 43 diaries, 172 comments)
on Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 10:00:25 AM
Obviously, it has little or nothing to do with oil per se.
I suppose I should point out that it wasn't oil company executives dancing and partying in Liberty Park on 09/11/2001; rather, it was Israeli agents.
No, this madness is all about PNAC, which is in essence all about Israel; or at least, all about someone's bloody delusions of a greater Israel.
If the U.S. attempts to seize Iran's oil region, it will be done in a strategic attempt to destroy the Iranian regime by cutting off its oil-based income, not because Bush et al. want to drink the oil.
by
Harold Smith (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 443 comments)
on Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 10:52:05 AM
You don't know the extent to which they "OWN US"!?
(as bellowed out by the "Butcher" Ariel Sharon, in an unguarded moment before the Knesset, when concerns were raised about US objections to yet another attack on Lebanon)
You don't realize the effect the richest and most powerful [FOREIGN] lobby AIPAC has on our Democracy, with its blackmail and bribery of almost every Congressperson there!?
...And that's ON TOP of the 3-5 BILLION "aid" we taxpayers are forced to send them every year, UN-ASKED! OUR Money, that they use to brutalize their indigenous population -and STILL they STEAL our military secrets, have "acquired" over 200 NUKES by devious means that they lie about, and can run over an American citizen protesting their ILLEGAL demolitions and settlements with their Catapillar bulldozer -twice!- with IMPUNITY!
You don't realize how many of the NEOCONS of the Bush/Cheney Cabal and PNAC -which includes scum like Lieberman- are DUAL citizenship Israelis?
You don't realize that, since our Telecommunications infrastructure is now Israeli-owned (since BEFORE 9/11, i might add!) , that THEY are probably snooping on us with the same gusto as Bush?
You don't know that MOST of our Rightwing Media that condemns everyone who dissents as either Anti-Semitic or Un-Patriotic is Israeli-owned? ................oh, I guess not, and we know why.
Time to finnish your homework, Dearie!
by
Bia Winter (1 articles, 2 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 170 comments)
on Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 11:31:34 AM
